Belt whine. Power steering pulley seems hard to turn

[Bartmuley]

I have a 1994 2.3 Ranger, I’m having bad almost constant serpentine belt squeal. The amps go down on my gauge when the belt squeals. I took off the belt And tested the pulleys and they seem OK except for the power steering pump but I’ve read it doesn’t spin freely like the other pulleys? How hard should it be to spin?

And could a bad power steering pulley set off the “check engine” light?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Curious Hound]

If it slows down the belt, then the alternator might not be able to produce enough power. Does the squeal get worse when you turn the steering wheel? I would recheck the alternator pulley. Does it have any side-to-side play? Do you feel any roughness when turning it?

 

[Bartmuley]

If it slows down the belt, then the alternator might not be able to produce enough power. Does the squeal get worse when you turn the steering wheel? I would recheck the alternator pulley. Does it have any side-to-side play? Do you feel any roughness when turning it?

After further investigation i think the squealing noise is coming from the AC pulley. When I spun it it spun but made a kind of grinding noise. When I put the belt back on it sounded like the noise was coming from the AC pulley.

The PS pump needed replaced anyway so I ordered a new one and I also ordered a new AC Clutch bearing.

I just put a new exhaust on it and it seems like every time I fix one thing on the Ranger 2 more break.

hopefully changing out the bearing won’t be too hard and it will fix the problem.

 

[Bartmuley]

If it slows down the belt, then the alternator might not be able to produce enough power. Does the squeal get worse when you turn the steering wheel? I would recheck the alternator pulley. Does it have any side-to-side play? Do you feel any roughness when turning it?

thanks for the response. The alternator is new, I put it on a couple of years ago but the truck doesn’t get driven much. I checked it anyway while I had the belt off and as far as I could tell was fine.
Like I said the AC pulley seems to be the problem.

the PS is getting replaced too.

 

[Shadowrider6661]

The idler / tension pulleys go bad and create drag on the belt, along with a grinding sound.

 

[Dirtman]

Belts is goes squerk!

Make sure you replace the belt too, after slipping the belt gets too hot and glazes over so even if it's a relatively new belt it may very well slip even on brand new pulleys.

 

[Bartmuley]

Belts is goes squerk!

Make sure you replace the belt too, after slipping the belt gets too hot and glazes over so even if it's a relatively new belt it may very well slip even on brand new pulleys.

thanks I ordered a new belt too.

 

[Bartmuley]

Does anyone know what the cover to the AC pulley is called? I’ve seen it called the “pressure plate” but I haven’t found that when I search.

I’m talking about the triangle outer cover that you take off to get to the bearing.

 

[pjtoledo]

that's the AC clutch hub, per Rock Auto.
some brands sell the clutch as an assembly, hub plus pulley. pulley contains the bearing.

 

[Bartmuley]

that's the AC clutch hub, per Rock Auto.
some brands sell the clutch as an assembly, hub plus pulley. pulley contains the bearing.

thanks!

 

[Bartmuley]

The idler / tension pulleys go bad and create drag on the belt, along with a grinding sound.

thanks, they both seem fine. My brother borrowed the truck for a while and he put a new tensioner on it last year.

 

[mlkary]

Be sure the power steering pulley is absolutely flush with pump shaft. If the pump has been changed and the pulley is not pressed all the way on it will misalign the belt and cause the squeak. If a bolt and washer was used to press the pulley on, it is very possible the washer bent in the center and kept the pulley from going on flush. Less than .015 flush will cause a belt squeak.

 

[Bartmuley]

Be sure the power steering pulley is absolutely flush with pump shaft. If the pump has been changed and the pulley is not pressed all the way on it will misalign the belt and cause the squeak. If a bolt and washer was used to press the pulley on, it is very possible the washer bent in the center and kept the pulley from going on flush. Less than .015 flush will cause a belt squeak.

thanks, I fixed it. it was the serpentine belt
Itself. My brother had borrowed the truck and he put a really cheap belt on, I guess it had “glazed” or gotten to the point where it was constantly slipping. I’ve had squeaky belts before but nothing to this level.

when I put the new belt on it was way tighter, I actually had a little difficulty getting it on because I didn’t have a long enough ratchet to use on the tensioner. The old belt had some slack in it and was easy to take off.

The AC pulley was making a slight grinding noise too though so if it want “bad” yet it was getting there so I’m glad I got that fixed.

it’s actually running great right now, CEL is on but I’m hoping that’s just an O2 sensor that needs replaced.