Squeal Under Hood

[Blu99XLT]

Okay, before anyone suggests the cam synchro. I've done all the checks and determined that it's not that. I've replaced the belt, tension and idler pulleys and the dang thing still squeals! As I was under the hood the other day, I found that the belt is moving back and forth on the idler pulley causing the squeal. I sprayed a little WD-40 on the belt where it rides on the pulley and the squeal stopped until the WD-40 wore off and it started again. My question is: Could it be a "cheap" belt that is causing this?

Another question: The 3.0 seems to have a "miss". When I crank it, it sounds like it is out of time. I was told that it's not typical for the 3.0 to jump time since it has a chain. I have replaced the camshaft position sensor, which did not correct the problem. My next check will be the plugs and wires. Could it be as simple as that? Let me know what you guys think. I'm ready to drive my truck again. Thanks,

Jonathan

 

[Rearanger]

I found that the belt is moving back and forth on the idler pulley causing the squeal.

Have you checked for looseness or warpage in other pulleys?

Could it be a "cheap" belt that is causing this?

How cheap, Juan's El Cheapo roadside belt stand? I don't think a new aftermarket belt would be bad right from the start unless it was twisted at manufacture.

 

[Big Jim M]

You wrote: I found that the belt is moving back and forth on the idler pulley causing the squeal. I sprayed a little WD-40 on the belt where it rides on the pulley and the squeal stopped until the WD-40 wore off and it started again. My question is: Could it be a "cheap" belt that is causing this?

Belt movement like that is most likely caused by either of the components above or below that pully being LOOSE and that component moving back and forth from that looseness.
So I'd be checking all the bolt-ons for tightness.
Big JIm

 

[McCormack]

Ranger 3.0 serp belt tensioners are poorly designed, and installing a new one does not necessarily guaranty that the tensioner will be in alignment. Put a straight edge on the tensioner pulley and see if it lines up with the crank pulley. If it doesn't, then the tensioner will have to be shimmed into alignment, and then your belt squeal problems will go away.

 

[Blu99XLT]

Thanks for all of the good info guys. If the tensioner is out of alignment, what woul be an acceptable shim? Would a washer work between the tensioner and where it bolts on to the bracket? I did however, find the problem with what I thought was a timing issue. I checked the plugs this morning and the first one I pulled (#6) the center electrode was gone. I replaced all the plugs and it ran smooth after a jump start. I did notice as I was driving it, the steering was a little stiff. I noticed when I had the serp. belt off, the power steering pulley had a little play front to back, maybe 1/8". Is this normal? I have a few more maintenence issues to take care of, but it is coming back together slowly. When it's done, I'm going to sit back and have a cold one icon_pepsi: that is)

 

[Big Jim M]

Oh boy!

Thanks for all of the good info guys. If the tensioner is out of alignment, what woul be an acceptable shim? Would a washer work between the tensioner and where it bolts on to the bracket? I did however, find the problem with what I thought was a timing issue. I checked the plugs this morning and the first one I pulled (#6) the center electrode was gone. I replaced all the plugs and it ran smooth after a jump start. I did notice as I was driving it, the steering was a little stiff. I noticed when I had the serp. belt off, the power steering pulley had a little play front to back, maybe 1/8". Is this normal? I have a few more maintenence issues to take care of, but it is coming back together slowly. When it's done, I'm going to sit back and have a cold one icon_pepsi: that is)

When you say electrode was gone.. Do you mean burnt off? If it was totally different from all the other plugs, I'd be looking for an air leak that superheated that one cylinder. That could be an INTAKE leak right there at that cylinder... OR it could be an exhaust manifold leak right there at that cylinder.. Either one will destroy an engine in just a few miles.
Big JIm

 

[McCormack]

If the tensioner is out of alignment, what would be an acceptable shim?

Washers for nuts and bolts are too thick to use as tensioner shims, so I made my own shims out of 6" x 6" pieces of various thickness sheet stock that I bought from the hardware store. Remove the tensioner, then drill a hole in the sheet stock the size of the locating pin that's located behind the tensioner assembly, then with a tin snips cut around the hole in the shape of a washer.

Hang the shim on the locating pin then remount the tensioner, then put the belt on and see where you're at in regard to being in alignment with your crank pulley. If it's not in alignment then you'll have to take the tensioner off and cut out another shim from a thicker or thinner piece of sheet stock (or maybe even double a couple of shims up) and then remount the tensioner to once again see where you're at.

The tensioner is a lot easier to remove if you take out the two bolts that hold the fan shroud on, then slide the shroud back towards the engine. You'll now have room to insert a 1/4" drive socket and extension through the fan blades to unbolt the tensioner.

 

[red_ranger97]

I've noticed that on my 3.0, the main cause of the sqeaking belt is the smallest amount of dirt/grease/oil on the smooth idler pulley. If it gets really bad, I take a clean rag and clean that pulley the best I can and the squeaking reduces considerably, or at least until I drive the truck in nasty weather when it might come back.

 

[Henkexc896]

Try putting baby powder on the pulleys, it took care of the squeal on mine.