Squealing noise from belt? Tension, or something worse?

[Indy]

I'm in the market for an SRT10, and I came across one that has the following problem: I've talked to the owner, and he said there's a squealing noise coming from the engine bay (like a belt noise), which goes away after the engine has warmed up. So I'm thinking, could this come from a belt that is not properly tightened (tensioner not working properly????), or is it a pulley bearing that has gone bad, or perhaps one of the pulley bolts is not properly tightened???? I really don't have any experience with Vipers. What do you think it could be? If this is the only problem, should I still consider this Viper, or stay away from it. Price is good.
Anyone had this problem?
Any insights would be appreciated Thanks!

 

[dave6666]

Could be...

-> Belt simply needs replacing. Year and mileage?

-> Sometimes moisture (humidity, condensation) will contribute to the squeal which evaporates or whatever when engine bay heat sets in. Hence it goes away.

 

[Indy]

Well, he said he had the belt replaced, so it's not that. Car has ~25km miles, it's an 03. Don't think it's moisture. But thanks for the input.
Has no one else had this problem? I did a search here on the forum, but couldn't find anything. If the fix doesn't cost an astronomical amount, I'd just get it done...and finished.

 

[Martin]

One way or another, if you're really interested in getting a car, it makes sense to have someone reputable check it out for you. At the very least, if you have AAA or know of a good mechanic, you can bring it in for a pre-purchase inspection and have the basics looked at for around $200. It's generally a good investment. In this case, did you listen to the squeek yourself, or are you just going on what he said? If you listen to it yourself, chances are very good that you'll be able to pinpoint the location quick and determine what it is. Could be as simple as a belt - but on serpentine belt cars, I find they don't often squeek unless the tensioner is shot or the belt is VERY old. You'll also want to look at things like the PS pump - those can make noise when cold if they're about to go. I've also heard some water pump bearings start to squeek before they went totally bad - but usually they're already leaking by that point. Worst case scenario is a spun bearing. I saw one squeek and squeel like a pig until the car was warmed up. But that only happened for a couple of warm up cycles before it went totally south...

 

[Indy]

Worst case scenario is a spun bearing.

...any idea what this worst case scenario would set me back at the dealership? Thanks for the responses by the way...I will take a look at the Viper after x-mas if possible...there aren't that many good deals here in Canada on Vipers, so the choice is pretty small.

 

[AZTVR]

If the fix doesn't cost an astronomical amount, I'd just get it done...and finished.

or, if it isn't major, have him get it fixed if he wants to sell the car to you.

 

[bluesrt]

well, hmmm-- ahhhh- remove the belt-if it goes away it is peanuts to fix- if it doesnt go away- run forest-run

 

[Indy]

If one of the pulley bearings was bad, causing enough drag to cause the belt to slip, wouldn't the noise go away if you take the belt off, but still be quite expensive to fix? I have no idea how much a bearing is to replace...any ideas on how much approximately? Indy

 

[dave6666]

I think you're starting to get ahead of the process where you need to go see the car. And listen to it.

Belts do make somewhat of a unique noise as compared to a failing bearing or other rotating mechanical component.

You say you don't suspect moisture, but you say the car is in Canada. Does it not get like really cold there? Does the engine not get hot there? And does the engine not get cold after getting hot and therefore be subject to condensation?

I've had vehicles with brand new belts that on humid days sound like crap until they get hot under the hood. Don't discount moisture. It doesn't have to mean the vehicle was submerged up to the mirrors to be a player.

 

[Viper Specialty]

It is rare, though not impossible to have a loose balancer bolt on a 2003, and if it is, you may be hearing the squeak of the balancer widdling down the end of the crankshaft. If that's what it is, you are looking at 1000's to repair if it needs a new crank. Same for a spun bearing.

If it is a simple belt squeak due to a bad pulley, you are looking at a hundred bucks tops, unless it happens to be a bad alternator bearing, water pump bearing, PS pump, etc... then whatever accessory is fault needs to be replaced. With used parts and new belt, you could repair it for a few hundred in any bad accessory case.

Check the balancer bolt for being loose it should be EXTREMELY tight, 250 lb/ft so long as it doesnt have a transplanted 2004 engine. If that is OK, remove the belt, and run the engine for a few seconds. If it goes away, it is likely a pulley or accessory, and you can also use this opportunity to try them by hand any look for anything squeaking/very loose/or seized.

 

[supersnake]

I have not had this happen on my Vipers, But I did have this happen to my 04 SRT 10 Ram Pick up. The truck was new with 300 miles on it and every cold start would squeal like crazy. I checked my pulley alignment and the crank pulley was way ahead of the other pulleys. Checked the crank bolt and I screwed it out the rest of the way by hand, Removed the pulley and examined the crank and everthing was fine, Reinstalled the pulley with a little loctite and the correct torque and everything has been fine. Easy quick check, have a look at the belt, If it is wearing on one side and not the other,chances are there is an alignment issue. Hope this helps.

 

[Indy]

You say you don't suspect moisture, but you say the car is in Canada. Does it not get like really cold there?

lol
and we're all lumber jacks and live in igloos
actually, no. Temperatues in Vancouver are very moderate. We rarely get freezing temps here in the winter.
But thanks for all the input. I'll see if I can take a look at the Viper in the near future and listen to the squeal. Supersnake, I'll follow your advice and check for uneven wear on the belt. If things look too unfixable, I'll probably pass on this one.

 

[dave6666]

and we're all lumber jacks and live in igloos

But but but... Does that mean that Molson is not really made by little Canadian elves one bottle at a time?

 

[plumcrazy]

I didnt know vancouver was that mild, but guess so

10 Day Weather Forecast for Vancouver, Canada - weather.com

 

[Darbgnik]

But but but... Does that mean that Molson is not really made by little Canadian elves one bottle at a time?

No, that part is still true.