Possible fix for cold startup squeal
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,165
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From: Cabot, AR
Possible fix for cold startup squeal
This winter my truck started to squeal whenever I started it while it was cold. It would squeal for 15-30 sec and then stop. I read of several other people having the problem but, no one had a solution. Well I have an idea.
About 2 weeks ago I replaced my belt tensioner, because I broke mine in a case of terminal stupidity. Since then the sound has been gone. At first I thought that it was because of the warmer temperatures, however I now have a different idea. After reading a post in the L forum about a guy selling new tensioners that had the bearings repacked with better grease it got me to thinking that that might have been my problem.
I think that in the cold weather the grease in the bearing was getting thick, also moisture in the bearing would freeze. This would cause the bearing to start to seize up. Causing the belt and or bearing to squeal. The heat generated while the bearing was not turning freely would soon heat up the grease and cause the pulley to spin freely, so the noise would stop.
Someone could try to repack or grease the bearing and see if this will cure the problem. I can't try this because I have a new tensioner, but I think that this might help the people that had this problem.
Joe
About 2 weeks ago I replaced my belt tensioner, because I broke mine in a case of terminal stupidity. Since then the sound has been gone. At first I thought that it was because of the warmer temperatures, however I now have a different idea. After reading a post in the L forum about a guy selling new tensioners that had the bearings repacked with better grease it got me to thinking that that might have been my problem.
I think that in the cold weather the grease in the bearing was getting thick, also moisture in the bearing would freeze. This would cause the bearing to start to seize up. Causing the belt and or bearing to squeal. The heat generated while the bearing was not turning freely would soon heat up the grease and cause the pulley to spin freely, so the noise would stop.
Someone could try to repack or grease the bearing and see if this will cure the problem. I can't try this because I have a new tensioner, but I think that this might help the people that had this problem.
Joe
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 99
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From: Kennesaw Ga.
Did you also replace the belt? The reason I ask is, I replaced my belt a week ago with a Goodyear Gatorback (expensive).
Well, my truck would churp on cold start when the temp is about 40 and below about a second or two, since I replaced the belt, no more noise. I am assuming a lot of these noise complants (not all) are due to the belts being old and slick. This is the factory belt I took out, it still looked good that's why I never changed it, no cracks or splits.
Is it the belt or tensioner?
Well, my truck would churp on cold start when the temp is about 40 and below about a second or two, since I replaced the belt, no more noise. I am assuming a lot of these noise complants (not all) are due to the belts being old and slick. This is the factory belt I took out, it still looked good that's why I never changed it, no cracks or splits.
Is it the belt or tensioner?
Last edited by HarleyD1; Feb 20, 2003 at 11:18 AM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 3
From: Cabot, AR
I did change the belt but I don't believe that the belt was causing the squeal. The sound I was hearing sounded nothing like a belt squealing. Reading this post from the L fourm to better understand the problem I was describing.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=107684
However the new belt did fix the squeal every time I WOT shifted from 1-2 & 2-3.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=107684
However the new belt did fix the squeal every time I WOT shifted from 1-2 & 2-3.