subaru squeling on start

[ally]

Hello again!

Hopefully this will be my last problem to solve.

When i start my van the belt or something squels really loud, its piercing! I think the belt is new, it looks it anyway. Is there anything else that can squeel? It also squeels sometimes when you change down to 2nd to early.

Any ideas?

[ally]

its still squeling

You cant tighten the belt, seems to worse in the wet.

Any ideas?

[andysimpson]

remove alternator belt and see if it still does it, the problem could be cam belt related.

[ally]

Hello

there is only one belt that spins the alternator and the power steering and err something else at the bottom. No other belts on the engine.

[andysimpson]

Hello

there is only one belt that spins the alternator and the power steering and err something else at the bottom. No other belts on the engine.

Try removing this belt is see is noise goes. The cam belt is hidden under covers, don't touch that unless you are familiar with them.

[ally]

soooo

is it hidden under the plastic cover? The cam belt.

So if i take the other belt off and it doesnt make a noise its the cam belt?

If i take it off it will stop the power steering and the alternator right? It wont break anything?

[andysimpson]

soooo

is it hidden under the plastic cover? The cam belt.

So if i take the other belt off and it doesnt make a noise its the cam belt?

If i take it off it will stop the power steering and the alternator right? It wont break anything?

Don't touch the one under covers(the cam belt). Remove alternator and power steering belt and see if noise goes, if it does theres your problem, running without this belt for a short time won't do any harm.

[ally]

ok thanks.

I tried but its on too tight.. i noticed there appears to be rubber shards or dust around the belt on the engine, like small shavings.

[scoobyvan]

ok thanks.

I tried but its on too tight.. i noticed there appears to be rubber shards or dust around the belt on the engine, like small shavings.

2 nuts to loosen and a tensioner how can it be to tight,unless youve loosened nothing???????????????

[kevtherev]

The belt is too loose ...
the rubber debris is the belt self destucting

[ally]

tensioner? eh?

Is there a nut or something i have to undo; i was trying to pull it off.

It doesnt seem to loose - seems very tight.

[ally]

ok colin to the rescue again, it was too loose...altought the bottom pully is a bit wobbly (not moveable by hand) so might need to carry a spare belt around.

[HarryMann]

None of this makes a lot of sense but is good reading nevertheless

the bottom pulley is wobbly (bent or loose?) and the belt is or isn't too tight, or was or wasn't.
Like a lot of engines, bottom (crank) pulleys can give trouble on Subies. If its's loose it needs sorting, before it chews up the crank.

[ally]

it was too loose, now its stopped squeling. Im still learning so excuse the non-sensicle nature of the post

Its not loose the bottom pulley, it just doesnt spin straight...any ideas why?

[HarryMann]

Its either bent or you are mistaking engine rocking on idle for a wobbly pulley. Does it look like the pulley is wobbling or belt jerking a round at say a fast idel, 1000~1200 rpm, or even higher?

If it loooks like its going in and out, front to back, badly then its almost certainly bent. It's a judgement on how bad, but this is not uncommon on engines at all. Who spends their life hitting them or levering against them I don't know - they are often not as strong as imagined in bending. Pressed out, fabricated, not fully cast or forged, but perfectly adequate for their job.