Hi all, been a while since my last visit, mostly because this site has the strange tendency to make me want to spend money. :(

The LeSabre is doing great minus one small problem...

Every time now upon startup, I get a strange rhythmic squeak coming from the engine bay. I determined long ago it was definitely related to the serpentine belt, but I couldn't understand why seeing as how both the belt and the tensioner were brand new. In any event, my car slung a belt a while before this squeak started...I discovered that the idiots who changed my belt put a 938 instead of a 940 on. They agreed to change it for free, and all was well until this squeak started. It'* been getting progressively worse. Since it began and still now, it will go away after the engine has warmed up. I poked and prodded and found that if I push the belt tensioner pulley in towards the engine, the squeak stops. I'm worried that the small belt may have damaged my new tensioner, and may have been the reason for my last one failing. I tried tightening the bolt on the tensioner pulley but no help.

My question is, do you think this is a serious problem? The S10 has replaced the LeSabre as my daily driver, it'* now my weekend car...but it still sounds pretty crappy when I start it. How difficult is a belt tensioner to replace, if that is necessary? I'm at work now, so I'll try to fill in more details later but until then, thanks for your help.

More info: I loosened the belt from the tensioner, and spun it. It spun fine, no sqeaks, wobbles, or anything out of the ordinary. I even tried spraying WD-40 on the pulley hub but of course, that did nothing.

Well now I feel like I may have wasted your time...

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...56&highlight=A

This thread sounds a lot like my problem. The belt is offcenter on the pulley, not bad enough to slip but pretty bad. Would the pulley have been changed with the tensioner? It was just a standard AutoZone tensioner, though it cost an outrageous $73. :?

I'll check my pulley and get back to you.

Another problem: I have to take someone to the Atlanta airport (maybe a 200 mile round trip) on Thursday. Will my car safely make it there like this? Like I said, after the engine warms up it completely disappears...like there was no problem at all. It'* just in the first few minutes of running that it chirps.
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Okay, so I pulled my pulley off...

Again, I didn't see/hear anything out of the ordinary, though the belt seems to be a little offcenter on both the tensioner pulley and the water pump pulley. I'll let you all see the pics and be the judge:







Tensioner minus the pulley:



Belt on tensioner pulley:



Belt on water pump:



I spun it, I shook it, everything I could think of...and I can't see anything out of the ordinary. Help?

Oh, I forgot to mention that these squeaks occur when I can see the tensioner arm jump...not a huge leap but a little twitch which seems perfectly normal as far as engine operation is concerned. Applying pressure onto the bolt of the pulley towards the engine stops the squeaks.
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Your belt offset between the pulleys is normal.

Is that a Gates belt? Looks like it or a copy. I don't like the cross-groove design. Get a GoodYear Gatorback on there.

Thanks, any other ideas what the squeak might be caused by?

It'* a "Dayco". Never heard of it before, it was put on there by the same people who put the wrong size belt on initially so it wouldn't surprise me if they did put a cheap belt on.

I have a Gatorback on my truck, it'* a good belt, definitely no complaints. I just wish it wasn't such a pain to replace the belt on these 3800s.
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It'* only the 96-99'* that are a problem. And not that big of one, either. It'* just one bolt and a sleeve.

Is it your belief that the belt is causing the noise? I'm somewhat confused here.
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Have you checked the marks on the tensioner that are supposed to be between two points for a short and long setting so that the belt has the right tension?

It sounds like your belt is having an accessory slip and then catch. You're hearing the squeak as it slips and seeing the pull as the belt grabs again pull down on the tensioner.

Is it the right length belt on there now or is it longer than it should be? Your tensioner marks should verify the length is right.

Is one of the accessories giving a drag beyond what it should that'* causing a slip? Do they all spin okay and feel okay when you twist and pull on them with the belt off?

Thanks for the reply. I checked all those things and here is what I found:

Apparently this tensioner doesn't have those marks. I tried to find them, I remember seeing them on the last tensioner but I can't find them on here. All I can say is the belt is the correct length...I remember looking the part number up and finding the service shop had put a 938 on instead of a 940 which is what it'* supposed to be. The belt seems to be at the proper tension.

I checked the accessories and found the power steering pump is not as free moving as the others...also it'* pulley has some slight side to side motion and a wobble to it if twisted. Not much but enough to be visible. The water pump also has some very very slight side to side motion but no wobble and not enough to be visible. It'* still very free moving and I don't think it has a problem.

Now this is confusing...the power steering pump AND the water pump were both replaced within the past year. I had a small power steering fluid leak for a while but since the change to the new belt the leak has stopped completely. I checked the fluid levels just now and it hasn't lost a drop in several months. I am also not leaking any coolant.
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I really hate to bump a thread like this...but I'm pretty desperate.

I have to take some people to the airport Thursday night and I need to know if the car is safe to make a 200 mile round trip with mostly interstate driving. There isn't room in my truck.

Like I said, the problem completely disappears when the engine is warmed up. I'm not having any problem with the operation of my power steering, and it doesn't appear to be leaking any fluid. In fact, I'm not having any problems other than the belt squeak and that small tremor in the belt that seems to be tied to the squeaking.

Of course knowing how to proceed with fixing the problem would be helpful too...but their entire trip is planned around me taking them to the airport.
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Just throwing this in because I just encountered a problem with my (plastic, non-SC) tensioner pulley that would cause the arm to jump (a bunch) when I gassed it. Problem was that the bearing in the pulley. Replacing the pulley fixed that problem.