Squeaky Fan Belt

[Adam Yee]

Hey guys,



Anyone change their own fan belt yet? I have an 01 ST and my belt is squeaking pretty badly. I have about 65000miles on it. Is it about time to change it? Is it a fairly simple task?

 

[EddieS'04]

Very easy, just follow the diagram under the hood..



IMO, Gates makes the best belts....

 

[Dre L]

I do mine every 2 years, I'm not a fan of a piece of rubber being the single point of failure in my vehicle. I keep the tool and the old belt in the back as a spare in case I need it.



Motorcrafts were fine, my new gates one seems to squeak every so often, but that could be because of the tensioner. I'm trying a gatorback now that I'm going to replace the tensioner and idler pulley. The gatorback looks like a fine belt as well.



I bought a belt changer tool for $20, it is long and gives me great leverage on the tensioner, makes it real easy to do, but I think all you really need is a 3/8 ratchet with no socket.



I had the factory one for 2 years before it began to squeal in the rain... therefore, I have a 2 year change policy.



It's not fun when one breaks, at least it is an easy repair if you have a spare one. Real easy to change it for peace of mind.

 

[Todd Z]

Also be sure it is the belt, At 60k it should be changed, But the tensioner pulleys are known for making noises also..

Todd Z

 

[Scott Tanner]

I would only use motorcraft or dayco, since they make the motorcraft belts. the others do not have the same profile and do not last long. i went through this learning curve with my aerostar... the dayco style have rounded ribs, while the gates/napa have trapezoidal/squared off ribs..

gates

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dayco (kinda):blink:

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[Jacob Dryer]

Be sure when you remove the belt you check to make sure it really is the belt. Spin all of the pullies by hand. It was actually my alternator that was bad/squeeky at only 56k.

 

[Mike Ioco]

My ST is squeaking really bad right now. It's warmed up a little here in MI, and it's extremely damp. My ST has 91,000 miles on it, and I have the original belt, still.



Since getting married, I don't have a garage or many tools at my new home, but I do have the basic ones, and a rachet set. Should I attempt to do this on my own?



Does anyone have a part number?



How do I know what the right amount of tension is?

 

[Mike Ioco]

Is there a self-adjusting mechanism Indicator for the tensioner on our ST's?

 

[Dre L]

The belt tensioner is self tensioning. Just use a serpentine belt tool, or a 3/8 ratchet with maybe a pipe on the handle for leverage.



Remove the airbox cover, intake tube / pcv pipe from the throttle body. you place the ratchet head in the square hole at the end of the tensioner with the pulley, and then rotate it so that it releases the belt. unroute the belt, pay attention to how you removed it.



If you're replacing the idler pulley and tensioner, now is when you unbolt the idler pulley, then the tensioner. Then bolt in the new tensioner, and then the idler pulley (made some room to work in that order). It is simple once you start doing it, looks harder than it is.



Now route the new belt over the crankshaft, water pump / fan pulley, and all the the other pulleys except for the tensioner pulley. Do that one last. When you get to it, just rotate it, put the belt over the pulley, and release the tensioner gently.



There is an indicator molded into the spring / lever assembly... 3 "lines" and a centered one on the spring housing that attaches to the engine block. when the tensioner and belt are new, it will be dead center between the lines. As the belt streches, it will run out.



if you are in front of the block (facing the rear of the Trac), the tensioner pulley will move left and up as the belt streches, moving the left most line on the tensioner arm towards the centered line on the tensioner spring housing.



the indicator may "vibrate" it won't be in a steady position. however if it is vibrating too much, or the tensioner is rattling, you should replace the tensioner. Mine was noticably steadier after replacement, I replaced due to an intermittent yet constant rattle in wet conditions with the AC compressor on. This may have also been the rattle I heard over the summer every time the AC was turned on for the first time each day.

 

[Mike Ioco]

Thanks nobleman.



I don't think that indicator is easily visible, is it? Is it down low near the tensioner?



I just took a look, and it does look a little involved, but from your instructions, it doesn't sound too hard.



The belt really looks pretty good. I don't see any cracking or damage to the teeth. I can't pinpoint the squeak though. It seems like several pulley's are squeaking, but I'm sure it's just the belt running over them. I guess I'm still confused as to why it would squeak though.

 

[Dre L]

the indicator is stamped into the metal right on top of the tensioner, on the tensioner itself.

 

[Mike Ioco]

What about timing. I've heard that if your serpentine belt goes, it can throw the timing off. Is there a risk of doing this when you replace the belt too?

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

STylin', that is what the "Timing Chain is for". By changing the serpentine belt it shouldn't affect the timing at all.