Start Up Screeeeeeeech

[Angry Fist]

Hey guys just wanted to ask some advice. I park my car on a slight incline, so that the front is higher than the back of the car. Every time I start it in the morning, after a few seconds, there's a horrible screeching sound coming from the engine, then the screech stops, and the revs increase a little then settle down after about a second to the normal rev range for idle. I'm not quite sure what this was, i thought it was low power steering fluid or something so I topped that up, but now that that's ok I'm not sure, because if I drive off too soon, the moving off process causes some slight screeches too...thanks in advance

[LightAssassin]

Sounds like a belt is a bit loose and when it sits it slides toward the back of the car and rubs up against something. Which belt is the scary part! Could be simple, A/C, Power steering or Alternator... or SCARY, Timing belt.

Get a Mechanic to check asap, or look yourself... but I'd say from what you've said you wouldn't know if the belt was too loose or too tight. So go the Mech

[Munkyb0y]

i doubt a timing belt would screech, it's got teeth, it cant slip like that. it's probably one of the visible belts.

[Angry Fist]

Sounds like a belt is a bit loose and when it sits it slides toward the back of the car and rubs up against something. Which belt is the scary part! Could be simple, A/C, Power steering or Alternator... or SCARY, Timing belt.

Get a Mechanic to check asap, or look yourself... but I'd say from what you've said you wouldn't know if the belt was too loose or too tight. So go the Mech

haha yeah you guessed right..I wouldn't know might wait to see what other ideas pop up then go ee him with a better picture

[mad082]

i'd say its just a belt slipping. and what is happeneing is that it is spinning for a second, then it heats up a bit and gets sticky and grips and gets on its merry way. very common problem amoung any type of car.

just go round and tighten all 3 belts slightly.

[Godzilla32]

Should check belt condition too, look for cracks on the ribbed side. If you see any or the backing of the belt looks old replace the belt. There should be 5 mm belt deflection either way.

[sky017]

i hear that screaching noise every few months , i mainly notice it when we get some rain or a misty night , my opinion is it could be moisture getting to the belts? my opinion - im not a mechanic or anything , but i do notice it in those conditions . on my old car i got the same noise and sprayed some wd40 on them , would stop the noise , from happening in winter

[700HP-GTR33]

The fix for you...did this last week on my Maxima.

Wet some soap untill it becomes like Jelly then apply to the belt.

PRESTO......no noise.

Cheers

[Sean'O]

i'd say its just a belt slipping. and what is happeneing is that it is spinning for a second, then it heats up a bit and gets sticky and grips and gets on its merry way. very common problem amoung any type of car.

just go round and tighten all 3 belts slightly.

Just a quick question (may be dumb lol) but how would i go about "tightening" the belts, i thought when they got worn out and started slipping you just had to replace them, can you extend the life of them?? Thanks heaps

Regards,

Sean

[LightAssassin]

I'd replace them, but I'm picky

First you'll need to identify which belt is lose, they all have a little bit of slack... but you'll notice if one has more then the others.

Then find the tensioner/pulley that is on a sliding hole (when you loosen the bolt it can slide along that hole). Then just slide it until it's reasonably tight. It's not a big deal, but just remember to be careful and don't make it too tight as to stretch/damage the belt.

[SKY031]

Wet some soap untill it becomes like Jelly then apply to the belt.

PRESTO......no noise.

That may stop the noise, but wouldn't it encourage more slipping?

Soap acts as a lubricant, especially when moisture is added.

If you want to be that dodgy, you'd be better off pouring coke on the belts.

[mad082]

you could use some dry lube. comes in a stick about 4 inches long. it is supposed to be good for stopping belts screeching, but i have never used it.

[Munkyb0y]

lol coke. what's coke gonna do?

i agree, dont lube them up, you dont want lubed belts. just tighten, or replace.

[mad082]

coke will make it go sticky.

so will hair spray.

[Angry Fist]

The fix for you...did this last week on my Maxima.

Wet some soap untill it becomes like Jelly then apply to the belt.

PRESTO......no noise.

Cheers

Damn, that sounds like a good fix, might try it in a min

thanks for all the replies guys

[700HP-GTR33]

That may stop the noise, but wouldn't it encourage more slipping?

Soap acts as a lubricant, especially when moisture is added.

If you want to be that dodgy, you'd be better off pouring coke on the belts.

When the soap dries it ends up being a dry lube.

Coke .....is only when u use Bourban......

Dodgy you say.....my mechanic recommended it.

Angry Fist.........Post up your results after you have lathered up.

[Godzilla32]

The thing is you dont want to lubricate anything here. Belts arent supposed to slip.

Another cause for a slipping belt if its not just slack is it can be bottoming out in the pulley. Like i said b4 check for correct belt tension and signs of slip and replace or tighten as necessary

[cowie165]

I recently had a loose fan belt that made the same noise until the alternator regulated output to 14V, then it would stop.

Tightened a smidge and it's good as gold. 5mm just like Deren suggested.

PS Using the soap is a good way to help identify which belt is causing the noise. Washing up liquid works ok as well. It saves replacing belts left right and centre.

[Michael_1882]

Tighten it up, or as someone sujested soap as a quick fix to the annoying squeek.

I'd sujest dr y soap, just take a cake of the old "sunlight" yellow shit, and why yoru cars running put it on teh belt I did it when mym was winging about her commodore squeeking, and becuase i coudlnt' give two f**ks about that car i soaped it up when i took my alternator of for re-conditioning i didn't do it up tight enough so mine did the same, but i stayed away from teh skyline with the sunlight soap, i just tightened it up

[TurboX]

Same happened to me yesterday - put your hand on the pullys of the ALt and Steering pump etc when MOTOR OFF and you will soon feel which pully is slipping from the temp, near burnt my hand on Alt pully. Sure enough belt a bit loose but not imeadiately obvious.

I loosened it right off first to check it was not the bearings though, then tiightened up.