Squealing sound at idle
12-29-2002, 11:16 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 61
Squealing sound at idle
When I pulled into my driveway tonight, I noticed that when my car is idling, there is a soft squealing noise. When I apply just a little gas to get the engine going, it immediately goes away. Any idea what could be causing this noise?
12-30-2002, 09:30 AM
#3
Try this. Open up your hood. Look on the passenger side of the engine compartment. You will see the accessory belts and the alternator. In the same area where the belts are. You will find the belt tensioner. It's a vertial tube with a hexagonal top. Get a socket that fits over the tube and give it half a turn to 3/4 turn. That should tighten your belts again. See if that helps.
12-30-2002, 09:45 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 408
Originally posted by ZuMBLe
Try this. Open up your hood. Look on the passenger side of the engine compartment. You will see the accessory belts and the alternator. In the same area where the belts are. You will find the belt tensioner. It's a vertial tube with a hexagonal top. Get a socket that fits over the tube and give it half a turn to 3/4 turn. That should tighten your belts again. See if that helps.
Try this. Open up your hood. Look on the passenger side of the engine compartment. You will see the accessory belts and the alternator. In the same area where the belts are. You will find the belt tensioner. It's a vertial tube with a hexagonal top. Get a socket that fits over the tube and give it half a turn to 3/4 turn. That should tighten your belts again. See if that helps.
There's a 14mm nut on the tensioneer pulley that needs to be loosened first. What is described above is how the tension is set, but the nut on the pulley is what locks it in place.
The Haynes manual fails to mention this! I was following the directions and snapped that long, crooked, backwards threaded tensioner bolt on a Sunday night when I had to be at work the next day! I noticed that an american 5/16" threaded bolt was about the same diamter, so I welded this to the broken maxima part, ran an american die down whole thing for standard 5/16" threads, welded an american nut to the adjuster, and everything worked just fine! Only thing now is... you turn the adjuster counterclockwise to tighten the belt.
Moral of the story... Don't forget to loosen the 14mm nut on the tensioner pulley before trying to turn the adjuster!
Sometimes when belts need replaced, they will start to squeal... and since they've often become hardened, tightening won't always quiet down all the way unless a HUGE amount of tension is applied... which isn't good for the bearings in all the accessories and pulleys. When in doubt, replace the belts. It's cheap. Not necessarily a super quick job on a maxima if you've never done it before, but get a manual and have at it. I took the front tire and side cover off, which made it possible. It's still sort of a PITA to do both belts your first time.
Good Luck!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post