Squeaky drive belt or something else? Should I be concerned?

[charleypartanna]

It's a 2008 Limited 6 cylinder with 147k miles.

As far as the records show, it's the original drive belt (I acquired it as 112k miles in 2017).

The maintenance schedule only calls for inspection of the drive belt. What should I look for when inspecting?

Or should I go ahead and have it replaced?

Here's a movie showing the sound.

Thx!

Charley

 

[Burt]

Just so happens we both have same year and mileage. I too need to replace the serpentine belt since it is also original. I notice some bearing noise just after starting for a minute. So I found a Gates kit on Rock Auto that will be installed when weather breaks. Kits includes belt and all three idler rollers with bearings.
This should clean it up good.
Suggest you have it done too, kinda overdue.

 

[AuSeeker]

It's a 2008 Limited 6 cylinder with 147k miles.

As far as the records show, it's the original drive belt (I acquired it as 112k miles in 2017).

The maintenance schedule only calls for inspection of the drive belt. What should I look for when inspecting?

Or should I go ahead and have it replaced?

Here's a movie showing the sound.

Thx!

Charley

Sounds more like a bearing to me than the belt, get yourself a mechanic's stethoscope for around $10 at any good autoparts store to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, while the engine is running VERY carefully use the probe to get as close to the belt tensioner and idler bearings, whatever noise they're making will be highly amplified, even a good bearing will make a lot of noise when using the stethoscope but it will be a rather smooth noise, if neither seem to be bad the next things to check would be the alternator and power steering pump.

My belt tensioner was making a similar noise until it completely froze up and then it started screaming from the belt slipping on the pulley that could no longer turn!!

Just an FYI, if you have 147,000 miles on the original belt it's way past due to be replaced, a worn out belt could still look to be good visually, the only way to check one properly is with a special gauge the checks for wear in the teeth of the belt, when in doubt it's best to just replace it.

 

[cooper30]

/Snip

Sounds more like a bearing to me than the belt

if you have 147,000 miles on the original belt it's way past due to be replaced,

I was going to say both of these things.

My first thought when I heard the sound was tensioner or idler, but pull the current belt and check everything that spins.

 

[waypoint]

A quick diagnostic is to wet the belt with a cup of water. If it gets louder, the belt is the problem. If it goes silent, one or more of the pulleys is/are the problem (belt is dragging slightly sideways across a wobbling pulley).

This procedure does not account for compound problems e.g. belt and pulley bearings both bad, however.

As auseeker pointed out, a mechanic's stethoscope is a good investment. Probing at the mounting bolt of each pulley (CAREFULLY) will isolate the noise to the source. Bad pulley bearings sound like a rock crusher.