mtom01

For my 2000 rx my original belt was making a lot of noise, one day it broke. I replaced it with an OEM belt, the screeching just won't go away.

My inlaw says the belt is not digging into the belt grooves enough, he is a heavy duty mechanic.

Anyone with these oem belt has issues?
I'm planning to try some other brand, Goodyear has a belt called gratorback, any recommendation of which brand to try.

Thanks.

salimshah

Are you using a gauge to set tension? What about alternator bearings?

Salim

code58

i am thinking it may be what Salim mentioned, alternator bearings, because it's unusual for an alternator belt to break. That belt also runs the A/C compressor, so you need to make sure it isn't an A/c pulley bearing going bad and putting stress on the belt. I suggest getting a Mechanics stethoscope. You should definitely be able to pinpoint where the noise is coming from. I have my serious doubts it's the actual belt that is the problem. I used to use GY GB belts until I got one for My DIL's RX (timing belt) made in a 3rd world country you couldn't pronounce the name of. Turned out to be a piece of c@#p and I don't think I will ever use them again. Gotta watch these companies any more, what was once known for high quality can change over night to garbage because of a shift to "BFE" that destroys the quality.

Nad1370

I've seen compressor clutches lock-up first than alternators, but always a possibility.
Can you provide a sound clip?

Did you check the power steering belt if it has proper tension and belt condition?

mtom01

I have had the alternator checked in a shop, they said it was fine, but I asked them to replace both the bearings.

After this I put the OEM belt for both the alternator & power steering.

The noise was gone except once in a while there were some screeching noise for a few secs or so, after some hundreds of miles the noise lasted a bit more; I re-tensioned the belt; became better; now its getting bad again; I almost have no room to tension, if I do the bolt might just come off, its that close.

I usually have the a/c on all the time, when I switch off the a/c the sound goes off........but sometimes the sound comes on even with the a/c off, so the sound comes on even with the a/c clutch not engaged.

I will try to record the noise and post a clip.

artbuc

Did they replace the bearings? If so, you maybe close to knowing the problem.

salimshah

There is something wrong in the setup. The tensioner should not be at the end. Have some one adjust tension with a gauge.

Salim

mtom01

Both bearings were replaced; any tension gauge that anyone had success with?


Its either the a/c clutch or the belt tension. I tried auto zone to see if they have tension gauge in there rental program.....they don't.

I have tried a tension gauge, got it from amazon, it was junk and returned it.

code58

Mtom- I have done automotive work all my life and have never used a belt tension gauge and have never had ANY problem with getting the correct tension. As a matter of fact of all the years I worked in dealerships, I never ever saw a belt tension gauge even! I have installed the belts several times on my DIL's RX and have never had ANY problem getting the tension right without a gauge. I DO NOT feel belt tension is the problem. I did have a problem with new Dayco belts that I bought for the RX, because the original belts were "Toyota by Dayco" right on the belts and they were definitely the original belts. The belts were made in Canada I believe and after I had spent a good deal of the day tearing the whole front end of the timing belt system back apart to find the problem, with NO success, I mic'd the grooves in the alt./A/C belt and discovered they did not have exactly the same angle as the original belt. I put the old belts back on (I had fortunately kept them) and VIOLA, the squeal was gone. I was NOT a happy camper! I went to Toyota and bough OEM belts and NO MORE SQUEAL!

code58

Mtom- It sounds to me like the A/C clutch pulley bearing. When the A/C is on, there IS more strain on the bearing, even though the bearing is turning ALL the time the car is running, A/C ON or OFF. What I would do is remove the A/C, alt. belt and run the car (even drive it a little) and see if there is any noise then. You can drive it a little because you'll still have PS and you don't need the A/C, alt. for a short while. That should definitely tell you if it is the A/C clutch pulley. If you still have the squeal, come back and I have 1 more suggestion, but won't cloud the picture by mentioning it now. Still think it's the A/C clutch bearing!

By the way, Salim is right, you DEFINITELY should not be at the outer end of the adjustment on the alt. if they gave you the right belt!!!

trhs75

I have heard that a great way to check belt tension is to make sure you can just twist the belt 90 degrees with your fingers. Any thoughts?

code58

There are those that would disagree with that method, but I think it's a perfectly good way to determine correct tension. I never found it necessary, was always able to get tension correct by feel, but would be better to do the "twist" method if you're not experienced at it.

bearbrew

Have you tried a little belt dressing? There is a possibility the driven pulley is polished to the point it will not run the belt without a little slippage.
You could use any belt dressing you like but I have found the old style white toothpaste works great and is reasonably priced. A small travel size tube in your toolbox and your set.

salimshah

Things have evolved and for the longest time, mechanics would check deflection in the middle of the longest side. The twist was another way for "v" section belts. So a mechanics expertise was good enough and still is.

The new flat belts add another dimension to this "right" tension. I have always felt uneasy in guessing it. More so after reading the specs on the RX300 acc belt. For a brand new belt the spec is much higher and after 10mins of use there is another spec. So for me the choice is to take the RX to some one with a gauge, go the dealer and pay them 1/2 hr labor or buy a used one. I opted for the last one and rigged up a system to check its calibration. Luckily for me, the gauge is accurate within the spread of the specified tension.

I did check the flip test and I could flip the belt for large range of tension. Maybe I was flipping it with too much force.

Salim

Calibration test: Take an old belt and cut it open. Clamp weight on one end and clamp the other end to the edge of the table. The tension should be the the weight you attached. I used around 100 lbs and that overwhelmed the weight of the belt.

artbuc

Pretty slick!! I did something very similar to calibrate my torque wrench. Used a nominal 75lb wheel weight from my tractor. Used a beam scale to determine its exact weight. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my 20+/- year old Craftsman Digitork was dead on.