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nawarne

Original Poster:

3,181 posts

290 months

Sunday 16th September 2007
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Hi All!
Just a post to introduce myself!
I've just sold a V8S and bought a late '98 450. So - shall be lurking on these pages now, and hoping to receive the collective wisdom that is Pistonheads.

Just come back from a 300 mile round trip - and everything tickety-boo (Fingers, etc, still crossed!)

- Just a thought, I get a belt squeak on start-up, how do you tighten a serpentine fan belt?

TIA Nick.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,038 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th September 2007
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Belt is self tensioned.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,038 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th September 2007
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that is to say the tensioner is spring loaded, no adjustment required....damaged belt mayhap?

tucker20

285 posts

257 months

Sunday 16th September 2007
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Welcome! wavey

hiltonig

3,153 posts

238 months

Sunday 16th September 2007
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I get the squeek on start up for a few mins until the belts warm,then it goes away, Havnt got round to sorting it even though I have a new belt, let me know how you get on.

nikman

878 posts

235 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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I get it too ('98 450) so having seen this a few months ago http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=3... I bought a can of Milers "Belt Dressing".

This seems to be a light spray adhesive which I sprayed on to both sides of the belt both stationary and running to get complete cover. I masked bits of the front of the engine and tried to protect everything adjacent in front and below from the spray. Having carefully cleaned everything within 'sprayshot' I waited for the engine to become stone cold again. And hey presto - NO more squeak/screech.

Roll forward two or three cold starts and back it came mad But whilst it disappeared after the first couple of seconds or less, until the engine warmed up this time there was a sort of chirruping noise which disapeared completely at normal op temp. Took about 1,000 miles for that symptom to disappear (probably would have been better/quicker to remove the belt, clean the pulleys and belt to get rid of the sticky stuff). The purpose of this rather tedious and long post is to provide a user review to anyone tempted to try this product. biggrin OR, if you're near Herts/Beds/Middx, you're welcome to drop by and use/have mine!! Meanwhile squeak is still there and probably will be until I figure out why it does it. Doesn't sound as though replacing the belt (which btw shows absolutely NO visible signs of wear/aging) is the answer I thought it was. Nick.

Edited by nikman on Monday 17th September 20:59

Rum Runner

2,348 posts

247 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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Just changed my belt ,it looked fine the pulleys where clean and the belt , I tried belt dressing but no good. I think you will find the rubber goes hard with the heat and age. Mine has only done 22,000.

nikman

878 posts

235 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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Rum Runner said:
Just changed my belt ,it looked fine the pulleys where clean and the belt , I tried belt dressing but no good. I think you will find the rubber goes hard with the heat and age. Mine has only done 22,000.
Mine had done 26,000 when it started. I was hoping a new belt would fix it but hiltonig seems to say his isn't fixed despite the new belt. Did the new belt cure yours RR? Nick.

That Daddy

19,460 posts

251 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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You can try a different brand of belt(this happens on other makes of car)i had one car VW Caddy that was a right pain(right screeching racket) tried gen belt & aftermarket the latter lasted the longest(a few weeks),permanent repair was to have the bottom pulley and waterpump pulley sandblasted to remove the glazing(new bottom pulley costs loads of money so that was a no go option)that was over a year ago,no problems since,this car as a multi ribbed belt with the waterpump pulley bearing on the back of the belt as the Chims & Griffs have,may be worth a goyes

Zippee

14,138 posts

264 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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nikman said:
Rum Runner said:
Just changed my belt ,it looked fine the pulleys where clean and the belt , I tried belt dressing but no good. I think you will find the rubber goes hard with the heat and age. Mine has only done 22,000.
Mine had done 26,000 when it started. I was hoping a new belt would fix it but hiltonig seems to say his isn't fixed despite the new belt. Did the new belt cure yours RR? Nick.
I had this squealing - very annoying and the belt dressing didn't last long. New belt cured it instantly. V cheap and easy fix - about a tenner for a new belt and 5 minutes to fit.

That Daddy

19,460 posts

251 months

Monday 17th September 2007
quotequote all
Zippee said:
nikman said:
Rum Runner said:
Just changed my belt ,it looked fine the pulleys where clean and the belt , I tried belt dressing but no good. I think you will find the rubber goes hard with the heat and age. Mine has only done 22,000.
Mine had done 26,000 when it started. I was hoping a new belt would fix it but hiltonig seems to say his isn't fixed despite the new belt. Did the new belt cure yours RR? Nick.
I had this squealing - very annoying and the belt dressing didn't last long. New belt cured it instantly. V cheap and easy fix - about a tenner for a new belt and 5 minutes to fit.
More like 60 secondstongue out

nikman

878 posts

235 months

Monday 17th September 2007
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I just have to get a bigger belt to go round my a/c compressor pulley as well.