97 Ranger has a high pitched squeal

JAMESHEDDERLY

MEMBER
1997 FORD RANGER

Ford Ranger 1997, 76000, 2WD 3.0L V6. After startup and a few minutes running a squeaking starts coming from the engine compartment. When I hit the gas the sound increases to a high pitched squeal and then drops as the RPMs drop. At the low end it is a repetative sqeak like a bird call but at the high end its really loud and consistant. I open the hood to try to locate the source but I can't tell. My father thinks it might be the AC compresser clutch but I want to make sure before I fork out money for it. What else should I look at and how can I actually narrow down the source of the noise?

Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 AT 6:23 PM

1 Reply

INDYUKE

MECHANIC
416 POSTS

It's most likely your belt. They get old, "glazed" and refuse to grip the pulleys like they should. Best way to check is to remove the belt, start the truck for a few seconds to see if the noise is still there. Don't let it run too long though, as that belt drives all the accessories including the water pump and fan. You don't want to overheat. I hope this helps.

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Thursday, July 12th, 2007 AT 8:36 PM