1998 Honda Civic Belts Shreaking

Tiny
WIESENROBERT
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 HONDA CIVIC
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 164,000 MILES
Hello all, I just recently purchased my car about 2 months ago and have been having problems with my serp belt from about 2 weeks into having the car. The noise that has been coming from it isn't like any other noise I've heard from a belt going bad or from a loose belt, etc etc. Its more like an extremely high shreak that makes you want to pull your hair out. I took it to my mechanic and he replaced ALL the belts and I know he did everything right because I watched him do it all. (Found alot of other things wrong with my car in the process too. Bad motor mount, torn axle boot, semi bent axle, etc etc) The shreaking stopped until about a week and half after they were replaced. Anyways, I've tried everything from changing all the belts, putting solution or belt dehydrator or whatever these "quick fixes" are called and nothing. I've tried taking the belts off and lubing the pulleys and bearings, which worked for a bit but only for a week or so. I really hate for my cars to make any kind of noise at all and I need some tips. I think it make be that the bearings in the alternator are going bad, so that may need replaced. Or the tensioner, or pulley wheels, I just don't know. Some help here please? Thank you in advance- R. Wiesen
Monday, December 29th, 2008 AT 7:51 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi R. Wiesen

Ribbed belts requires readjustment after some running to get the correct tension.

If you had done the readjustment, then you should have a look at the crankshaft pulley. Is it moving in a wavy pattern when looking from top? If yes and is equipped with dynamic balancer, the pulley is faulty and needs to be replaced.
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Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
WIESENROBERT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I checked everything that you mentioned be and after the last post and its still screeching. I tightened the belts a little, but not too much, preventing over tightening them. The screeching went away for the most part, but it still screeches when I put on my rear defrosters. I realize that the more electrical things that are on in a car, the alternator works harder and faster and the pulley wheel spins faster, so my conclusion was that there may be oil or grease on the belt or wheel. So, I removed the belts, cleaned the wheels, and belts, put them back on and the problem still persists. I'm thinking that this may be an impossible fix, even though this seems SO simple. I took my car to a professional mechanic and he said that it may be the bearings in on the wheel or the alternator, but I replaced those when I replaced the belts and the pulley wheels when I first got the car. A new alternator a possible fix.
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Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 AT 8:24 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi R. Wiesen,

If the crank pulley is equipped dynamic balancer, ie it has a rubber damper ring between the inner and outer rings, it is faulty and needs to be replaced.
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Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 AT 8:57 AM

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