My truck was on and off squeaking sometimes so I figured the belt was bad and put some belt dressing on it to see if made it any better and to narrow it down to the belt being bad if it stopped it, the belt looks fine too. Well after I did that it got a little worse and then went back to normal, then we thought it was the bearing in the idler pulley since you could tell it was making a little noise. Changed that out today and the squeak is almost gone, squeaks when you first start it up and when I let off the throttle during the first few minutes driving it. Anyone have any ideas on what it is?

 

Eh. Either belt or tensioner. I just did all three today, belt, idler, and tensioner. First the Idler failed, then the tensioner, and I just F it since I'll have everything off I'll do the belt. No squeak for me anymore...

You can spray some WD-40 on the tensioner pulley around the bolt/bearing and see if that makes the squeak stop temporally. Then you know thats the problem.

 

Agree with the above, just dont get any wd-40 on the pulley where the belt rides, that baby can walk right off. You can also use a mechanics stethoscope to help pinpoint it

Belt
Idler
Tensioner are your most common. Belts can stretch and glaze some, tensioner can close tension and/or the bearing make noise, idler can cause bearing noise too

 

cam synchro? listen with a stethoscope

 

Well I put a Gatorback belt on the truck today, and right after I did it the noise got really bad for the first drive I took. Then the noise went away and would come back sometimes, the weird thing is it only does it when I'm not on the throttle. If I'm on the throttle at all it doesn't make a sound. I've got a crappy automotive stethoscope and was trying to pinpoint the noise with it but it doesn't make the squeak consistently enough.


It doesn't always make the noise so I'm thinking it may just be a ****ty bearing or something?

 

remove the belt and spin all the pulleys, does it make it worse with the a/c or defrosters on? how much deflection does the belt have? it may need a tensioner. If there is still residual belt dressing it can cause the belt to squeak, while it is running, hose the belt off with brakleen on both sides, be careful the fan doesnt grab the brakleen from you

 

I should have done that today, didn't even think of it. It's the same with the AC on or off, the belt is really tight so I don't think the tensioner itself is bad, the noise sounds like a bearing so I think I'll wind up just changing the tensioner pulley tomorrow. Spraying brakleen on the belt is a good idea, I'll try that before changing the pulley.

Thanks, I just pray it's not my CPS.

 

they arent bad to replace. just buy a motorcraft one, and make sure you or someone you know has the alignment tool for it. if you are bodylifted they are a breeze, but i think you could sneak it out without taking the upper intake off. dont replace the tensioner pulley without looking into it first, check them all beforehand

 

Cool thanks for the help

 

Well it's 12:35 and I just was messing with the truck, sprayed some brake parts cleaner on the belt and nothing changed. Tried to listen to see where the noise was coming from and I couldn't tell either. Then I remembered reading someone said when their CPS was making noise they would put their finger on it and press it and it would make it stop or change the noise. So I did it on mine and sure enough, that's the source of the noise. I guess it's a coincidence that it started to make noise at the same time as the belt/pully but it's definitely the source. I also remember reading someone saying to take off the sensor and pour some motor oil in it. So I unbolted the sensor and poured a tiny bit of oil in it and bolted it back on and the noise is now gone. Tomorrow during the day I'm gonna pour some more oil in it since it was dark out now. Hopefully that will solve the problem and I wont have to replace it and spend a bunch of money on a new one.

 

It's time to change your synchro!!

 

Yeah I know, I just now put some Marvel Mystery Oil under the sensor itself with a syringe and let it sit for a little and then drove it around. Do you know if the bushings in it brass? I'm thinking the M.M.O. might let me get some more miles out of it, hopefully.

 

I don't know what the bushings are made of. I remember years ago, distributors had an oil cup on the side of them to lube the shaft bushings, too bad the synchro doesn't have one.

 

Once it starts going, it's best to just replace it rather than to try saving it. A cam synchro is cheaper than an engine, and if it locks up, that's what you will be replacing.

The best price I found on new Motorcraft synchros was at tituswillfordparts.com.