I have a 06 SS 5.3 with a squeaking serpentine belt issue. I have chaged the belt 3 times and each time it is fine for maybe a couple days and then it starts squeaking again. If i drive it for a while more than 20-30 minutes it slowly stops squeaking and will eventually stop completely. Last time i changed the belt i also changed out all the idler pulleys as well to see if that would help. I drove it around all afternoon it was fine untill the next morning and it started squeaking again. Its driving me nuts am i missing something simple here? any help would be greatly appriciated.

 

Man, not an easy engine to mess around with the belt either haha.

When you change the belt, what brand are you using? Same brand each time?

Have you checked all of the pulleys?

 

It sounds like the belt tensioner bearing is on the way out. Carefully spray some liquid (water/penetrating oil) onto the shaft of the tensioner when you hear the squeal, If it goes away replace the tensioner.

Something else to check is the condition of the pulley grooves. If they are dirty they can transfer debris to the new belt and create a squeal.

 

I used 3 different kinds first time a cheap one second time one that was supposed to resist squeaking from misaligned pulleys and the last one is a genuine ac delco part. The only thing i really did with the pulleys was changed the idler pulleys and gave a visual to the ones i could get to. And yeah you are right man its not easy doing anything to the belt or pulleys haha.

 

I suspected it may be the tensioner assembly so i do have one in the garage brand new ready to go in it. So how in the heck do you change that out? from underneath? Ill check for dirty grooves also. I appriciate all the help you guys are giving me this belt thing is driving me crazy

 

I just went out to have a quick look on my break and the sqeaking seems to be coming from the top pulley i think it is the water pump. I tried to spray something on the tensioner and it did nothing but i sprayed a little bit of belt dressing on that top pully and it stops it instantly as soon as liquid hits the pulley but starts squeaking very quickly after. Any ideas guys?

 

My squeeking on my SS is coming from the pulley near the passenger wheel, the big one, And I dunno whats the name of that pulley or how to pop it off lol. I thought it was from the top ones, so I took off my new belt and cleaned it, but no go, its from the bottom big one! It looks rusty.

 

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The closest to the bottom left near the tensioner O_O;

 

my squeak seems to be coming from that top larger pulley is that power steering or water pump?

 

I thought mine was coming from above as well, until I listened this morning by my wheel, and its my crank shaft balancer wobbling, which is a PITA to replace BUT! my car is still under exteneded warranty so im gonna try and use it. Take a look at this charvel
Harmonic balancer removal/installiation