so, I've now driven my '91 on some longer trips, and as I'm nearing home, at stop lights I'm hearing a slight high-ptiched squeak. To my old volkswagon driving ears, it sounds like the beginning of a belt slipping.

It doesn't seem to do it in Park, or Neutral (but it could just be idling differently and I'm guessing wrong)

Is it the belt? Which belt?

still new,
Tys

 

Check your belt tensioner - when mine started making a weird squeaky noise it was the belt rubbing on the tensioner.

 

More likely the water pump.

There's only one belt.

Pop the belt off and run the engine to listen, that will tell you if it's a belt driven accessory or something else squeaking. Spin the alternator, water pump, and fan by hand and see what you hear.

edit: The tensioner is also a good suggestion. Before you pop the belt off, make sure it's running where it should. When the tensioner dies the belt starts to walk off the pulleys. It usually walks back into the alternator and gets all chewed up.

 

you just reminded me that i used to notice a sound just like that when sitting at idle. soon as i the motor started spinning faster the sound would go away. i've not heard it since i replaced the belt. how old is yours? mine was all cracked and olden.

 

When i did my water pump I accidentally got some coolant on the belt, it squeeked on and off for about a month but eventually went away.

 

I have the same exact thing.

In a drive gear the belt squeaks at idle, but in park or neutral it doesn't, and it doesn't above idle.

It also seems to only want to do it when it's warm.

At least I'd figure it's a belt, since that's what it sounds like. It's probably a brake component.

 

my belt (ok, now I see there's just one, I am such a doofus) looks quite pristine, actually.

I'll need to get the engine up and good and warm before I can be looking where the squeak might be coming from with it running...

and, ChrisLib, I don't think anything has been done on the truck in the last month or so... it'd be nice if that was what it was.

Begle1, brake component?? does that make sense with the idling and stuff??

Tys