Recently I have noticed a chirping or squeaking coming from under the hood at idle, especially when it's colder out. I assume it has something to do with the belt, but I am not sure, could it just be loosening up a little?

 

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Try taking your belt off and inspecting it. On the bottom, if you see cracks in the rubber ridges, you may want to replace the belt. When my belts get like that they will start squeaking also. There are other things that can cause the squeaks, but I would start there.

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John_P

 

Get yourself a Goodyear Gatorback belt and the chirp will go away.

 

It is probably the belt tensioner. Take it off, then take off the pulley, put some oil and grease on the shaft. I have done this several times to mine. It stops the squeaking.

 

Sounds like a new belt and some tensioner TLC and she'll be good to go! Thanks guys.

 

I just replaced my tensioner. If you take tension off the belt with a 1/2 wrench you can rock the pulleys and inspect for play. In my case the tensioner bearing was on the way out.

 

that took care of the chrip at shutdown. Mine's got a bit of a chirp with running. maybe the idler...

 

I am getting that noise on my '96 CTD and I think it is the belt tensioner. I had this noise on my Dodge V-10 and changed the belt tensioner and it went away for another 100,000 miles. Once I ignored it for to long and it seized up shredded the belt and left me w/ no accesories on the side of the road at mid-night