Squealing and smoking alternator belt

[V AR 164]

Hey guys,

I hope someone can help. Recently, when I start the Q, the alternator belt starts to squeal. It wasn't that bad at first, but now it is starting to pour white burning rubber smoke out from the alternator belt region. Also the metal pulley gets extremely hot.

The only way I have gotten around this is to spray wd40 on it. It goes away after the first minute or so of the car running, but I know the belt will snap soon enough if I don't do anything now.

Is there an adjustment for the belt that runs off the ac Compressor to the alternator? Or any solution to this?

Any help is appreciated,
Thanks, Andrew.

[VeeSix]

Hello Andrew

Yes, both the air conditioning compressor and alternator adjust, once you have done it a few times you will fly thru it, air conditioning compressor adjusts via one bolt/nut and the alternator adjusts via three bolts

Not real sure how good WD 40 might be here, I would assume it will just make the condition worse and too much will eventually cause the belt to break, there are a few different belt squeal stop spray cans you can buy at your local auto parts store, there really is nothing more annoying than driving with a squealing belt, the best long term fix is too simply purchase new belts and you will be good for a long time, forget about it, belts are cheap

[Cool Jesus]

Sounds like a pully bearing ahs collapsed to me. I'd look at the pulley thats hot or mark them with a marker of orts and see which one isnt spinning.

[Craig_m67]

Sounds like a pully bearing ahs collapsed to me. I'd look at the pulley thats hot or mark them with a marker of orts and see which one isnt spinning.

I agree with this, didn't mention it as it feels obvious.
Do the pulleys (alternator, or aircon) spin freely when there is no belt?

The belt burning (!) or slipping is a symptom of another cause.


Good luck with it, issues like this can be very frustrating

[Cool Jesus]

+1 Craig,, belt off and spin by hand is the easiest way to see. Young blokes wrangler had the AC pulley bearing fail, doesnt take much before its toast. A draw back with serpentine belts too, one bearing and the car is in the pits as opposed to just removing the acc belt to the pulley concern (so long as its just an ac or power steer, need everything else to sbe spinning).

[V AR 164]

Cheers guys,

The pulleys spin freely when the belt is off. I have adjusted it and it has improved it a bit, but I am just going to purchase a new belt to see if that will solve it.

Thanks, Andrew.

[Cool Jesus]

Are the pulleys wobbly or noisy, like making a grinding or crunching sound. Does the alternator, AC, power steer and water pump also spin? It's just that I can't see a loose or worn belt causing smoke, it must be a jammed pulley wheel somewher. I think you mentioned it was hot at the alt pulley, so my guess is that the alt bearings my be on there way out if not already. Tightening the belt would have take out some loose bearing play which will soon get worse again. Tou'll probs need a new belt anyways, but just be sure aboutall your spining components, otherwise youll justkill another belt

[V AR 164]

Thanks for the help guys. All pulleys spin freely.

I replaced the belt today as my old one wasn't a belt anyomore 




So I put in the new one and tensioned everything down, started it up and it began to squeal again. I had a closer look and i discovered the allignment between the pulleys are off. The alternator seems to sit too far forward in comparison to the ac compressor.



Is there an adjustment for this? I can't seem to find a solution.

Edit: No the bearings do not make any noise or do not wobble about.

Cheers, Andrew.

[stustustu123]

That is weird because I remember I had exactly the same alignment issue on my black 164. You are right, alternator seems to sit too far forward. I had intended to pull alternator off at some stage to investigate further but ended up selling the car before I got around to it. Took a lot of playing with belt tension before I stopped it squealing (which it usually only did when belts were cold).

[Al Campbell]

Check the pivots of the alternator and compressor. Maybe a washer put on the wrong side? - or maybe you can add a couple to align them.