Squeaky upon cold startup?

[NCalDMax]

Well, this certainly isn't a major deal (yet), but my 2002 with 11,000 miles is puttin' out an annoying squeak upon cold start-up. The noise lasts for up to 20 minutes or so.

Anybody else have this problem, and more important, what solved it? [I searched for "squeak" and note some have had shut-down "squeaks", my noise is only upon cold start-up]

I've made one visit to the dealer on this, they took one look at the top-most idler pulley, saw it "wobbling" [yes, I've since learned that it kinda wiggles "normally"] and insisted on me not using the truck until they could get a replacement for the "obvious" problem. Bottom line: 4 days without the truck (GM provided replacement vehicle), new idler (wiggles just like the old one), and squeak remains. So, er the dealer has my utmost confidence smile.gif )

I'm not out of options with the dealer, but would appreciate any thoughts.

[rtquig]

My first guess would have been the belt, 2nd a bearing in the alternator, then water pump, but I don't know much about the water pumps in the D/max and hope I don't need to know much about it.
Good luck,
Rich

[NCalDMax]

Rich,
Thanks for the input.

Nailing down noise issues can be a real pain, and so I'm hoping somebody else has been there/done that on this particular noise.

The thing that's buggin me is the "disappears when it warms up" aspect....personally, never seen a belt or bearing behave this way. The DMax water pump is not driven off the surpentine belt, BTW, but I suppose anything that rotates/moves could be suspect.

---Doug

[BigLakeDMAX]

My truck began a squeak on cold start about a week ago. Went away after a minute. Then stayed around longer until it was there even when warm, and finally a constant squeak at idle. Sounded like a cricket on steroids. Took it to dealer today. They found the water pump to be the source and are replacing it. Should have truck back tomorrow. 6900 miles on the truck, 3 months old. Guess they can go anytime.

[TopBanana 2500]

ncaldmax...
I had the same thing. Turned out to be the alternator of all things. I could have sworn the sound was comming from the pulley. Anyway, they changed out the alternator and belt. Took that annoying squeek away. Under warranty.

[Maverick]

I had the bearing in the only grooved idler pully (below the tensioner pully) go bad. Mine was squeaking bad at the 02' DP Rendevous. I've had about 6 different new belts on my truck and they all squeaked while running. This last GM belt has been real good so far. No squeaking in 24K.
One degree above zero this morning. Not plugged in.....fired right up with instant oil pressure (Amsoil 5w-30) and no squeaking (belt).

[ 12-27-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>

[NCalDMax]

Thanks you guys for the feedback.

Well, I see I need to "enlarge" my thinking on this issue, as there are way more sources of this sort of noise than I was allowing for.

This is of course, one of the strengths of a forum like this, to get a broader view than just from asking our buds!

I have so little confidence in the dealer's ability to get to solve this without multiple visits. Many around here I'm sure know where I'm coming from. You hate to have to mess with something yourself that's in-warranty, yet getting frustrated with the dealer can make you want to.

I really appreciate the input.

---Doug

Edited to remove innocent [to me] term that forum software didn't like smile.gif
[ 12-27-2002: Message edited by: NCalDMax ]

[ 12-27-2002: Message edited by: NCalDMax ]</p>

[BigLakeDMAX]

Well, picked up the truck with the new water pump installed today. They said it's only about a two hour job and they got the part overnight. Looks like they did a nice job and appeared to have purged all the air out of the system. No more squeak. Kind of important since I'll be doing about 1000 miles in a couple of days with the family on board next week.

NCAL: I'd keep on the dealer about the squeak. A squeak on the front of the engine is definitely either a belt driven or engine driven component and every one of them is needed. The squeak is just an early warning of an impending failure. It won't get better or go away on its own. And, as the Prophet Murphy has shown us, that failure will come at the worst possible time, in the worst place, in the worst way, and with the greatest amount of collateral damage possible.

If you do end up having to diagnose it yourself, I've had good luck with an engine stethoscope, one with a solid probe, that you can touch to the different components and listen to isolate which one is causing the noise. You'll likely hear it in all connected components but the squeak will be loudest when you touch the probe to the affected part. At least that way you can tell the dealer what is causing the problem. I believe NAPA still carries the 'scopes.

Good Luck! smile.gif

[NCalDMax]

BigLake,

We're on the same page, re: not letting the squeak go unsolved....

Glad the new water pump solved your squeak.

The weather may clear enough tomorrow to do a bit of trouble shooting myself. I have an electronic stethoscope at my place of business, just need to bring the thing home with me to do a bit of analysis as you suggest.

I'll keep this thread posted when I or the dealer get to the bottom of it. It does seem to be getting worse.

Thanks for the input and good luck on your trip.

---Doug

[Forced Induction]

I just aquired this nice squeak about 2 days ago. Always there and noisier when cold. Sounds like another sound in there when cold also but hard to tell. I guess I'll have to take it in. My question is, did anyone ever have a problem bringing in a truck with a K&N installed?? The juice will come off easy but don't want to install the old air box. I hope the alternator is the problem as opposed to the water pump. I don't trust dealers that much. 11k on the truck.

Jason

[a64pilot]

A way to eliminate the belt as a possibility is to spray it with belt dressing while the squeak is happening. If the squeak goes away when you spray it, you found the problem.Of course if it is some bearing, belt dressing will not affect the squeak.

[Kennedy]

I had my tensioner replaced. Mine was more of a chattering type of noise. What happens is the bearing in the tensioner pivot loosens up and lets the tensioner cock just a bit. The tensioner arm to housing body clearance is pretty close, so they make contact, and rub/gall together...

[oyazi]

Then there's the vacumn pump (unique to CA). Is your dealer in the Sacto area?

[Cajun W/Duramax]

I just got my truck back from the shop a couple of day's ago, having heater core replaced. Mechanic noticed the squeak when he started it up. Looked at the belt said that it was glazed and replaced it. Squeak now gone. ;)

I had noticed the squeak when I started it up, but after I got it all warmed up squeak was gone. Never much bothered me though, more concerned about getting it warmed up so the juice would kick in! :D

I have a cousin that owns a alternator starter shop, he said what cause the belts to glaze is when they are hot and get wet, then the belt starts slipping and glazes over. He also recommended NOT to use belt dressing as it will make it worse, goes from a squeak to more of a roar. :eek:

Hope this helps! Dealer changed my belt under warranty, hope everyone else is as fortunate! smile.gif

[Forced Induction]

I looked at my problem more closely last night. I sprayed some WD-40 on the back side of the belt to determine if it was the belt or a bearing. Thankfully, she quieted right down, but obviously came right back. I will try to replace the belt with the goodyear gatorbacks which are supposed to stop the squeak on shut down from what I've read hear almost a year ago. Only problem is, nobody carries goodyear belt around me. Pep Boys and R&S are the two big stores but I'll find one. Thats for all the help again guys. Oh, I agree I don't like belt dressing either, it always makes it worse over time, in my experience atleast.

Thanks again,
Jason

[ThePend]

Forced Induction


I had the same problem with my belt. Mine was doing it all the time. Sounded like a hot Saturday night in a Louisiana bogg. I checked at the goodyear website and the only engine they show for the 2002 silverado model is the 8.1. That belt wont fit the diesel. The 2001 model with the diesel wont fit the 2002's, the belt is about 7 inches too short. I know..... Ive tried it. I emailed goodyear to find a similar size belt, but they have yet to reply. So the only quick option I had was to go back to the dealer and get a belt from them. $58 and change. Im sure I could have gotten it thru gmpartsdirect, but I couldnt take the noise anymore.

If you happen to hear of a part number from goodyear that will fit, post it and Ill check it out.

[NCalDMax]

FWIW, My start-up squeak (I started this thread) is mostly gone, now. Haven't changed anything, but it's getting slightly warmer around here (Northern Cal). It's a once-in-a-while deal. Strange.

[Forced Induction]

NcalDmax,
Same thing with me. After a few days of dry weather, my belt has only an intermittent sqeak now but is still annoying. I tried to locate the gatorback belt PN# 4061112, which was posted a while back, but was for a 2001. No Luck, and by the sound of it, that is good. I didn't think there was any difference in the belt configuration between 2001 and 2002, but apparantly there is. I will now have to decode the GM part number to get the exact length and see what gatorback is close, if any. Well atleast its only a belt now, I can relax knowing a bearing isn't going away on me. I'll post any info I find on the gatorback belts also and how they work. Thanks again guys, with this web site you hardly need the dealer smile.gif
Next upgrade I hope will be the KD 4"-5" exhaust, but I'm worried about noise and the law. I like being able to floor it now with nothing. I don't want to attract attention, but that is the price of a sewer pipe!! :D

J.A.

[Joe Duffiney]

Mine has squeeked for the last 2 yrs. in the cold winters. I keep telling myself to take it in but haven't done it yet. Now spring has sprung and all is quiet just like last year. I guess when it does it when warm I will take it in.

[thechevyhdman]

My truck has squeaked for almost a year now....complained to my dealer and the mechanic that looked at my truck didnt do anything proper at that service visit. Missed a whole bunch of stuff I ended up having to fix on my own. Makes me wonder what good is a warranty. Anyways my truck squeaks bad when it has sat for a few days or when its really wet or damp out. My question being on the water pump, Is the water pump isnt belt driven, its gear driven. So If I disconnect the belt and start-up the truck it should still squeak, right ?. Its annoying I looked at it squeaking the other day and noticed that the idler tensioner furthest to the passenger side was jumping about 1/4 to half an inch. Is that normal play for a tensioner?

[NCalDMax]

I'm told by the dealer that "wobble" is normal for the idler you mention, if I understand the location, also the few others I've seen also wobble a bit. (See my first post in this thread for the circumstances under which I was told this.)

It seems "weird", though, eh?

How did you stop the squeak, you mention you had to fix it on your own.

[thechevyhdman]

Ah actually that was the only thing I didnt fix but lets put it this way....The mother of the sevice manager owes us 7800.oo(she caused us a blown 6.5 motor) So I think Ill have my way at the dealership for the next few years...Or I better :D ;)

[Xmas1]

OK, here's what I ended up doing to take care of the problem. I had both a squeak at shut down and while idling. First I did what we all do, I took it to the dealer. They replaced the alternator and the belt. Problem gone for about 1 week. I went back to the dealer and they refused to do anything more, hiding behind GM. Of course I called GM and was told that it is normal for this engine to squeak on shut down. Step 2 was to try the belt dressing, and the noise was never louder. I don't recommend this at all. Next I ordered the parts to fix it myself (tensioner, pulley and belt). Problem gone for about 2 weeks.
I started thinking that the belt has to be slipping and most likely from normal dirt.

Now here is what has worked for me.........

I went to the medicine cabinet and got out the old Isopropyl Alcohol, put on a spray cap, Armor All fit perfect. A few squirts on the inside of the belt while idling and all the problems went away. It comes back from time to time, but nothing that 15 seconds and a bottle of Alcohol won't take care of.

Best of all it was cheap too.

[Lone Eagle]

If you have norrowed the squeak to the belt, do yourself a favor, try Permatex belt dressing. It will make a dirty glazed belt tacky and I guarantee it will stop the squeak. I have used it since the serpentine belt came on my 89. No! It does not collect dirt and make things worst. Later! Lone Eagle :D