Any one else had any luck fixing their damn annoying squeak by switching to a gatorback belt and cleaning their pulleys with brake cleaner?i have so far repaced idle and tensioner pulleys 2 or 3x cant remember for sure how many and replace the belt about 3 times and the belt tensioner.So i finally said screw it and paid the price for the gator back belt.I just hope it fixes it for more than a few days.It seems when i change a pulley or belt its fine for a few days then its back the 1st cold or damp morning.I have tried pulleys and belts from both autozone and o rilleys.And yes everything is in alignment.Does anyone else know what frustration and pain in the a** i have been through?It just kills me to have a $4,500 truck that sounds like a $400 truck.Hell I have heard quite a few $400 trucks that sound better than mine.I just had to vent to someone about this squeaking crap.If you can even call it a squeak it has been a sound like someone rubbing their wet shoes on a slick floor.please wish me luck and im sure I will find out in a few days if its gone for good.getting rid of this damn squeak has turned out to be about as hard as fixing the F***ed up economy.lol


thanks,tim

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sold years ago : Dark blue 1999 ford ranger flareside supercab Xlt 2wd flex fuel 3.0 auto all factory options except 4wd. Current mods include :explorer overhead console with temp display,exterior color matched painted interior dash trim and door panel trim, auto dark rear view mirror,euro tail lights,tonneau cover,1 high flow cat,cherry bomb pro muffler into 6" oval tip exited under the rear step.

I feel your pain. I have a chirping sound that did disappear when I replaced it with a gatorback belt. The sound came back a few days later. I recently replaces both the idler and tensioner pulleys. The chirp was gone... for 10 minutes.

To trouble shoot, I removed the belt to eliminate the possibility of the cam synchro/cam position sensor. When I removed the belt and started the car, there was no chirping. I determined that the chirp is coming from the alternator pulley (part number FOCZ10344AA). I'm picking one up locally but they do sell at rockauto. I'll be replacing it this Thursday.

If your truck is still squeaking with the serp belt off then it is probably the cam synchro/cam position sensor. If it is you must correct that ASAP, failure to do so may result in a seized engine. The cam synchro is on the passenger side by the firewall.

Good luck
T

Here is an update. I picked up the alternator pulley and saw that there are no bearings in the pulley. The bearings are internal to the alternator (the veterans here probably already knew that). Since my alternator is still working (other than the chirping) I'd rather not spend the money on a new one.

To combat the chirping I applied some chalk to the ribs of the belt while the car was running. No more chirping. It is not a permanent fix but it will have to do (chalk is cheap)

I'll be changing the belt when I install my UD crank pulley so hopefully, the chirping will stop.

My Truck has the squeak deal too. I sprayed the alternator pulley with some WD40 and it stopped squeaking for a minute or two. Does that mean it is most likely my alternator pulley??? This is driving me NUTS!!

Its been 2 weeks with alot of rain and so far no squeak.I guess the brake cleaner on the pulleys to clean them and the gatorback solved my problem for now.I just know it will be back sooner or later.Its like a damn curse man.good luck with yours.

Tim

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sold years ago : Dark blue 1999 ford ranger flareside supercab Xlt 2wd flex fuel 3.0 auto all factory options except 4wd. Current mods include :explorer overhead console with temp display,exterior color matched painted interior dash trim and door panel trim, auto dark rear view mirror,euro tail lights,tonneau cover,1 high flow cat,cherry bomb pro muffler into 6" oval tip exited under the rear step.

Is your pulleys/belt glazed? I bought a new Gates belt and hit my pulleys with 400 grit sandpaper and cleaned off and so far (FINGERS CROSSED) no squeak. Well damn... okay very very faint squeak. Better than nothing. It lasted a day no squeak at all atleast.

We've used Goodyear ,Gates and had noise or stretching problems, now using a lot of Bando belts with no problems so far.I went through 2 Gates in the last year and have had a Bando on now for about 6 months with no noise !

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1998 Ranger 3.0 Super cab,auto,2x4,Flowmaster Deltaflow 50 with staggered stainless slashcut ends,KYB GR2 shocks,15x7 A.R. rims with F/S Destination LE 235/70r15

Bando belt fixed the squeak??...man I hope this works..I'v been dealing with this off\on for 9 yrs now...what a pain in the arse.

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CRAIG

2000XLT 4X4 SUPERCAB
31-10.5s
BOUGHT STOCK-STILL WORK IN PROCESS

I bought a Gates belt and it fixed mine for the most part, still squeaks every now and then when its really cold or the weather is bad. Thats just a weather related thing though so I'm not too worried about it.

RANGER2000XLT make sure you scuff up the pullys that are shiney, it will help alot if they are trying to slip and causing the squeak. They are probubly glazed.

I recently bought a 99' 2WD ext cab ranger with the 3.0. I encountered the squeaky belt soon after buying it. Here is what I did to fix it:

1: replaced belt with a Duralast belt from autozone. (Still squeaking)

2: Spray the new belt with belt dressing. (Quit squeaking for a few minutes then the squeak became worse than before spraying belt dressing)

3: Removed the belt cleaned the belt with mineral spirits and then washed with soap and water. Cleaned pulleys with mineral spririts and a brush, then rinsed them with accetone. reinstalled Duralast belt. (still squeaking)

4: Replaced idler and tensioner pulleys. Reinstalled Duralast belt (They needed replaced anyway but still squeaking)

5: cleaned pulleys with a die grinder and a wire wheel. Reinstalled Duralast belt (still squeaking)

6: Replaced the Duralast belt with a Dayco belt from Autozone. (Have driven approximately 400miles no squeak so far)

these markings will cause chirping... sand/scuff them off with red scotch brite pad

you can buy these seperate in most automotive stores

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MY BUILD THREAD
1999 MAZDA 2500SE, 2.5L 4-clanger, 5 speed, Green n slow. Rangers as daily drivers since 1988.
ASE Certified Mechanic, Builder of Show Destroying Protouring and Classic cars..