Car squealing

[Central]

A few months back I had a new fan belt put on. The car was squealing.

With the new belt on its still squealing. Happens if the weather is damp or if i had the radio on without the engine. I understand this drains the battery but did not think it would still be squealing.

Sometimes happens if i puss the clutch down when slowing. If i lift up the clutch it eases off.

Any ideas?

Cheers

[Kymmy]

The radio being on will drain the battery, a drained battery will want more power from the alternator, the alternator giving more power needs more force to turn it from the belt.

I'd have the belt checked to not only tightness .. there could also be a possible leak contaminating the belt. Was it a good belt or a cheap one??

[Central]

I have no idea. I took it to the garage to get a new belt then picked it up when it was done

[Kymmy]

If it was recent then take it back an complain that the belt is still squealing.. They're likely to just tighten it up a notch.. (10 minute job)

[Graham M]

Having the radio on without the engine... nothing should be moving especially a belt as that is driven by the engine, not the other way around

[Gary L]

It can't be the belt if it's doing it without the engine running.

[Kymmy]

Originally Posted by Central

Happens if the weather is damp or if i had the radio on without the engine.

Originally Posted by Graham M

Having the radio on without the engine... nothing should be moving especially a belt as that is driven by the engine, not the other way around

Originally Posted by Gary L

It can't be the belt if it's doing it without the engine running.

Looking at the past tense I presumed he meant starting the car AFTER he had the radio on

[Maggy J]

Come on folks Kymmy knows her onions when it comes to bike or car engines...

[Strzelecki]

What car is it? It could be the Auxiliary belt tensioner being worn and the bearings squealing.

[Gary L]

Probably a worn pulley, bearings or tensioner then. most cars now have automatic tensioners. no adjusting the bolt for tightness.

[banjo]

Could be a water pump bearing

[Taf]

I had a new alternator belt fitted by a mechanic whose hands were coated in greasy muck. That meant a greasy belt, which meant a squealing belt as it tried to grip to supply the alternator load.

Luckily I spotted it before leaving the garage. It took them ages to degrease the pulley wheels before refitting a new belt with clean hands.

In your case, if the "car" is squealing with the engine off, perhaps you are getting some sort of feedback through the in-car stereo system?

[Central]

Sorry I should of clarified.

The squeal happens when I turn the engine on after having the radio on with the engine off.

Its a 1.3 Ford Fiesta 2001. Dunno if that helps

[Taf]

Almost definitely the alternator belt slack or slipping then..... you should be able to move it no more than about half an inch downwards in the longest run AFAIK, but it depends on a lot on the car specs.

Take a piece of kitchen towel and with the engine off wipe the face(s) of the belt that touch the drive wheels. If it comes out black and oily you have contamination.

---------- Post added at 18:28 ---------- Previous post was at 18:02 ----------

Note: I have seen this a lot in the past where people have been very liberal with WD40 under the bonnet during the wet months of the year.

[heero_yuy]

I'd go for the alternator belt. Try putting on the heated rear window (big electrical load), if that makes the squeal worse then it's certain. Otherwise if it changes with pressing the clutch it might be the clutch release bearing, even when not pressed these sometimes are idlling round and could squeal if getting worn. One other possible (which I think I might be getting) is the cam belt tensioner getting dry.