Intermittent engine squeal??

[Joe]

Hi Fellas,
Wondering if I could have some input on this 89' Festy problem.

First, the history.......

I bought this car 2 months ago, did some work to it [ fluid changes, plugs, rotor, cap, filters, and a timing belt ] before getting it on the road.
Then I powerwashed the engine / compartment.
Since I've been driving it, it runs well, except for an intermittent squeal from around the timing belt cover. The noise occurs upon acceleration from a stop, for about 5-10 seconds, then dissapears. But, it happens at almost every start after stopping or accelerating after making a turn. It also happens opon coasting ocassionally now too. I don't know if the noise was present before I worked on / owned the car since I didn't drive it.
The noise sounds cyclical, like a slipping fan belt. I can feel vibration through the T. belt cover with my fingers when the squeal happens, with the car in "park". I'm sure that I changed the T. belt correctly, alignment etc. and it's not the alternator bushing or the fan belt.....
I just don't wanna have to take the timing covers - pulleys etc. off all over again to inspect etc. if I don't have to.
Finally the question...... could this be a noise indicating a worn part that Festivas [ with 292000 kms] are prone to having...like camshaft bearing wear, tensioner pulley wear, etc?
Kinda long winded I know....
Thanks,

Joe.

[wtfman2]

It could be a tensioner pully starting to go bad or it could be that the cover is hitting ever so slightly( it is quite difficult to get those old rubber gaskets in the right spot after removal). It dose soulnd like a alternator belt but if you say it aint. I would spray it with wd40 anyhow and it the noise goes away you will know the prob.

Clinton

[Ataristyle]

Sam prob for me

I get the same problem as you do Joe. I changed my timing belt about 400 miles ago. My idler puller turned freely and I even cleaned up some of the surface rust on the top so it would not CHEW up the new belt and also make better contact. If there was a spot to grease it, then I greased it(cant remember). Its seems to happen after I've been idleing at a red light for couple minutes. Soon as it turns green and I go I hear a slight "Chirp". It only will happen for like 2 or 3 seconds then its gone until the next awaited stop. When I took off my old timing belt there was a slight groved in the belt. I'm thinking like wtfman2 is thinking, and that the cover is hitting the belt. If you have time, take the cover off and check...you may see the rubber starting to wear on the outer part of the belt. I'm not too worried about it since the belt I took off was so so minoot at being rubbed on the side...I'll just give it time to wear in

[Joe]

Problem solved. It WAS the fan belt that was squealing in the end.

How did I get to this end?

I decided to remove the upper timing belt cover and drive the car, ready to pull over and make a close inspection of the suspect components at the first squeal. In order to do this I had to re and re the fan belt and pulley. I guess when I assembled it, I tightened the belt and eliminated the squealing chirp. The final test was to re and re the parts again to reinstall the timing belt cover, and test drive the car. Success.

I had just replaced the fan belt with a brand new one when getting the car road worthy. The new belt was slightly wider, affecting how it ran in the pulley.

Thanks for the input fellas.
Joe.

[Ataristyle]

Glad to hear NO more Chirp for you Maybe that could be my problem too. I dont seem to notice it as much as before. I installed a new Alt. Belt on mine too. I may have to readjust like you did. I'll take a look.