Navara belt squeal......

Funkfield

Hey all.

Posted on here a few times about my long-serving Navara. Got great help. Hope you can help again.


Recently the belt started squealing. Originally it was only at high revs, but now it is constant.

I was going to change the fan belt myself but found out it could be the tensioners either.

Has anyone here changed the fan belt themselves? Would it be worth just changing the belt or should I change everything? Also, for anyone who has done this themselves, how hard a task was it?

Thanks in advance,

Funk

Funkfield

Also, it is a 2001 import. I can pick up a new belt easy enough. Does anyone know if it is a different belt needed to the newer 7 peak type?

Thanks

101sean

Have a look at Milners site, you should be able to check by chassis or engine number. http://www.milneroffroad.com/Default.asp?c=43355

I assume it's a serpentine belt that drives everything? At that age I'd change the tensioner as well. Depending on how the tensioner works it can be easier to have someone else hold the tension off while you loop the belt round.

Funkfield

I had a good look at the engine today. It's an older model. There seems to be three belts as opposed to the newer serpentine deal.

I'm not gonna get it changed by the weekend, and I need the truck. Has you ever tried the quick fix of spraying it liberally with silicone spray? I have heard it increases the grip and gets rid of any squeal albeit temporarily.

101sean

As it's separate belts you should be able to adjust the loose one,typically the PAS pump or alternator can be shifted to tighten it. Silicon spray or belt dressing may shut it up for a while but simple belts like that are easy to change.

Funkfield

Thanks a mill for the advice. I reckon I'd be well able to change it if I could just get at them. They really are quite tight between the fan and the engine.

I will use the silicone spray to get me over the weekend. Then I will fix them properly.

101sean

The manual will probably tell you to remove the fan and cowl but you can usually do it with them in place on most vehicles if you're prepared to skin your knuckles a bit!

With three belts, sods law says it will be that back one so you'll have to shift all of them. You may as well replace all of them while you are at it.

doctorchopper

I have a 2003 which would be very similar to yours. I've changed the belts twice, easy enough to do. You need to loosen the alternator on the single belt side, then on the other side with the double belt there is a tensioner that you need to loosen, it has a lock nut on the side, loosen that then there is a hex head bolt that you need to loosen that slides up and down to tension the belt.

Fishtits

Funky, I hate to be negative but, if you've got one and your only issue is belt noise, I'd suggest you throw a garden party - and get rid of it as soon as you can.

They have to be the greatest money pit/ least capable machine in my 25 years of 4x4 experience...

But. Thats only my opinion...