Tightening quealing serpentine belt question.

[Fox4744]

I recently had my mechanic put on a new serpentine belt and water pump and since then, the serpentine belt has been squealing every time I turn the A/C on. Come to find out, nimrod mechanic didn't check the idler pulley or even bolt it all the way back on. So I had a friend of mine slap on a new idler pulley and put the belt back on and everything was great. The belt was in pretty crappy shape after being driven a couple hundred miles on a worn out and wobbly idler pulley so I asked nimrod mechanic to put a fresh serpentine belt on it. Big mistake. Now it squeals when I start it and when I turn on the A/C. Since it worked fine when my friend fixed it, I'm pretty sure the belt just needs to be tightened. At this point i want to keep the mechanic's hands off my jeep so I'm doing it myself. Unfortunately I've gotten several different answers on whether or not I need to loosen the idler pulley bolt a bit before I tighten the adjustment bolt and really how to tighten it in general (one tutorial even said something about the water pump. Calling BS on that one unless someone tells me different). I was hoping you guys could give me a consensus.

[Mudderoy]

Amazon.com: Gates 91107 Belt Tension Tester: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31pvKGIxD7L.@@AMEPARAM@@31pvKGIxD7L

Look it up to be sure, but I believe you want to tighten the belt to 110 lbs.

[Fox4744]

Ha! I asked the guys at O'Reilly's about that and they told me they didn't exist. Jokes on them. Thanks! Also, do you happen to know the answer to the million dollar idler pulley question?

[4.3LXJ]

Just did this a few days ago. If you have a 96 and up engine, you loosen the bolt on the idler pulley just enough to allow it to slide. If it is loosened a bit more, it doesn't matter really. Adjust it to where it needs to be. You will notice that when you tighten up the idler pulley bolt the pulley will have sagged a little and straighten up making the belt tighter. This is normal. The bottom line is that if you use the belt tension tool on it you will be able to have it right anyway.

[Fox4744]

Awesome! Thanks guys!

[Poorboy]

I could have used that a couple days ago after my waterpump fiasco.

[4.3LXJ]

Sorry Pete, but you can always use it in the future. We are always here if you need us

[Poorboy]

I'll be picking one up next payday. For now, the old finger push method will do.

[Fox4744]

Heads up on that gauge. The listing posted doesn't say in the description anywhere but I got it in the mail today and it's a v-belt tension gauge so I'd try a different seller if you're looking to buy one. I'm gonna see if I can make it work until the correct one comes in.

[Fox4744]

Here's the right one: Amazon.com: Gates 91132 Belt Tension Tester: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41eGTT4TPML.@@AMEPARAM@@41eGTT4TPML
Amazon needs to get it together. Thankfully the boyfriend has a v-belt on his car so this thing is still semi useful.

[Fox4744]

Wound up having to pull the e-fan to get to the idler pulley bolt since I was stupid and bought one with a recessed bolt but I managed to get the belt tightened. The gauge was really helpful, I highly recommend it so thanks to Mudderoy for the tip. So far no squealing. The sweet sound of silence... Well, it still sounds like a UPS truck, but you get the idea.

[Poorboy]

I had to pull my e fan as well to get to my tensioner. It's an XJ thing....

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[Fox4744]

They really didn't waste any space did they? Kinda put the hose to the coolant reservoir in an awkward place too. Someone even clipped it to one of the fan bolts. Or maybe it came from the factory that way. Either way, pretty clever

[Poorboy]

OE hose placement is attachment is clipped to the fan bolts.

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[Fox4744]

Ah ok. I guess Chrysler does have good ideas sometimes 😂

[Poorboy]

Yes they do! It's also standard dimension rubber hose. Makes replacement easy. Keep an eye on the heater diverter valve plumbed in with the heater hoses. They tend crack and leak. Dirt cheap to replace.

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[Fox4744]

Good to know! They look pretty fresh if I remember correctly but I tend to get my mental image of this xj mixed up with my previous, much cleaner one that I totalled back in September. This one is a bit of a mystery so far. I'll give that a look tomorrow for familiarity's sake.

[4.3LXJ]

Be glad it is a Chrysler product. Ford 5.0L of the same era is a nightmare to tighten the AC belt. You need hands and fingers with extra joints to pull it off on a Crown Vicky

[Fox4744]

Yikes! Yeah, gotta say Chrysler didn't do too bad with the XJ. Just wish they'd used better wiring. Though I'll admit, mystery window can be fun when I've got passengers (will it open? Nobody knows!). The looks of confusion are priceless.

[Poorboy]

Lol! All my stuff still mostly works. Windows are a little slow, my power locks are finicky at best.

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[Fox4744]

Oh the windows still work. Just sometimes they only open from the drivers side and it really frustrates passengers (it worked yesterday!). It's probably the window lock button but I enjoy messing with people too much to fix it. Plus it makes for an excellent designated driver vehicle thanks to that

[Poorboy]

My drivers side rear door, you have to cycle the unlock button, attempt to open the door, then cycle the unlock button again, then the door will open. It gets entertaining at times. The driver front door, the rivets fell apart that hold the lock solenoid in place. That door is manual lock only. Prevents me from calling AAA!

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[Fox4744]

See, your Jeep's just trying to help you 😂

[Poorboy]

It also tried to help itself to my fingers..... Note to self, e-fan can start at any time with or with engine running, but key on.....

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[Fox4744]

Yeah. I sliced a finger on the other fan and it wasn't even moving. Those suckers are vicious

[Poorboy]

Has yours tried to cook you for dinner yet? When my heater diverter valve let go, I swear it giggled. I guess it wasn't happy about me refilling the overflow jug with distilled water instead of wine...

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[Fox4744]

Not yet, but I'm just now getting into this so I'm sure my day will come. Closest I've come to getting cooked is when I couldn't use my AC a few weeks ago. Gotta love Texas

[Poorboy]

My A/C works when it wants too. I live in the Pacific Northwest, I need the heater more than the A/C... My '87 2dr gave me a coronary. Brake pedal, straight to the floor at 60mph.... I cooked the brake shoes with the Coward lever....

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[Fox4744]

Hey, at least it didn't wind up totalled. I'd give any number of brake shoes to have my old jeep back. It's sad to see one hauled off to the salvage yard. Trying to fix up an old mommy mobile xj now so I can sell it for enough to get a 4wd version. Fun fact: kids are the best and perhaps the only way to truly destroy an xj

[Poorboy]

I drove the '87 out of a hole on it's side. I think I angered the main bearing gods that day. I hurt it alottle. It came from the usnps, so it was pretty beat to begin with. Tough old bird. The cylinder walls had scores so big you park a greyhound bus in them. She served me well for a couple years before someone bought it just for the shell and drivetrain. That same XJ also tried to flame broil me.... Short in the trans harness. Flame on at 55!

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[Fox4744]

Yeah, those old mail Jeeps are nuts. I know a mailman who had one for a while. Apparently that one got sassy with him one too many times and he got rid of it. But they are tough as nails. Don't think it ever tried to cook him though. Maybe yours just liked you a little too much

[Poorboy]

This wasn't a mail jeep. U.S. National Park Service. Still, same amount of neglect and abuse though.

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[Fox4744]

Oh. Thought that was a typo. But yeah, probably more abuse with the park service. All off road all the time

[Fox4744]

No wonder it tried to cook you

[Poorboy]

There wasn't what anyone would call frame rails or rockers left on it. It was grade "A" beat. I think it had run the gauntlet and was lucky to get out alive, beat.

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[Fox4744]

Probably. I imagine those guys had some fun with it before it retired

[Poorboy]

I forgot to mention, it was heavily molested. It started life as a 5spd. Ended life as an automatic. I think it was trying to reject it's transplanted organs. I did a ton of restoration work on it before I sold it. Complete rebuild of the engine bay harness, new seats, rebuilt the floor, rebuilt the D44 including the trac-loc. It wasn't limited slipping in the limited slip department... I set that thing so tight is was nearly a spool.

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[Fox4744]

I won't lie, I'm going to have to look most of that up haha. I'm pretty new to this even as far as newbies go.

[Fox4744]

I'm still in the "look, I can install a grille guard!" Stage

[Poorboy]

I'm way past that. Lol. Right now my '96 is attempting to reject it's radiator. It's past the point of dribble, run straight past leak and straight onto marking its territory. There will always be something on a jeep that will improve your skill level. Luckily, they were designed when people were actually expected to fix their own crap.

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[Fox4744]

Yeah. That's part of the reason I like them so much. And the previous owner as well as my genius mechanic left me plenty of stuff to play with. Not sure if that's a blessing or a curse

[Poorboy]

It's. A blessing. It's a pride booster when something gets fixed by your own hand.

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[Fox4744]

Definitely. I was pretty pleased with myself when I got the serpentine belt/AC catastrophe sorted out. Though I still have the urge to throw one of those krikit belt tension testers at my mechanic's head