Squeal at Cold Startup
 

When starting my 1991 Civic LX (1.5 liter, manual transmission, no air
conditioning) for the first time each day, I hear a loud screech. It lasts about
two seconds. I then drive as usual with no funny noises. Driving for 20 minutes,
then stopping (car off) for 20 minutes, and then starting again does not give me
the screech.

The screech began after I did some maintenance on the car the other day. This
maintenance was:

-- Replaced the alternator belt, setting tension correctly (I think) for a new
belt (7-9 mm).

-- Partly drained the power steering system, removed the power steering belt and
pump, and then re-installed all. The old power steering belt looked fine, so I
did not replace it. Again, I think I set the tension correctly. (I removed the
belt last week and then re-installed it and did not have this screech.) I
followed the procedure at http://timingbelt.soben.com/ to purge (I hope) air
from the power steering system.

-- Removed the timing belt, installed a new front crank seal and a new camshaft
seal, then re-installed the old timing belt.

My first guess was that I have somehow messed up either the power steering
belt's tension or the alternator belt's tension. I have checked both, and they
seem fine, albeit I'm not using a belt gage. Just pushing in the middle of the
belt with a finger to the tune of I hope 22 lbs. and then measuring the
deflection.

Except for this screech at cold startup, the car drives great (so far, after
some 35 miles).

Any suggestions to diagnose this?

Re: Squeal at Cold Startup
 

In article <JZJAc.5549$w07.354@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.n et>,
"Caroline" <caroline10027remove@earthlink.net> wrote:

> When starting my 1991 Civic LX (1.5 liter, manual transmission, no air
> conditioning) for the first time each day, I hear a loud screech. It
lasts about
> two seconds. I then drive as usual with no funny noises. Driving for 20
minutes,
> then stopping (car off) for 20 minutes, and then starting again does not
give me
> the screech.
>
> The screech began after I did some maintenance on the car the other day. This
> maintenance was:
>
> -- Replaced the alternator belt, setting tension correctly (I think) for a new
> belt (7-9 mm).
>
> -- Partly drained the power steering system, removed the power steering
belt and
> pump, and then re-installed all. The old power steering belt looked fine, so I
> did not replace it. Again, I think I set the tension correctly. (I removed the
> belt last week and then re-installed it and did not have this screech.) I
> followed the procedure at http://timingbelt.soben.com/ to purge (I hope) air
> from the power steering system.
>
> -- Removed the timing belt, installed a new front crank seal and a new
camshaft
> seal, then re-installed the old timing belt.
>
> My first guess was that I have somehow messed up either the power steering
> belt's tension or the alternator belt's tension. I have checked both, and they
> seem fine, albeit I'm not using a belt gage. Just pushing in the middle of the
> belt with a finger to the tune of I hope 22 lbs. and then measuring the
> deflection.
>
> Except for this screech at cold startup, the car drives great (so far, after
> some 35 miles).
>
> Any suggestions to diagnose this?

I would guess that it is a slipping belt. I don't know which belt is
slipping. However, you may be able to figure it out by raising the hood
and watching the belts as a friend starts your car. You may get lucky and
actually see or hear which belt is slipping. You should visit a auto parts
store and see if they can sell you a spray that may be called something
like "Belt Spray" or something like that. I know that they sold it several
years ago when I was having a problem with a slipping belt. I don't think
that it is the timing belt. If it was slipping, your car would not be
running so great.

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Re: Squeal at Cold Startup
 

Caroline wrote:
> When starting my 1991 Civic LX (1.5 liter, manual transmission, no air
> conditioning) for the first time each day, I hear a loud screech. It lasts about
> two seconds. I then drive as usual with no funny noises. Driving for 20 minutes,
> then stopping (car off) for 20 minutes, and then starting again does not give me
> the screech.
>
> The screech began after I did some maintenance on the car the other day. This
> maintenance was:
>
> -- Replaced the alternator belt, setting tension correctly (I think) for a new
> belt (7-9 mm).
>
> -- Partly drained the power steering system, removed the power steering belt and
> pump, and then re-installed all. The old power steering belt looked fine, so I
> did not replace it. Again, I think I set the tension correctly. (I removed the
> belt last week and then re-installed it and did not have this screech.) I
> followed the procedure at http://timingbelt.soben.com/ to purge (I hope) air
> from the power steering system.
>
> -- Removed the timing belt, installed a new front crank seal and a new camshaft
> seal, then re-installed the old timing belt.
>
> My first guess was that I have somehow messed up either the power steering
> belt's tension or the alternator belt's tension. I have checked both, and they
> seem fine, albeit I'm not using a belt gage. Just pushing in the middle of the
> belt with a finger to the tune of I hope 22 lbs. and then measuring the
> deflection.
>
> Except for this screech at cold startup, the car drives great (so far, after
> some 35 miles).
>
> Any suggestions to diagnose this?
>
=================

Same happened to me after I did my timing belt. I just had to tighten
one of them tighter. Try starting up with the heater fan, headlights,
cigarette lighter, rear defrost, radio, wipers ON. If it's any worse,
you'll know it's the alternator one. Simple.

Those belts have to be pretty tight. :-)

You can also squirt a fine mist of water at the suspect belt and see
which slips. Harder trick than other. Gets face wet.

'Curly'

Re: Squeal at Cold Startup
 

Thanks Jason and Curly for sharing your experiences. You all were pretty much
right on. It was the new alternator belt.

For the archives: I had "Sharpie ink" marked the alternator adjusting bolt slide
before removing the old alternator belt, indicating where on the slide the bolt
lined up. But I did not adjust the new alternator belt to the same point. My
"guesstimate" of the belt deflection seemed to support this. Wrong.

This morning I increased the tension to just a tad shy of the old belt's mark.
No more morning squeal.

Curly wrote:
> Same happened to me after I did my timing belt. I just had to tighten
> one of them tighter. Try starting up with the heater fan, headlights,
> cigarette lighter, rear defrost, radio, wipers ON. If it's any worse,
> you'll know it's the alternator one. Simple.
>
> Those belts have to be pretty tight. :-)
>
> You can also squirt a fine mist of water at the suspect belt and see
> which slips. Harder trick than other. Gets face wet.