Hey guys just after some advice, ive had my timing belt replaced 6 days ago. The first day the belt never squeaked when starting my car. The next mornin the belt started squeakin again. Today i used it last nite at 7 then left this mornin at 7 it took around 7-12secs for the squeak to stop when it was in park. Is this normal or is there a problem with the tensioner?

Oh n my car is an auto

alternator belt wasnt tightened enough when it was put back on. take it back to where you got it done and they will do it for you.

do pay for it, and dont let them tell you it is because the belt has "stretched". they just didnt tighten it enough.

If it was me, I'd certainly take it back and ask for their advice. A loose alt belt usually makes more of a squeal than a squeak so it may be the idler bearing.
You mention that the 'squeak' returned again on the 2nd day after the timing belt was replaced - does this mean the 'squeak' was there before the timing belt was replaced?

Thats normal. To replace the cam belt the two other belts need to come off first. When those outside belts were put back on they were not put on tight enough. One week is enough for them to start being noisy when you turn the steering wheel rapidly or turn on the air con. Did it myself when I changed my cam belt, needed to tighten the other belts a couple of times to shut them up. No big problem. If its not the belt(s) it may be one of the idlers for those belts. Ask the mechanic to look at it and ask him if her checked the cam belt tensioners when he changed the belt.

The OP says: "The first day the belt never squeaked when starting my car. The next mornin the belt started squeakin again. ".....makes me think that the squeak was there before the timing belt was changed....also his squeak happens immediately after starting the engine with no A/C or PS load and not as you describe - but I could be wrong.:)

okay sorry i was on my iphone, ill try to better explain it.
When i first got the car, the belt squeaked, it had 182000kms on the odo, the belt had been replaced on its 100,000km service. i got it serviced on monday and thebelts were replaced, as i said i wanted them to check out why the was a belt squeaking. the timing belt was very worn and was seriously damaged(may have been from the fact that the belt wasnt tightened properly). started the car up and no belt squeak drove home. over the last few days of use the squeak has returned when i start my car. i jumped into my car tonight again after doing an 8hr shift, turned off the ac, and fans. turned on the car and the belt started squeaking again. waited 2-3secs then put my car into reverse and the squeak was gone.

Let's just be clear here - there is the Timing Belt itself which has notches/teeth and is hidden under plastic covers. Immediately outside that plastic cover are two more drive belts - air-con power steer and alternator.

The sqeaking you are hearing is almost certainly from the accessory drive belts, those outside the plastic timing covers. The squeak is an annoyance, and your workshop should adjust them for you with not too much quibbling.

Without the car running, you may care to check/feel the tension on the power-steer and air-con/alternator belts. Glovebox booklet probably explains how to do it.

Okay, thanks for clearing up my confusion. i plan to ring them tomorrow and get it sorted...

The OP says: "The first day the belt never squeaked when starting my car. The next mornin the belt started squeakin again. ".....makes me think that the squeak was there before the timing belt was changed....also his squeak happens immediately after starting the engine with no A/C or PS load and not as you describe - but I could be wrong.:)

i think you are. firstly, the ac comes on instantly, futhermore, even if the car doesnt have air con, when the car is first started after not being driven is when there is most load on the alternator (accept load like high beam + amps + foglights + window demister etc etc). the belts are also cold and hard, not warm and tacky. i bet if you sat in the drive in the morning when the car hasnt started since the day before, and helt the high beam on for 1 minute, it would squeal for longer (dont flatten your barrtery though)

thats if it is a belt squeal, and not a squeak from a bearing (likely wouldnt go away after 30 seconds anyway)

i think you are. firstly, the ac comes on instantly, futhermore, even if the car doesnt have air con, when the car is first started after not being driven is when there is most load on the alternator (accept load like high beam + amps + foglights + window demister etc etc). the belts are also cold and hard, not warm and tacky. i bet if you sat in the drive in the morning when the car hasnt started since the day before, and helt the high beam on for 1 minute, it would squeal for longer (dont flatten your barrtery though)

thats if it is a belt squeal, and not a squeak from a bearing (likely wouldnt go away after 30 seconds anyway)

Please re-read my post and the post I was commenting on, especially the description that MadMax gave to show how in his instance the belt squealed/squeaked, which was different to the OP's description. We still are not sure what belt was squeaking!.....

he is just giving examples of what causes a loose belt to squeak, i was saying that if its gonna squeak, it will generally do it straight after starting. and IF IT IS A BELT it has to be the power steering or the ac/alt belt. due to the fact it does it straight away, it is likely the ac/alt belt.

i was saying that your wrong in saying there is no load on the belt when first starting

Can I point out the obvious? For a belt to make a noise, it has to slip. A cam belt can't possibly slip, due to its teeth, so any noise from the cam belt has to be the idlers.
Old accessory belts go hard and shiny and slip/squeal no matter what tension you put on them. I would replace these belts if not obviously under tightened, and check the idlers for roughness at the same time. If the noise is still there, remove the cam belt cover and look at the back of the belt. If an idler has gone tight and the belt slips on it at startup, it will show up as wear on the smooth side of the belt.


PS All belts have a hard time when you first start the engine, due to the inertia of the thing the belt needs to spin up. The cam belt would be the worst, as it has to get the cam(s) and valves moving instantly. So if the cam belt is going to break, due to it weakening generally, it will do so at startup. If its going to break through heat build up or fraying at the edges, it will do it at speed. That's my theory anyway. lol

Regarding the accessory belts - the manual states "apply XXXNm of force etc" - is there a rough and ready guide to the tension required on the 2 belts? Mine do not squeal but I do get that belt slap at around 1200rpm. Belts are original so really should be replaced I suppose. Apologies for the thread diversion.

Regarding the accessory belts - the manual states "apply XXXNm of force etc" - is there a rough and ready guide to the tension required on the 2 belts? Mine do not squeal but I do get that belt slap at around 1200rpm. Belts are original so really should be replaced I suppose. Apologies for the thread diversion.

Take them off and have a look. If they are cracked and glazed replace them. My tightening method is simple - tight enough not to squeal at startup. Anything tighter is just putting excess pressure on the belts, idlers and bearings. Does mean I need to tighten them a couple of times when they are new though. lol

Thanks for that advice MadMax, I think I'll remove them and check the ribs....it may be better to replace them after 6 years. Maybe mine are overtight as I've never heard them squeal. One thing I like about the Magna over the Commodore is when you break a belt you don't lose your waterpump.

I think there is an anti squeal spray available you can blast on a belt that looks ok but is noisy. Some belts will be noisy for no good reason if the car has stood unused for a few months. Haven't used it myself though, don't know how good it is.

cqlled sellys/rp7/nulon belt grip. and it is like spraying spray adhesive to the belt, so it will be on the pullys untill it burns off, or you clean it.