Idler pulley noise

[deadflo]

I had a squeak in my idler pulley on my 280. It got progressivley worse, and I purchased another pulley from Z barn. The fellow there said he was familiar with the problem and sold me a puley that he had instaled new bearings in. I put the pulley on a couple weeks back, much quieter.

Now that pulley is starting to squeak as well! But it is intermittent. I thought it might be related to temperature, but it seems to just be loud some days and not so loud on others.

Any ideas?

[Ed]

Are you 100% sure it's the pulley again?

[240ZX]

Is it possible that your V-belt is just worn out. When V-belts are old and worn they have a tendonecy to squeak and or squeal. Also, if the alignment between pullies is off, it will speed up the process of wearing out a V-belt. Just some food for thought!

[Daniel]

I dont speak 280 but one would assume that a squeek= resistance That =belt wear. Not to mention the re-flexing during your last replacement. First guess is check the belt tention as a test. If that works replace it. If it doesn't replace it. OPPS,sorry 240zx seems didnt see your post. If I had I would just have said I agree.

[sblake01]

I speak fluent 280 but I think you are speaking 280ZX because there is no idler pulley under the hood of my 78.

EDIT: Okay I'm probably wrong. My car has aftermarket air. Maybe the ones with factory air have an idler pulley.

[deadflo]

Thanks guys, I am leanign toward the belt itself now. I checked the tension , it seemed ok, but i tried both tightening and loosening it, and I still get intermitent squeak. The pulleys do not seem out of alignment with each other. I know because when I chaged out the old pulley it was slightly out of alignment.

The belt is somehwat worse for wear on the ends, probably because of the earlier misalignment. I will put a new belt on and see what happens!

[240ZX]

deadflo, before you install the new belt, take a piece of 400 to 600 grit sandpaper to the belt wear surfaces on the pullies and knock off the shinny glaze. This will assist in a quiet running belt.

[Zedrally]

I speak fluent 280 but I think you are speaking 280ZX because there is no idler pulley under the hood of my 78.

EDIT: Okay I'm probably wrong. My car has aftermarket air. Maybe the ones with factory air have an idler pulley.

In 260 speak. Factory air had this installed.

[seerex]

dead flow easy way to see if its the belt , with car idling spray wd40 or other lubricant onto belt , the the noise immediately goes away there ya go its dry and worn out probably , use the little red straw for this and watch your fingers and don't wear a tie when doing this