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Waiter21 · 05-04-2015, 07:18 AM

Just after we picked up our "New to Us" Coachmen Mirada, it developed a chirping serpentine belt. It wasn't loud, but it needed to be looked at as it could be a bearing.

As part of bringing all the preventive maintenance up to date and preparation for our long trip, I replaced the serpentine belt with a new Gates belt, and installed new bearings on the two idlers and the tensioner. I also clean the pulleys with lacquer thinner.

Replaced bearings in the two idlers and the tensioner

NOTE - This didn't solve it - fix #1

When we hit the road, the belt was quiet for the first 100 miles of our trip, then the belt started chirping, then squealing, getting louder, and louder, and louder ........

Two days of listening to the now obnoxious chirping / squealing, I had a headache and I had enough.

We pulled in and spent a night in one of Oklahoma's Indian casinos. I popped the doghouse cover and climbed under the MH with a flashlight and a 1/2 inch ratchet. It took me about 5 minutes to remove the new Gates belt. I checked the bearings on the A/C, Alternator, water pump, etc. They all seemed OK.

If it was a bad bearing, it probably would have let go by now.

I cleaned all the pulleys with acetone and re-installed the old original belt. (Always take the old hoses and belts as the spare)

When I removed the new Gates belt, I seemed like tensioner was all the way back to the tensioner spring end stop. When I put the old belt back on, the tensioner was about 1/2 way between the two end stops. HHHUUUMM.. If the belt was a little to long, the tensioner would not be able to keep it tight and it would squeal.

NOTE - This didn't solve it - fix #2

I re-installed the old original belt and we continued our trip. The old belt chirped a tiny bit, but nowhere near the loud chirp / squeal of the new gates belt. This was livable, for now

When we reached Phoenix a couple days later, I decided to stop by the Ford dealer and buy an OEM Motorcraft belt. $80 - OUCH....

NOTE - This didn't solve it - fix #3

Back at the RV park, it took about 5 minutes to change the belt and again clean the pulleys. I'm getting good at this.

Changing the belt is fairly easy,

I started at the top and draped it over the alternator. Make a tiny loop in the belt and push it thru the small opening between the tensioner (

and the idler (2) from the top. That little loop will pull down and then go around the A/C compressor (9). A Helper on top will hold the belt against the alternator (or use a small cloths pin). As the tensioner is pulled back, the belt can be slid over the Power steering pulley (6).

The new Ford belt helped a lot, but there was still a small chirp chirp that could be heard when we were sitting idling.

NOTE - SOLVED - (I hope)

Chirping could be caused by bad bearings, or by the belt sliding sideways or slipping a tiny bit on the pulleys or idlers. The tensioner is designed to hold the belt tight so it doesn't slip or slide.

3 months later, back at home and now warm enough to work outside, I decided to replace the entire tensioner assembly.

DAYCO Part # 89237 - 2001 F53 with A/C

I ordered a new tensioner from Rock Auto for $30.

Before replacing the tensioner, I started it up and was greeted with a chirp-chirp-chirp.

To make working easier, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right. This gives plenty of room to work in the wheel well.

Installation was easy; remove the belt, remove the three bolts, remove the tensioner.
We've put about 100 miles on the new tensioner.

I re-started the engine. NO CHIRP

So far, we put 100 miles on the MH, no chirping, and no need for a bottle of aspirin. Keep our fingers crossed.

TENSIONER - I suspect the 14 year old tensioner has lost some of its spring and couldn't hold the belt tight enough to totally eliminate minor belt slipping / sliding.

GATES BELT - I took the Gates belt back to where I bought it. They gave me my money back and double checked the Gates application. It was the belt Gates called for. They filled out a Gates incident report so Gates will re-verify the application. It seemed to me the Gates belt was about 1 inch to long.

The complete article is on:

http://www.2001mirada.com/chirp-chir...p-chirp-chirp/

..

TeJay · 05-04-2015, 08:55 AM

Waiter21,
Hi, TeJay here. I read the post and was going to compliment the poster on the great write-up but hadn't noticed who posted it until after I read it. Great write-up and a lot of diligent work to solve the problem. You are now our official "Chirp Chaser" & solver as well.
I won't say that the tensioner would have been my first part to replace because it would be a lie. I would have done very much what you did.

Good problem solving and great pics and write-up.

TeJay

Waiter21 · 05-04-2015, 09:08 AM

TeJay;

Thanks

The tensioner was a last resort.. What goes bad? moving parts.

I guess over time, springs do lose tension, Particularly when exposed to heat / cool cycles.

tderonne · 05-04-2015, 09:32 AM

Ford modulars have had issues bending (or even breaking) the tensioner arm. It doesn't take much to make the belt track funny. It was more of an issue in manual transmission applications (has to do with belt loads in quick RPM transitions), but it is out there, and MAY have contributed to your issue.

mus289 · 05-04-2015, 09:59 AM

Thanks for the play by play Waiter21. My rig has given me similar fits. And its time for a new belt anyway, so think I will just order myself a new tensioner and replace the pulley bearings and be like new again. Also appreciate you going through the pain & expense of your vaious fixes and passing your info along so we dont all have to go through the same ordeal! Happy Motoring!