Good evening, I have an 07 TL and there's a belt or pulley squeal I can hear on the passengers side engine compartment. Is there a spot I can just spray some WD-40 on? I'm guessing it's just dry due to winter conditions. Thanks in advance.
C'mon Spring!!

 

no, wd40 wont solve it

 

Then what is it? Lol.

 

Okay, so you have a belt squeal. Typically belt squeals only happen for one reason, because a pulley is out of alignment. Most commonly the smooth side of the belt(top) puts pulled across a smooth pulley, like a idler pulley or of that nature. If a pulley is out of alignment, the belt is pulled slightly diagonal across the pulley causing it to make noise. First off, you need to determine where the noise is coming from. Could be a belt, or a bearing. Very rare, but I have seen old belts make noise due to debris/dirt etc. built up on the belt over time. You can spray a lubricant on the belt, whether its belt dressing, wd-40, or whatever you have. Get close to the belt and spray on one side of it(smooth side first). Be careful only to let the fluid get on the belt on the side you've sprayed. If the noise goes away, then you have half your diagnosis done. If it doesn't go away, then spray the grooved side of the belt and see if it goes away. Have you had any work done recently? How many miles? Constant squeal or a rotational chirp? Like a slow chirp chirp chirp that goes with engine speed? I have that right now, mostly on a cold start but happens all the time. Haven't looked too close because i'm taking it to the dealer today for its last warranty blow out! lol It pays to be a mechanic and not have to mess with your own car

 

Thanks for responding. It used to just be just upon starting the car for a few seconds then go away. Now it's all the time as of yesterday. Seems to go away a bit upon revving the engine. But quite loud at idle. My guy thinks it's the belt or the tensioner. I sprayed a bit of silicone on it and didn't help.

 

No recent work done and car has 71k on it.

 

It isn't really that complicated to diagnose, your serpentine belt needs to be replaced. Don't worry, it's not expensive.

 

Okay thanks. I'll get one and replace it. Not the tensioner or a bearing then. Cool. Thanks again.

 

Hey, could you explain how you would have continued diagnosing this? I'm interested!! What if the noise goes away after spraying on the smooth side? How about the grooved side? What if it's a chirp or a constant squeal?

I have some noise now in the cold and I think the belt is too new to be showing me these symptoms so I think I might have a problem.

 

Cold and humidity usually makes an old serpentine belt slip. I had to replace mine at 75k. turn your A/C on and turn the wheel at idle if the squeal gets worse from the extra load on the belt you know it is the belt. My belt had stretched over time but was in good condition.

 

The following link has a complete diagnosis procedure in post #3, although it also includes specific belt replacement procedure for an RDX.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14629541#post14629541

I strongly recommend *against* using any belt dressing, lubricant, or WD-40, etc. on a belt. A belt is rubber, and all of those things degrade rubber, as they are petroleum products.

 

This is a ( squeak squeak squeak) at idle and goes away when gas pedal is depressed. Still the belt I should change?

 

I want to read everything you've ever posted, ever. This is just unbelievably awesome.

 

Change your idler and tensioner pulley for your drive belt along with the belt. This was the first thing I did when I bought my '07 TL because the squealing was driving me nuts. It takes 15 minutes to do. Yes, you can do it. Just pay attention to how your belt goes back on. Good luck.

 

How much are the idler and tensioner pulleys?

 

Check steering fluid, it's what was causing mine.

 

...

 

I think it was all less than a hundred bones. It was 2 years ago so I don't remember exact price.

 

Did you check this? Another possible cause here: http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SB/B10-035.pdf


TBS 10-035, https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=613659

 

Okay. Update. Yesterday and today there's been no squeak at all. Does that further narrow it down to the belt OR a pulley? If it's intermittent. Weather here has been the same. Cold and dry.

 

That TSB points to your problem as much as any tensioner issues. But as an FYI, I just bought a tensioner and belt for my 04 TL on Amazon for $72. Gates Gates K060841 belt for $22 and Gates tensioner 38332 for $50.

 

Tsb?

 

"Technical Service Bulletin"-- which is put out to factory techs about fixes for fairly common issues that arise.

TSBs are available through the 3G TL Service Dept./Garage thread at: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=613659 .

 

Ok sorry 07TLGUY, here's a step by step to read that TSB that delbigs posted.

1) Click this link: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=613659
2) On the page that opens up, in the first post by Ron A, click the word "link" that is in the line that says: 1. Open this link.
3) Immediately come back to this post and click this link and you should see the PDF of that TSB: http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SB/B10-035.pdf

Then you'll see what we're talking about.

 

I recently just started having the same problem. I replaced my belt last year and the belt is still in great shape. It's a little chirping noise, it used to go away on cold start up but now its consistent and annoying. I had my girlfriend tap the gas and it seemed like the tensioner pulley had a little play. I'm not 100% sure but everything else seemed fine. I'm in a 2006 tsx with 115,000. Is it possible the spring is just worn now? I know I'm in the TL section but I didn't see anyone with this issue on my car. Thanks

 

WD-40 is not a lubricant. Therefore, although it appears to momentarily solve the issue, it will just make the issue worse.

 

crazy as it sounds alot of people tend to think they need a new PS pump or its their serpentine belt or other non relating "probably cause". when a great number of time its power steering o-ring(s) needing to be replaced, if its whining/squeaking when its cold out and subside when its warmed or play in the steering; and fluid is at properly level it could very well be just PS o-ring(s) that need to be replaced. definitely worth isolating and inspecting rings first before going all balls to the wall crazy and losing your peace of mind. if its just the rings and you change out your PS pump you're goin to be scratching your head asking WTF and sore in the a** when you know you've spent unnecessary funds on something that wasnt broken in the first place.
hope this helps some of you, L8ers-

 

I'll have to look into that too. What is the likely hood that the spring on my tensioner went and that the pulley is creating the sound? It was on the cold start now its just all the time even when its a warmish out.