Protege 5 is squeeling when cold; have already replaced belts...HELP!

[mlam0826]

hey guys,

My brother's 2003 protege 5 is squeeling when cold and it also chirps at initial acceleration.
I just replaced the two belts that are in the car; I'm thinking to replaced the Power Steering pump pulley next because that's where the squeeling is coming from.

Any other ideas guys?

Thanks!
Marco

[M Speed]

Could also be the pump on it's last leg. Turn the wheel all the way to one side, does the noise repeat?

[mlam0826]

Negative on the "turn the wheel all the way to one side"

I think i might just go ahead and replace pulley and see what that does.
I'll update again

[oracle]

Negative on the "turn the wheel all the way to one side"

I think i might just go ahead and replace pulley and see what that does.
I'll update again

just buy some v-belt spray , spray your belts and voila. noise gone.

[purplexity]

Negative on the "turn the wheel all the way to one side"

I think i might just go ahead and replace pulley and see what that does.
I'll update again

just buy some v-belt spray , spray your belts and voila. noise gone.

Please don't use any sprays or belt dressing on serpentine belts.  That is a huge mistake.

They are for V belts ONLY.

 

Now if we are talking about serpentine belts this is what you should do. 

So when your belt squeals it will start to polish the pulley its squealing on and will keep doing this and it will keep getting worse.  So even if you put new belts on if they start to squeal then you will have to replace them again but before you do that.
 
First of all has the belt tensioner ever been replaced?  No?  Then Replace it.  They wear out like everything else does.  Even if its a hydraulic tensioner.

Take some sand paper or a nice rough wire wheel on a drill,die grinder or even a dremel and rough up all the pulleys as they will have become polished from the belts squealing. Don't go crazy just take the shine off of of valleys of the grooves.  

Whatever pulley it was squealing on but you should do all of them.

Replace the belts

Absolutely no lubricants or sprays on serpentine belts.   Yes it stops the noise because its just lubricating the surface to slip on so its still slipping you just don't hear it.

Everything needs to be clean and dry.   

Install and make sure you have the splash shields still in place to help keep water off the belts.


If you want a try a quick fix.    Use ordinary white chalk on the grooves of the belt while the car is running but be super careful doing this. 

I have a box of chalk in my toolbox at work just for this reason as it drys out any moisture that could be causing the belts to slip.  I do it all the time and it lasts as long as the belts don't get wet.. haha right? like it doesn't rain here or anything.


good luck. 



 

[mlam0826]

There's no belt tensioner, protege 5s have two belts. I was told to never use sprays or belt conditioners either.

I know exactly where the squeezing is....so I'm going to replace the pulley on ps pump, because replacing both belts didn't help.

[zoomerboomer]

My guess is that it is more than just the pulley on the pump.  If it is the original pump, it is likely dying and seizing up.  With the belt off try turning the pulley and check for play.  While you are at it take the shine off the other pulleys like purplexity suggested.

[purplexity]

There's no belt tensioner, protege 5s have two belts. I was told to never use sprays or belt conditioners either.

I know exactly where the squeezing is....so I'm going to replace the pulley on ps pump, because replacing both belts didn't help.

So they are stretch to fit belts?
 

[purplexity]

In the meantime try some chalk! lol

[zoomerboomer]

Any update?

[coyote]

If you have to change the pump, make sure you change the fluid too. It is like brake fluid and should be changed every once in a while. Bit of a pain, so most people just wait til something breaks.

[fliptuner]

I'd clean off the pulley with a wire wheel on a drill, first, as purplexity suggested. Repair before replace unless the latter is more cost effective.

[mlam0826]

the squealing has seem to stop from power steering pump pulley...but now the alternator pulley is squealing. this is getting stupid, going back n forth! *sigh*

[mlam0826]

aaaaand now the car doesn't start...

When I try starting it the lights go on and every, so there is power/electricity; but car doesn't start...I'm thinking it's the alternator that has gone.
Any other possible solutions?

[theurgy]

Yeah.. no power?... alternator would be my first suspect.
Can you jump start it?

[abnormal3]

Yeah.. no power?... alternator would be my first suspect.
Can you jump start it?

He says the lights come on so it has power .

Is the engine  turning over ?

[mlam0826]

Engine is not turning over

[zoomerboomer]

Pull the belt and check what is seized.  Will it start with the belt removed or is something stopping it from turning over properly?

[purplexity]

my shop had 3 proteges come in last week for belt squeal

[mlam0826]

My brother got fed up with the squeeling and intermittent start up, so he took the matter into his own hands...he got his car to a shop...

Now, as you know, a friend of mine who's a mechanic changed the belts 2 weeks ago, he ordered straight from mazda and the part numbers printed on the belts were the exact same as the ones we pulled off originally. The shop that my brother took his car to said the belts that my friend and I replaced were "the wrong size" and charged my brother $140 (parts, labour + tax) to put in new belts!!!!

I haven't had a chance to look at the "new" belts yet, but I think my brother just got ripped off!!!!!! But it's done and the car is running fine now. But other things came up, see below


Turns out the timing belt needs to be replaced, and might as well replace the water pump while we're at it.
I was quoted $310 for parts through Lordco:
- Timing belt kit (belt, tensioner, and idler)
- Water pump
- valve cover gasket

Labour should be about 2 hours.

I believe any shop should be able to replace a timing belt and water pump; however, I'd much rather pay a little more for labour and take it to a shop that I personally would trust. In this case, it would be Brian Jessel Autohaus cuz I used to work for them ($105/hour).

Are there any other shops out there that you guys would recommend?