this isn't something terrible i think, just a bit annoying. belts are making some noise.. not squealing just noise.. rain/cold doesn't make it worse.
checked and all belts are tight / within spec as to tension, lined up, and all are NEW all conti tech with matching alternator belt set.

any ideas as to how to lessen the noise?

 

sure the alternator and ac compressors are 'square' to the belts? they are on rubber mounts that sag when they are tired, causing the pulleys to not be totally square. IPD sells poly bushings for these that last longer.

 

yes, they are. that was my thought also but the pulleys/belts all look to line up. bushings look ok as well.

 

Hard to say. What kind of noise is it? Try spraying some belt dressing on them, or run a bar of soap along the edge of each belt to see if the noise changes.

Belts can make strange noises. I had a belt in a Volvo once that made the motor sound like it had a rod knock!

 

noise is hard to describe kind of a whooshing sound. the belts aren't slipping as far as i can see. could it be maybe be a pulley that is worn/glazed? i think they are all original.
i'm going to try to see if i can pinpoint the noise source better. i am loath to use belt dressing on brand new belts!

 

Belt dressing won't hurt new belts. Just give it a spray and if the noise goes away then maybe the belts aren't totally seated . Did the old belts make noise? Also were the belts you replaced the same part number as the old ones. When you look at the belts as the motor is running do they run straight , also are the pulleys running straight.

 

old belts didn't make noise but were mismatched generic brands etc. i keep them as spares. new belts all conti tech. belts running straight. it is more of a chirping sound now that i listened again today. also it's only at idle, above idle they sound normal.
i still don't want to use belt dressing on new belts.... really don't think they should need it..?

 

if you get really frustrated, remove all the new belts, and turn all the pulleys and stuff by hand. does the compressor clutch, the alternator, the water pump, and the PS pump all turn smoothly and freely?

 

thanks pierce will do. actually drove the car about 50 miles today mostly highway which it does not do regularly. the belt noise at idle seemed to be less. maybe it just needs a good long run... it doesn't do many miles normally.

 

I seem to be having the same issue- no loose belts, but it sure sounds like that's the problem.

I actually have noticed mine has two seperate squeaking, loose-belt type noises. After about 10 minutes of shoving my face very close to everything under the hood while the car was running, I noticed the noises seemed to be coming from the alternator, and the fan that kicks on.

The noise for me seems to be agitated randomly by the breaks, and louder/worse when the lights are on. I have had my dad (the original owner, and a machanic of many years) look at it, but he cannot seem to find anything wrong with it.

Have you noticed the noise occur with anything like I have? (lights, breaking, etc.) This has been happening since around June for me, and nothing SEEMS like it's gone wrong. So if it's similar, you're probably fine.

 

negative ghostrider, mine doesn't seem to care if the lights or brakes are on.... but it's only at idle, not running down the road that i can tell.
sometimes it's a chirping sound and other times a kind of scraping noise.
i'm trying to pinpoint it better by spraying water etc but sofar haven't been able to find the culprit. i'm thinking maybe glazed old pulleys might have something to do with it. the belts themselves look to be in good shape (new).

 

Chirping.... it is possible your harmonic dampener is going bad. I think mine is, and I get a lot of belt noise, after I replaced the belts, carefully adjusted, and sanded the interior edges of the pullys to get some grab back (with course grit). The harmonic dampener has a metal outside and inside, with a piece of rubber between it. From what I've read, when they get old, they go bad, and the outside can slip.

I have a volt gauge, and watch it--when it squeals, the alternator isn't generating full voltage, when the squealing stops, I'm back to good voltage. The way to check if your harmonic dampener is bad is with a timing light--you see the timing mark slip around. I don't have one, so I'm just guessing that is my problem. Hopefully over thanksgiving brake, I'll have time to sit down and properly diagnose this. I have a new (to me) harmonic dampener that looks to be in good shape, ready to be installed when I have tools and time to put it in. I'll report back, but it may be a few weeks.

Edit: Mine is also noticeably worse when I am putting more of a load on the alternator. But I am pretty sure my power steering is also weak when it is squeaking. As the only common pully to those systems is the harmonic dampener, I'm inclined to think that is the problem.
I'm not sure this is silvermine's problem, but it is kind of similar to teanorr's issue.

 

Easier than belt dressing is automatic transmission fluid. Just pull out the dipstick with the engine not running and touch it on both sides of each belt. You'll be surprised how quiet the belts are, for a while anyway.

 

I would think oil would be a bad thing to get on a V-belt, and that it would encourage the belts deterioriation.

 

ATF is formulated not to harm rubber seals and hoses in the transmission and power steering, so I doubt it will harm belts, at least in the thin film deposited. I had my doubts too when somebody first showed me this trick, but I've used it for years with no ill effects.

 

i took a good look at all the pulleys today and they do look very shiny on the edges that the belts contact, that's for certain. i also sprayed some plain water on the pulleys but the noise is still there and didn't seem to change much when i sprayed the water. grrr, i'm leaving it for now. last resort is belt dressing... although i have something called 'belt conditioner' by gunk,. it is more or less clear, not like that nasty black stuff maybe i'll try oldyellr's trick next.

 

If there was no immediate albeit temporary change in the sound, then the belts are not where the noise is coming from! If you spray ANYTHING on a squeaky belt, the sound changes or disappears.

 

you have a point lev.

 

Just remove the belts one by one and run the car. You'll know what pulley/bearing is making the noise by this process of elimination. Use an auto stethoscope (cheap tool) to listen to moving bearings-- I doubt it's a belt based on what you've disclosed so far.

 

yes, might be might be alternator bearing noise. i've had that before.
from what i know the water pump is recent so i'm not thinking that as the source.