Hello,
I have a 1995 E320 Wagon about 235K miles, for about the past 6 months I have been fighting the problem of a noisy belt, It is always screaming at idle and at all speeds below about 2000 RPM. I have Isolated the problem to the Tensioning pulley. Here is what I have already done
Checked for leaks -no coolent leaks found and I haven't added any coolent in the past 6 months.
no oil leaks
replaced the belt 3 times, cleaning the pulleys each time with a brush clean rags and 409. origionally I had a continental belt, changed to a gates belt, no change,
2 months later changed to a dayco belt - worse!
changed back to a new Continental still squeeling.
Changed the tensioning pulley- no change I have been driving it regularly keeping an eye on the belt but I cant seem to see any wear on the back of the belt.
Last week while at idle and the belt squeeling loudly I shot a small amout of Baby powder on the back side of the belt Immediatly the squeeling stopped.
It returned when the powder wore off. Im out of ideas anyone ever had a problem like this?
Sounds like you may have a bad tensioner. Have you tried replacing it? A new one should come with a new pulley. I've been told they can be noisy when they go bad.
You can also take a short length of garden type hose and use it as a stethoscope to isolate the source of the squeal. From what you have described, it doesn't appear that the belt is your problem.
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