Engine Squealing

[Omega]

Dude, you're talking to the guy who would buy a mechanic lunch on days I was stuck at the motorpool because our unit required a vehicle operator to be on hand whenever it was in the bay.  :)

15 minutes, a wrench, and a tire iron beats $80 or more an hour for a mechanic 

[No_0ne]

All you need is a wrench of socket and ratchet to move the tension pulley so you can remove and replace the offending belt.

 

Looks more like $25-$35 of you do it yourself.

 

There should be a serpentine belt routing diagram under the hood. If not, they can be found online, or worst case, make a cell phone pic before you remove the old one.

 

If that doesn't fix it, anything the belt turns could be the culprit. Since you aren't too confident in your mechanical abilities, you might consider taking it to a local garage at this point.

 

Don't forget the expense of buying the wrench, especially considering the multiple trips back and forth to get the right wrench, along with the pint of blood for the requisite skinned knuckles.  Then, there's the added expense of the tow to the shop when you can't figure out how to put it back together, and the additional shop fees for repairing all the stuff you messed up while trying to change it yourself ...

 

I'm not making fun of the OP, I just know many folks who would be way out of their comfort zone attempting to do something that many of us consider a simple 15 minute job ...

 

I feel much the same trepidation when confronted with many forms of modern technology ...

[btq96r]

Don't forget the expense of buying the wrench, especially considering the multiple trips back and forth to get the right wrench, along with the pint of blood for the requisite skinned knuckles.  Then, there's the added expense of the tow to the shop when you can't figure out how to put it back together, and the additional shop fees for repairing all the stuff you messed up while trying to change it yourself ...

 

I'm not making fun of the OP, I just know many folks who would be way out of their comfort zone attempting to do something that many of us consider a simple 15 minute job ...

 

I feel much the same trepidation when confronted with many forms of modern technology ...

 

Trust me, you can laugh away and I'll not care...not that you would.  I just came here to get some info since I know you guys a bit better than whatever a random Google search brings.

 

For me, having a truck that has been paid off eight years, and is still a smidgen under 80,000 miles isn't worth the risk of screwing up by finding out how to do this from a YouTube video or something and getting it wrong.  I'll give some business a bit of work to bill me for and be done with it.

Edited December 4, 2015 by btq96r

[No_0ne]

Trust me, you can laugh away and I'll not care...not that you would.  I just came here to get some info since I know you guys a bit better than whatever a random Google search brings.

 

For me, having a truck that has been paid off eight years, and is still a smidgen under 80,000 miles isn't worth the risk of screwing up by finding out how to do this from a YouTube video or something and getting it wrong.  I'll give some business a bit of work to bill me for and be done with it.

 

Sounds like a plan.  I also agree completely with the drive it 'till the wheels fall of of it mentality, mine has 352 000 and going (not so) strong ...

[Omega]

Don't forget the expense of buying the wrench, especially considering the multiple trips back and forth to get the right wrench, along with the pint of blood for the requisite skinned knuckles.  Then, there's the added expense of the tow to the shop when you can't figure out how to put it back together, and the additional shop fees for repairing all the stuff you messed up while trying to change it yourself ...

 

I'm not making fun of the OP, I just know many folks who would be way out of their comfort zone attempting to do something that many of us consider a simple 15 minute job ...

 

I feel much the same trepidation when confronted with many forms of modern technology ...

Shoot, you can park in front of the Auto Zone, or just about any big auto parts store and do it right in the parking lot.  Many of these stores have loaner tools and many will have guys that will give you a hand doing it.  But I do know there are many out there that are very reluctant to even try, and those are the ones that keep the repair shops in business so not all bad.  As for the knuckles, yea  that happens way more than I want it to, and I have mechanic gloves but never wear them to actually do stuff like that for some reason; maybe the knuckle busting and cursing is part of the fun of repairing your own stuff.

 

OP, maybe someone close by can help you out for the price of lunch and a cold beer or hot coffee.

[Randall53]

I'm with btq96r. Take it to Firestone or something similar.  I use to do all my own work including brakes, clutches, engine swaps and anything else that needed to be done.. Not anymore. I take it to my mechanic right down the road from me and drink coffee while he does the work. I still change oil and do brakes, but that's it. These new cars are a nightmare for driveway mechanic work anyways. 

[musicman]

Dude. Come to my house Saturday afternoon. I've been looking for a reason to buy myself the belt tool anyway, now I have it. Get your own belt and come on down. I'll be home around 2. PM for the address. I'm just off Sam Ridley behind Lowe's in Smyrna.

[musicman]

Dude. Come to my house Saturday afternoon. I've been looking for a reason to buy myself the belt tool anyway, now I have it. Get your own belt and come on down. I'll be home around 2. PM for the address. I'm just off Sam Ridley behind Lowe's in Smyrna.

Whatever shop you visit to purchase the belt, have your VIN with you. They can verify the proper engine/belt size that way.

[raildog]

Trust me, you can laugh away and I'll not care...not that you would. I just came here to get some info since I know you guys a bit better than whatever a random Google search brings.

For me, having a truck that has been paid off eight years, and is still a smidgen under 80,000 miles isn't worth the risk of screwing up by finding out how to do this from a YouTube video or something and getting it wrong. I'll give some business a bit of work to bill me for and be done with it.

Don't take it to a shop PM me on here I do this for a living drive past Smyrna twice a day have all the tools will not change you any thing you just need to go and get the parts I'll come look at it see what you need then you can get the part/ parts and i will put them on for you im trying to do you a solid man just pm your info so we can get to gather on it and trust me I have the tools and knowledge here is my tool box

Edited December 4, 2015 by raildog

[monkeylizard]

^^^

This is why TGO is awesome.

[Omega]

^^^

This is why TGO is awesome.

+1, I knew someone would step up and lend a hand.  Not that mechanics don't deserve the work or anything, but some things are just too easy to do.  I am 50, and yes there are things that I don't much bother with anymore such as oil changes unless it coincides with some other repair I got going on.  Once my back gets worse, I am sure I'll be dropping my truck off more often, but until then I'll save me a buck or two and spend it on more gun stuff.

[bersaguy]

Ya just gotta love the folks here when it comes to helping out a fellow TGO'ER. There are none better and that is for sure.... :up:

[hipower]

It's probably the belt, but you shouldn't try to change it yourself. Yes, it's an easy job, but you don't sound like you know your way around an engine. It can also be a knuckle buster for a novice. Just call around and find someone to change a belt for you. You'll need to have the tensioners checked as well.

I used to do simple things like this, back in the 60's to early 80's range. After that it got to be such a headache getting the room to get to a part, that I just found a guy I trusted(most of the time anyway) and use him for all things I can't do myself.

OR....take up musicman and raildog on their offer. Sounds like a good deal and you get to meet a couple of nice TGO guys in the bargain! Edited December 4, 2015 by hipower

[Johnny Rotten]

We tease my brother in-law (aka: frat-boy) he's got 2 things in his tool box: 1) phone book and 2) check book.

[btq96r]

Appreciate all the fine offers of help fellas, I may take one of you up on it.  I've got a estimate request out to a service shop that I put in before reading all this, and also my father gave me something to think about.  My truck is 13yrs old, about to hit 80k, and it's never had a real inspection/tune-up, so I may want to think about sucking it up and having it done so that it will last me for a good while longer.  Might be time for some all around preventative maintenance to keep it running for another 80k.

Edited December 5, 2015 by btq96r

[raildog]

Got one question how do you only put 80,000 miles on a vehicle in 13 years I do at least 20,000 a year in my personal truck and a little over 100,000 in the work truck please tell me you secret please

[56FordGuy]

Got one question how do you only put 80,000 miles on a vehicle in 13 years I do at least 20,000 a year in my personal truck and a little over 100,000 in the work truck please tell me you secret please

 

I put 2,500 a week on the work truck. As a result, my personal one sits at home. It hardly gets driven, so really doesn't accumulate any miles. 

[musicman]

Lol! @Raildog :-)

As for the tuneup, honestly vehicles today don't need them in quite the same manner as decades gone by, for a number of reasons I think may be a waste of time explaining to you, haha! (No offense meant... just seems like you aren't a technical person when it comes to cars, so I would venture the details may be lost upon you.)

Most spark plugs, coils, and wires (ignition system) are made to go 100k or more without problem or maintenance. Mainly just keep up with oil & filter changes, air filter, and coolant system. Depending on the vehicle a transmission flush and fill may be recommended by the manual around now, but I kinda doubt it on that one. Sometimes that can cause more trouble than it's worth according to some folks.

If you're itchin' to do pkugs and wires as well, that's not hard either, but may take an hour two if the back ones are a pain in the butt to get to. I've got a bazillion swivels and joints, though. The back pair on my old Lincoln LS were a nightmare, and due to a crummy valve cover and coil design needed replacing often. :/

Anywho, if you wanna do that stuff too, I'm still down to help. I would recommend just getting the Motorcraft plugs that are original equipment for it. Don't try to get fancy, it never works out like one hopes. (Seriously.)

If you DO want to do more of that work, I won't have time for all of that tomorrow, but might one evening next week. Just let me know.

[musicman]

To add: I'd be happy to help with an oil change too, but I don't have the proper stuff for the coolant or transmission flushes. You're on your own if you want that! ;-)

[btq96r]

Got one question how do you only put 80,000 miles on a vehicle in 13 years I do at least 20,000 a year in my personal truck and a little over 100,000 in the work truck please tell me you secret please

Between Soldiering and contracting I've spent 1.5 years in Afghanistan, 2.5 in Kuwait, and 3 in Iraq. Sitting at my fathers or a friends half the time helps keep the miles down low.

Also, for my 2 years here going to MTSU I live close to campus, so I walk to class and back most days.

[Wingshooter]

Shoot, you can park in front of the Auto Zone, or just about any big auto parts store and do it right in the parking lot.  Many of these stores have loaner tools and many will have guys that will give you a hand doing it.  But I do know there are many out there that are very reluctant to even try, and those are the ones that keep the repair shops in business so not all bad.  As for the knuckles, yea  that happens way more than I want it to, and I have mechanic gloves but never wear them to actually do stuff like that for some reason; maybe the knuckle busting and cursing is part of the fun of repairing your own stuff.
 
OP, maybe someone close by can help you out for the price of lunch and a cold beer or hot coffee.

:up:

Haha... Reminds me of a time I was driving through Lexington and lost the alternator at dusk (of course). I nursed it to the nearest exit and found an auto zone. I changed the alternator in the parking lot and one of the employees helped and loaned me tools.

[Omega]

:up:

Haha... Reminds me of a time I was driving through Lexington and lost the alternator at dusk (of course). I nursed it to the nearest exit and found an auto zone. I changed the alternator in the parking lot and one of the employees helped and loaned me tools.

Yup, same with a water pump that went out on me in a very convenient place right next to a Checker Auto Parts in Denver.  Luckily they had the part in stock and cheap so for less than $50, and the mandatory skin off the knuckles,  I was on the road again.