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Old 06-09-2004, 12:42 PM   #1
JDingwal
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93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

I have a 93 Geo Metro. I have replaced the alternator and belt but still receive a squealing sound when the car starts up. The Squeal will go away after the car has ran for a minute but will come back if I turn on too much electrical devices. Is there a censor that can go, making the alternator hard to turn, causing the belt to squeal.
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Old 06-09-2004, 03:48 PM   #2
geozukigti
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Sounds like it's not tight enough. That, or your alternator bearing is shot.
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Old 06-10-2004, 04:59 AM   #3
brianneves
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

i would agree with geizukigti. belt may not be tight enough. i have also noticed that metros (specifically 1993 1.0 liter) seem to loose the head gasket on the number one piston corner on the bottom left side. oil and antifreeze will come out but it usually doesnt effect engine performance. fluids will fall straight on to your main pulley. check for that too.
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Old 06-10-2004, 06:05 AM   #4
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Check any other of the pulleys the belt rides on for looseness. Including the balancer. If all seems OK, the the belt may be loose. If it seems tight, replace the belt with a quality manufacturer like Gates, Dayco or Goodyear even though it was replaced already.
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Old 04-13-2009, 11:31 PM   #5
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Cool Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

I have the same problem with belt squeal on a 91 Geo Metro. A shop tightened the belt so much I was afraid it would knock out either the water pump or the alternator. All pulleys have been cleaned. I have replaced the belt several times. I have replaced the alternator three times. I have tried three different batteries. I have cleaned all ground connectections under the hood. I even added an extra ground to the alternator. And ran a hot straight to the battery from the alternator. My sqeal happens after start up. Then it stops. Also if the alternator is under a heavy load. ( headlights,brakelights and turn signals all at once.) The alternator was tested off the car and tested good. When they test it they do not put it under a load. This is definitely an electrical problem. Finding the source of the problem is very difficult

Last edited by 91metro; 04-13-2009 at 11:32 PM. Reason: mis spelling
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Old 04-13-2009, 11:51 PM   #6
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

The problem may be in the smaller wire that plugs into the voltage regulator in the back of the alternator.
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Old 04-14-2009, 07:46 AM   #7
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

always an interesting question .... since mine has done this for years too. i'm from the older school that suggests it's better to have the belts too loose than wear out the bearings. it's always worth looking for problems or changes but having tried most of the same fixes including 'belt dressing', i'm pretty convinced that the electrical system is doing just exactly what it was designed to do and i'm simply unwilling to tighten the belt enough. i have not broken any belts and when i do replace them occasionally they are less squealy for a while. at 326k it is distracting but everything seems to keep working. i remember it was worst when the main oil seal was weeping but that went away after a timing belt / seal change.
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Old 04-14-2009, 08:48 AM   #8
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

I have a rebuilt engine. There are no oil leaks. I will try cleaning the connecter to the voltage regulator after work today.
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Old 04-14-2009, 09:12 AM   #9
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Thumbs down Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

I have been fighting the same problem for 100,000 miles on my 93 1.0L. My car destroys a waterpump and two belts every year due to the tightness of the belt needed to stop the squeeling. Right now my pump sounds like a meat grinder.

I have changed EVERY pully, alternator, brackets and tried every belt I could find and they are only a temporary fix. Once it starts squeeling the belt gets glazed and the problem gets worse.

I have wondered about putting a larger pully on the alternator but have not lookrd into the details of such a change.

I have loved my Geo 245,000 miles and still running strong with no engine or tranny work. Even has the original clutch. But this belt problem has been a major PITA!
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Old 04-14-2009, 09:49 AM   #10
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

I have a '93 Metro 3 cyl 5 speed.

I have never had any problem - EXCEPT....

When I run all the electrical crap like Headlights, Heater Fan, Radio, Rear Window Defogger, etc all at once.

or

If I leave the lights on for even a few minutes after killing the engine.

Also - if your battery is old and won't hold a full charge.

My Metro leaks oil all over the engine and Alternator Belt and still doesn't squeal except as mentioned above.

If it starts squealing after I start the engine, I turn everything off and the squealing stops.

I let the engine run fast for a while to get the Belt to stop squealing and it usually stops squealing permanently.

Do you have a power "Leak" ?....This could be your main problem - disconnect a cable and put an ammeter between
the battery and the cable when the engine is off.
If you see any drain, you have a leak draining your battery.

As someone said, the Metro Alternator and Belt setup are not made to put out a lot of power for dead batteries and accessories.

If your Belt squeals after starting the engine and nothing electrical is turned on, then it is fairly obvious
that you have a bad battery or an electrical drain on the battery and the Alternator is running
under a heavy load charging the Battery.

Also, my water pump has not been changed since I purchased the car maybe 4 years or more ago....

I use the Flat Belt with several ridges running along the length...Schuck's.

If my battery is down at all - I put a battery charger on it overnight so that my Alternator is not taxed.

Perhaps your problem is:

A. Bad Battery
B. Bad Alternator
C. Using excessive (for a Metro) electrical power.
D. Glazed pulleys and/or Alternator Belt.
E. Some drain on the Battery that runs it down when the engine is not running...
D. All of the above together.

The Belt would not be squealing were the Alternator not loaded up.....maybe it is time to install an "ammeter"
to keep track of what is going on....

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

DoctorBill

"TEA" - Taxed Enough Already !
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Old 04-14-2009, 10:48 AM   #11
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

Glass or sand blasting the alternator pulley will solve your problem. Or a new pulley.
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Old 04-14-2009, 01:01 PM   #12
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

Doctorbill

I wish mine was that easy. My battery is new as are ALL of the pulliesand alternator.

We have checked current drain but that is not the problem.

I have used ribbed, flat and every other belt made with same results. I have to get the belt os tight as a banjo string to get it to stop,even right after putting on a new belt. Because it is sooooo tight it destroys water pump bearings on about a year. I have no oil leaks and theengine is spotless.

We have checke pully alignment and still no luck. I like the idea of sandblasting the alternator pully and maybe all the rest to give them more bite.

I guess with 240,000 plus miles on it I should just forget about it as something worse will probaly happen soon.
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Old 04-14-2009, 04:06 PM   #13
DOCTORBILL
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

240,000 miles.

Probably time for a Head rebuild and Rings.....

Does yours get 45 to 50 mpg ?

It will be worth rebuilding !

Gas is already at $2.20 per gallon here in Eastern Washington - probably back to
$3.50 a gallon soon.

If you have an air compressor, buy a sand blasting attachment for $10.

Someone said that toothpaste (the white thick kind) will stop belt squealing.
A blob on each part of the belt between Alternator, Water pump and the main pulley.

? ? ? ?

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Old 04-15-2009, 12:57 AM   #14
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Talking Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

DOCTORBILL

You might not believe this but at 240,000 miles my Geo runs as good as ever. It starts, idles and runs strong. I average 45 mpg. It has been the best car I ever owned and I bought it new in 93. It really has the original clutch and I see no problems with it.

I often wonder if it lasted so long because I never babied it. I have pushed it hard and for years living in the NC Mountains it was climbing 5000 foot mountains all the time. Maybe that hard use kept the carbon blown out of her. Of course 3000 mile oil/filter changes since new couldn't hurt either.
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Old 04-15-2009, 07:38 AM   #15
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Re: 93 Geo Metro belt Squeal

congrats mowfixer. i have the same good experience with my 91 though i've put in 2 clutches at 326k ..... and now a full rebuild after a blown head gasket and diminishing compression for 50k.

i have not had the water pump and belt change issues though .... just changed the original wp and only 2 belt changes overall. i agree with the 'glazing' analysis as contributing. try roughening of the pulley surface and anything else that does not do too much damage to the original parts. try some 'belt dressing' ... not sure what it's made with. i clean my engine regularly and always finished with armorall for all the rubber and plastic. i wondered if the slippery armorall affected the belt friction for long.

my squeals happened at startup and i always figured it was replacing the energy used to start the engine because it stopped in less than 20-30 seconds or with simple acceleration. i think every system in the metro was designed well for minimum energy cycling and compensation.
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