'03 GM with chirp around drive belt pulleys

[sleepy hollow]

I have a 2003 GM with a puzzling issue.

When started cold it chirps/squeaks continuously under the hood and seems to be coming from the passenger's side lower left front of engine. This would likely be the A/C compressor pulley area. I have put a stethescope on the alternator pulley, the idler pully and hear no chirping noises.

Cannot quite get the scope on the a/c compressor pulley.

After a minute or so, the chirping/squaking subsides noticeably and then is just a regular chirp every second or so. Then, after a few minutes it becomes less frequent and eventually it disappears after 10 minutes or so of driving.

Any thoughts on what this might be or how to diagnose? Car has 110K miles on it. Belt is not new. Cannot recall when it was replaced. May never have been done actually, but looks to be in very good shape. But I do not think this is a belt noise, though I could be wrong. Usually a belt noise is a squeal, not a chirp, in my experience.

[toddman67]

Replace the belt and your problems will go away. It would'nt hurt to clean the pulleys with some shop solvent/parts cleaner first.

[sleepy hollow]

Thanks, toddman67. You confirmed what my instincts were pretty much telling me: whatever the cause, time for the belt to be replaced. I'll try that. I bet you are correct.

BTW, yesterday it hit abouut 90 here in VA/DC which it has not done many times this year yet, and there was no chirping whatsoever when I started the car to drive home. Definitely affected by heat. That leads me to think it is even more probably the belt expanding contracting and softening up with temps.