Has a frequent problem of squeaking loudly with startup. Any help here?
Asked by Donald Sep 03, 2008 at 06:58 PM about the 2003 Mazda Protege ES
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
It is not the engine belt because I had that replaced. It seems to be connected with the air conditioning, but not always... When I turn it off it seem to be fine. Any ideas on what it may be?
7 Answers
protege belts seem to stretch so make sure they are not loose. also take a look at the a/c compressor pulley check to see if it locking up
I would take a look at the tensioner assembly since the belt is new. The AC puts an extra strain on the accessory drive. You may also have an ac clutch failure at hand.
Justin3503 answered 16 years ago
it may not be tensioned properly. and by engine belt do you mean timing belt? if so they probably didn't tension the belts properly after they put it back together.
those proteges do not have tensioner pulleys. the only pulleys are from tha alternator which is in the rear,p/s pump which is in the front on top, crank pulley, a/c pulley and water pump pulley in the middle. the alternator has its own belt, which is tightened by the alternator. p/s pump has its own belt.
if they did a timing belt on the car then they should have tightened the belts. or they just left them loose. and if you didnt get the belts replaced then they should have noticed they are bad. where did you get the work done
I see.. nonetheless an accessory belt that is not properly tensioned would squeal when the ac is first engauged.
Ungreased alternator bearings could also be a cause. As zone of autos have been known to sell at full price. Just a few short weeks, after installing a new $200 alternator from AZ will begin to chirp and make you wonder if the belts need to be tightened.
