A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, MY FAN BELT MOVED FORWARD EVENLY ON ALL OF THE PULLEYS. AND BY MOVE FORWARD, HALF OF THE BELT WAS HANGING OFF OF THE FRONT OF EVERY PULLEY AND BEGINNING TO COME APART. A DAY OR TWO AFTER I HAD REPLACED IT, I STARTED HEARING THIS HIGH PITCHED SQUEEL LIKE A MONSTEROUS HERD OF CRICKETS. I CHANGED THE IDLER PULLEY AND THAT DIDN'T STOP. I CHANGED ONLY THE TENSIONER PULLEY AND NOT THE ARM. THAT DIDN'T STOP IT EITHER. IF I SPRAY WD-40 ON THE TENSIONER PULLEY, IT WILL MOMENTARILY STOP THE SQUEEL. I AM WONDERING HOW TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY A WHOLE BUNCH OF PARTS THAT I CANNOT TAKE BACK. I DRIVE A 2000 RAM WITH THE 5.2 AND ABOUT 125k MILES ON IT. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.[sm=headbang.gif][sm=headbang.gif]

 

something's out of alignment, or else the belt has just jumped out of its track. remove the belt and check each pulley for back and forth play and also compare it to the other pulleys position. also spin each pulley, it should turn with little/no resistence, but not be extremely loose. most of the pulleys have a lip, and the belt lays between them. these dictate the path the belt must take. the back side of the belt travels over the inner water pump pulley, without any guides. if all the ridge pulleys are fine, your water pump bearing/pulley may be coming apart. it should be firm with no back/forth just like the others. my water pump bearing went out violently and the pulley cocked sideways and click, clacked, squealed, and banged and stalled the engine.

edit.. also the tensioner pulley/spring arm is responsible for holding the belt tight. if not tight, it will slip and squeal. tensioners do need replacement every 5-7 years. about $50-60 and not too hard. i've replaced my tensioner/arm/spring thing, but never my idler pulley. they seldom go bad.

edit again.. you might want to post in the 2nd gen ram section. you'll get much better response.