98 Taco 'squealing' at low speeds

Hey Folks,

I have - as the title cleverly suggests - a 98 Tacoma that, fairly recently, started squealing at low speeds. 90% of the time, it kicks in at about 15 mph and cuts out again at 25mph; occasionally, I've heard it continue until 40 mph or so.

It doesn't matter if I'm giving it gas - once it starts making noise, it keeps making noise even if I just coast along. Also, 95% of the time, if I accelerate past the noise (i.e. I get up to, say, 27) and then slow down to 20, the noise won't start again. I have to drop almost to a stop to get it to start again.

The other day, I pulled into my driveway nice and slowly and got the noise; when I went to park the car, I left it in neutral (manual transmission), and the noise continued. Popping the hood, it sounds like it is coming from the driver's side.

I'm thinking it may be a belt getting ready to go or something? The truck has ~150k miles on it, and has had minimal maintenance over the years. I vaguely recall replacing a belt 6 or 7 years ago, but that is it in that department.

I know this isn't a great description of the problem, but ... any ideas on what might be going wrong?

Many thanks in advance for any help y'all can offer!

 

does the squeal get higher pitched with the RPMs?

 

If you can get it to squeal again in the driveway, spray the belts with a garden hose, if the squeal stops,,,bad/worn belts.

I just changed out all my belts after 11 yrs of service. Kept the old ones in the rear hatch for backups and numbers.

 

Check belts first, and replace anyway if it has been 6-7yrs.

 

Thanks, guys! I will look at the belts - I seem to recall them not being easy to replace, which is probably why I haven't touched them since that one time.

Mod, I'll do that. If the squeal doesn't go away with water, any ideas on what it may be?

CopDoctor: nope; it is the same pitch, regardless of RPM. Volume also seems to be independent of RPM - it starts out faint, then maxes out at the same volume whether it is 20mph or 40mph.

 

FWIW, I had a terrible high pitch squeaking coming from what sounded like the rear passenger wheel... Turns out the drive shaft bearings needed to be regreased. That immediately stopped the noise for about a month or so and now it intermittently comes back every now and then. The squeaking always sounded quicker than what the rotation of the tires was (if that makes sense). I'm going to replace my bearings and see if that helps at all.

 

Grab your radiator/clutched fan, see if it spins easily when the engine is cold. With you living in AZ I imagine it gets a workout and so it puts extra wear on the fan belt. From the description it sounds like the fan is kicking on and off, in turn pulling on that old belt. I realize it is winter and slightly cooler temps down there, Just a thought.

It might not be the belts at all. Usually they will really wail if you floor it, in gear or out, and they wont quit/less making noise until you lift off the throttle, when they are bad/slipping.

 

I thought it was the wheel, too, at first. But when the squeal continued while stopped... well, that shot that theory.

Just did a lap around the block & got it to make the noise while idling. Sprayed the belts and it stopped. So... heigh ho heigh ho, off to buy new belts I go. Thanks, all!!!

Hopefully the ones on there will survive until the weekend when I'll have time to (possibly enlist the bf and) swap them out.

 

Cool! glad to help. Old trick from granpappy to my dad, from my dad to me. All the credit goes to granpappy,,lol.

Now I get to sit here and cross my fingers, toes, and eyes and hope it solves the problem.

You might get a bit of squeal right after the new belts get ran, and that is caused by glazed pulleys if it has been squealing for awhile. it should go away. The only one that might be glazed is the power steering v-belt. serpentine (ribbed) pulleys usually dont glaze up.

Firm tension on the new belts, but don't over adjust or you will take out used components, idler pulley bearings, ect. You want about 1/4" to 1/2" of play/deflection on the serpentine belts at the widest point. (push on the belt at the inbetween distance from pulleys). On the v-belt, you should be able to grab it and twist it around to 1/4 to 1/2 of its full twist, again at the widest point inbetween pulleys.

 

Glad you found the problem. These squeaky noises bloody kill me!

 

Y2K Tacoma Factory service manual

Using a belt tension gauge, measure the belt tension.
Belt tension gauge:
DENSO BTG–20 (95506–00020)
Borroughs No. BT–33–73F

Drive belt tension:
New belt: 135 – 180 lbf
Used belt: 85 – 120 lbf​

If the belt tension is not as specified, adjust it.