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loud squeal no start


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autojoe
User

Dec 13, 2010, 6:42 PM

Post #1 of 11 (2310 views)
loud squeal no start Sign In

1998 dodge caravan 3.0L engine....started good yesterday....today very cold wind chills around zero or below....went to start and loud squeal noise and smell belt but did not start.I opened hood and had son crank engine and belt turning but slow but loud squeal noise and will not start.I am in the process of charging battery and going to load test battery.Any ideas?Thanks in advance.


Sidom
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Dec 13, 2010, 6:51 PM

Post #2 of 11 (2300 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Hey Joe. long time no see. Good to see ya around again....

It sounds like one of the accessories or idlers may have locked up on you. I would take the belt off and if it starts up ok. Then spin the pulleys and see which one is locked up.

You said it's been real cold out, hopefully there is enough anti-freeze in it and the water pump & block didn't freeze up on you, that wouldn't be good...


autojoe
User

Dec 13, 2010, 7:03 PM

Post #3 of 11 (2296 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Thanks sidom......I will do that tomorrow.The battery wore down very quickly and put on a charger and failed load test...want to recharge to 100% and load test again.its 5 years old but 7 year battery.it has full coolant.tested to -30 below.will it start with serpentine belt off?I will check if any pulleys tight.just put new idler pulley on last year when new timing belt and water pump installed.Iknow its been a long time.thanks.....


Sidom
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Dec 13, 2010, 7:19 PM

Post #4 of 11 (2292 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Well that's good about the anti-freeze.

Hopefully it's just a bad battery. 5 years old combined with a cold snap and I wouldn't be surprised to see it bad. Hopefully just some water got on the belt or the tensioner is weak....

Easy fixes are the nicest ones...............lol


autojoe
User

Dec 15, 2010, 3:39 PM

Post #5 of 11 (2281 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Hey sidom....took belt off and generator pulley was froze and would not move.Took off vehicle and hit with hammer lightly but would not turn.I put on floor in my house and today I went to take to parts store and get another one and the pulley turned fine.....so I put back on truck and runs fine now no problem.Maybe water got in there.dont know what to think......thanks for advice,cheap fix......hopefully it does not happen again.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 15, 2010, 4:05 PM

Post #6 of 11 (2278 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

You can't really believe that is permanently fixed............... The next time it freezes up it may leave you in a bad spot.



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autojoe
User

Dec 15, 2010, 5:51 PM

Post #7 of 11 (2272 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

time I guess will tell.I have seen stranger things.It was -10 below zero here.Not summer weather.


Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
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Dec 15, 2010, 7:20 PM

Post #8 of 11 (2269 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Hey Joe, glad to hear you got it going.....

I don't wrench in those temps so can't really say. From what you posted it does sound like if froze up & thawed out on the ride to the store. I guess my only concern would be if it's gonna happen again...... You know how that goes, it'll be fine until you really need it for something and that'll be the time it don't start.....always happens to me. Sly

If you can't garage it or have a block heater to use, maybe put a drop light under the hood, turn it on and shut the hood on nights where it very important it start the next morning and it's gonna be really cold out....


autojoe
User

Jan 26, 2011, 5:10 PM

Post #9 of 11 (2221 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Still working great Thank God


Loren Champlain Sr
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Jan 26, 2011, 5:24 PM

Post #10 of 11 (2217 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Joe; Just read this thread for the first time. Had a Chevy Astro towed in a few years, back. I'll never forget it. The customer started the engine, the water pump didn't move, and fried the alternator belt. The water pump was frozen solid. Expecting the worst, of course, I put a drop light under the hood for most of the day.
Eventually, the pump began to turn. Put a new belt on it, and put in some anti-freeze (duh?), and away it went. Very lucky guy. LOL.
Loren
SW Washington


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 26, 2011, 6:41 PM

Post #11 of 11 (2212 views)
Re: loud squeal no start Sign In

Just a note on frozen coolant:

I should know exactly but if there's enough to read protection to like 10-20F Above zero it will freeze but not expand and do permanant damage like cracking the block and more. This applies to using ethylene glycol based antifreeze and can't speak for other concoctions.

Also - wind chills have no effect on the protection level. That's just a "what it feels like" figure. The actual temp is what counts for protection level. Good grief - think of what the wind chill must be driving down a highway as it's wind speed that they make that calculation from,

T







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