During any cold startup (anywhere around 40F and colder) my car screeches considerably until it's warm. I've isolated the sound to timing belt area, but can't be certain what it is. It's not a belt squealing, it's more like a nail across chalkboard sound. It goes away once engine is warm, and is most prominent at low rpms.

Is there a chance for metal-metal contact? It definitely doesn't sound like a belt squealing. Condition of all belts is good, although they do have 70,000 miles on them.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

 

it may be a bearing on the tensioner going out on u early or the belts be a tad too tight, especially the P/S belt, I say this since I had the same prob and fixed it by removing the belt all together.
Alernator may be the *** here too.
too may possible causes.
Time to get ur hands dirty

 

Chances are it could be your p/s belt. I've had a similar problem with my old car.

 

Thanks for the help guys!

Is this a sign of the belt being on its way out, or just needs adjustment?

Not to sound dumb, but how can the belt cause a nail on chalkboard sound like I had described?

Thanks again.

 

get some belt dressing and put on the belt, if it stops then you know it's a belt if not then check something else. Don't have your A/C or heater on by chance when you start up? Could be that. If you don't want to use belt dressing or want to buy it, grab a bar of soap and rub it on the belt, it's the cheapy way out.

 

it probably needs to be tightened, I used to do it the cheapy way too and spray some lubricant

 

thanks again guys - anyone else?

 

bump!

anymore opinions?
someone in the cold cold cold northeast has got to experience this these days!

 

i would also say an accessory belt.... my altenator never stays tensioned properly... squeels when its really cold out, or if ive been driving in the rain

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Noe Kozz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it probably needs to be tightened, I used to do it the cheapy way too and spray some lubricant </TD></TR></TABLE>

It needs to be tightened?
Doesn't lubricant make it able to move more freely...as in...loose?

BTW, it's a belt.

 

Mine used to do that every morning when I lived in ND. I just chalked it up to being normal sub zero startup noise. Once I let it idle for about 2 minutes it went away. Mine was doing this when I had just got it too. Febuary winters in North Dakota, brand new EM1 with less than 1000 miles on it and it still made that noise. I would guess that it's a normal thing.

 

Adjust the belts first, if still squealing like a pig replace them. If you still have a squeal remove one accessory belt at a time to find the pulley thats going bad, and replace it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solsteeler &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Adjust the belts first, if still squealing like a pig replace them. If you still have a squeal remove one accessory belt at a time to find the pulley thats going bad, and replace it</TD></TR></TABLE>
great advice

 

it's not a squeal though...

think nails across chalkboard

it really sounds more like a metal-metal noise, but it's definitely belt related.
has anyone had to replace pullies before, i've never heard of this being a problem.

thanks again guys

 

It's probably the bearings in one of the pulleys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solsteeler &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Adjust the belts first, if still squealing like a pig replace them. If you still have a squeal remove one accessory belt at a time to find the pulley thats going bad, and replace it</TD></TR></TABLE>
still this is the best answer try these 2 things first and then let us now what happens

 

and plus if it was a pulley bearing it would not stop and in your original post u say it stops after warm up

 

Do you have the heat or a/c on when you start up?