sounds like a squeaky belt

[samsdad02]

new to me (first time ram owner) 2014 2500 6.4 4x4. Have what was intermittent and becoming more often squeak. It sounds like a belt. Run thru the gears and it stops in neutral. It's louder when its cold. At a stand still in park, reverse and drive it makes the sound. Shift into neutral it goes away. Is it torque converter or solenoid pack or something else? It did this once before I bought and I looked at and drove it 3 times before I bought it a month ago. TIA

 

[Atcer2018]

new to me (first time ram owner) 2014 2500 6.4 4x4. Have what was intermittent and becoming more often squeak. It sounds like a belt. Run thru the gears and it stops in neutral. It's louder when its cold. At a stand still in park, reverse and drive it makes the sound. Shift into neutral it goes away. Is it torque converter or solenoid pack or something else? It did this once before I bought and I looked at and drove it 3 times before I bought it a month ago. TIA

You can test out the belt theory by spraying some soapy water on the moving belt when the squeak is present. If it’s the belt the soapy water will allow it to slip more easily and the noise will go away for a minute or two. You can also take the belt off and rotate the various pulleys to check for grinding and wear. Once you eliminate the belt, pulleys and tensioner move on to the more complicated parts.

 

[samsdad02]

You can test out the belt theory by spraying some soapy water on the moving belt when the squeak is present. If it’s the belt the soapy water will allow it to slip more easily and the noise will go away for a minute or two. You can also take the belt off and rotate the various pulleys to check for grinding and wear. Once you eliminate the belt, pulleys and tensioner move on to the more complicated parts.

Will try it, but wouldn't it continue to squeak in all gears? Is inaudible in neutral.

 

[Atcer2018]

Will try it, but wouldn't it continue to squeak in all gears? Is inaudible in neutral.

I’m not sure if it would do it in all gears. Stranger things have happened lol
It would be the first process of elimination though. Knowing it’s not a belt or pulley moves you on to the more in depth parts.

 

[mrack]

Being a 2014 replacing the serpentine belt is a logical place to start. Even if it doesn’t fix it, your probably about due for a new one anyways.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Being a 2014 replacing the serpentine belt is a logical place to start. Even if it doesn’t fix it, your probably about due for a new one anyways.

I just replaced my belt. A Gates belt (std service) only cost $20 or so. Replaced the tensioner at the same time, only $35 or so. Rock Auto.

 

[samsdad02]

this what mine sounds like, maybe not as loud. https://youtu.be/5DyWnk8tTUs

 

[Atcer2018]

this what mine sounds like, maybe not as loud. https://youtu.be/5DyWnk8tTUs

I’m not hearing a lifter tick. Sounds more like a bearing going bad. Idler pulley? Serpentine tensioner pulley? Alternator? I’d pull the belt and start it up for a listen.

 

[samsdad02]

I’m not hearing a lifter tick. Sounds more like a bearing going bad. Idler pulley? Serpentine tensioner pulley? Alternator? I’d pull the belt and start it up for a listen.

I'll try pulling the belt.

What I don't understand is why it stops when I shift to neutral.

 

[Atcer2018]

I'll try pulling the belt.

What I don't understand is why it stops when I shift to neutral.

I get your curiosity with the neutral thing but to find the cause of the noise you gotta eliminate potential issues. Neutral and park don’t put the same load on the engine as engaging the drivetrain. Pulling the belt and eliminating tensioner, idler, AC compressor, alternator pulleys is the first step. Hate like heck to chase down a suspected power steer pump or transmission noise when it was a bad alternator or idler pulley.

 

[2003F350]

I'll try pulling the belt.

What I don't understand is why it stops when I shift to neutral.

As said above, the loading on the engine is different when you're in park or neutral - there's less of it. I've heard many belts in the past that only squeaked in park, shifting to reverse or drive made it go away. I've had some that only squeaked when in gear and sitting still - accelerating (increasing RPMS) made the noise go away.

Belts are funny like that. Sometimes just a little moisture will silence a squeaky belt. Other times, a silent belt that gets that same little moisture becomes the loudest thing you've ever heard.

Still, very sound advice above, pull the belt and check all pulleys. If you have a mechanic's stethoscope you can check them carefully while the engine is simply running. There's also the old 'long screwdriver with your thumb over the end held up to your ear) but 1. it's harder to hear and 2. not everyone has a long enough screwdriver.

 

[truck2569]

new to me (first time ram owner) 2014 2500 6.4 4x4. Have what was intermittent and becoming more often squeak. It sounds like a belt. Run thru the gears and it stops in neutral. It's louder when its cold. At a stand still in park, reverse and drive it makes the sound. Shift into neutral it goes away. Is it torque converter or solenoid pack or something else? It did this once before I bought and I looked at and drove it 3 times before I bought it a month ago. TIA

Get some belt dressing and apply if it is the belt the noise will go away. Sounds to me like a belt tensioner or Idler pulley myself, because it only squeaks under a load. Those are the cheaper fixes it gets more expensive from there.

 

[samsdad02]

Ended up replacing the belt, tensioner and idler along with the fan clutch. Still squeks. Reading other threads it looks/sounds like its the exhaust manifold to y pipe connection. Can't hear it on cold starts anymore because the fan clutch is locked up on cold starts.