Squealing power steering belt

[KnottyBuoyz]

1987 VP AQ271A (GM 350) 290DP O/D

Constantly squealing power steering belt. I've replaced the belt, tried belt dressing (which only seemed to make it worse). Tightened. Loosened. Less squealing when loose but you can feel pulsations in the steering wheel. The pulley's appear to be "polished" probably from all the squealing. Can I just roughen the pulleys up with some sandpaper or should I replace them?

My ole' grandpappy used to use a wax crayon on a squealing belt. Haven't tried that trick yet.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Squealing power steering belt

I have a 1991 setup just like that, but I may not be much help as a new belt fixed mine. Mine was squealing a lot as well the first season we had it. That spray on belt dressing had the same effect on mine, seemed to make it worse. I was convinced that it was the p/s pump by that time because the noise it made sounded more like it was coming from the pump, but I had the belt measured anyway and bought the highest quality belt available. I put it on and that fixed it, no more squeal. I just used lacquer thinner on a rag on my pulleys to clean off where the belt grabs (let it dry a LONG time before putting the new belt on). This will be the 2nd full season and no problems with squealing so far. Before I fixed it the belt would squeal at any rpm even idling in neutral with the steering wheel not moving no matter how tight the old belt was.

Make sure your belt has the proper width and taper for the Vee. Get the pulleys clean and bone dry and not glazed over, your "roughing up" idea may be on track there. The belt I bought was slightly wider and taller in the pulley than the one I took off, this may have helped the problem as it would have just that much more traction area. I would get another new belt after working the pulleys over as it could have been affected by the pulleys and dressing. I went in with my belt and had it measured and asked for the absolute best brand they had, and made sure on the Vee and the width.

I hope yours is not the p/s pump itself, or something in the hydraulic steering rack that is making the pump work too hard or something. I did not have to go that far to trouble shoot mine, wish I could be more help there.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Squealing power steering belt

Funny about that wax crayon, I "inherited" one of those from my grandpap as well many years ago, It is lost by now but those things worked.

But on this one I would try to get it working "dry" with good pulley surface and new wide-as-possible belt and see what happens.