Belt Noise for the Dummy Shadetree Mechanic

Example of serpentine belt routing

Ever been passed by a vehicle that seems to be screaming its little head off as it goes by? Sure you have: not only does this give you a great demonstration of the Doppler effect, it also allows the more experienced among us to say, "He needs a new fan belt!" That last, even though most cars have electric fans these days and have a gigantic mess called a serpentine belt instead. If you hear belt noise like that around eHow.com freelancer Leslie Renico, though, she will have no idea what causes it. Nevertheless, she "explained" it for someone asking about "Belt Noise in a Toyota Highlander" at ItStillRuns.com.¹ In fact, Renico went straight to the belt that doesn't make noise; at least none that most people can hear:

"Toyota recommends that Highlander owners change the timing belt [bolding ours] at or around 90,000 miles. This can be a costly repair, but it is far less costly than repairing the damage that would happen to the engine if the timing belt broke. While some noise is normal from a timing belt, listening to your engine can help you avoid unnecessary damage."

"[S]ome noise is normal from a timing belt"? Is this moron kidding? No, dumbass, any loud noise you hear from an engine that's even tangentially related to the timing belt is probably the water pump or perhaps an idler pulley; timing belts don't make noise. About the only exception is a ticking noise as the belt nears the end of its useful life, and that's usually accompanied by other symptoms. But, then, we knew Leslie was bullshitting her readers anyway when she claimed that "Your Highlander's timing belt has tiny holes in it, just like the holes in the belt that you wear. Teeth enter the grooves and exit as the belt turns, and each time a tooth enters or exits the belt, the moving air pressure creates a noise."

A timing belt "has tiny holes in it"? Where does she come up with this bull? Timing belts have teeth that mesh with the gears on the camshaft and other pulleys on the face of the engine – not "tiny holes." What a moron. And then there's this:

"Over time, your Highlander's timing belt may lose its correct tension, which can lead to squealing noises."

No, idiot, timing belts don't stretch! V-belts. specifically the serpentine belt, can and do stretch, but timing belts? Not so much.

As often happens with eHow's unqualified contributors, Renico – proud holder of a degree in criminal justice – knows nothing about the inner workings of an internal combustion engine. She probably thinks that rubber thingy on the front of the engine is the timing belt – you know, the one that runs the power steering pump and the AC compressor. Well no, Leslie, it is not: it's the serpentine belt, but you are the Dumbass of the Day.

¹ Renico's take on the topic was so undistinguished that Leaf Group lopped off her byline, but the attribution can still be seen in the original at archive.org -- the URL was   ehow.com/info_7755836_belt-noise-toyota-highlander.html

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