2011 Camaro SS Belt Noise - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

HOLLYSS · 03-28-2013, 08:31 AM

My wife and I picked up a 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS over the weekend. She was so excited, its her first nice car in many years. I drive a competitors car (SRT8) so the Camaro is a bit different for me.

we've started to hear this fan belt noise from the engine compartment. I've done some reading here on the forum which is awesome by the way. Similar to the Dodge one I read . I found that many people have had this belt/pulley issue and there was a TSB possibly related to it. I found that info here.

I saw someone say "spray some water on the belt" which i did, and the noise of course changed, then it went away all together. I can't get into the dealer for another week, they are jammed and its the Chevy Dealer I prefer, so we wait.

Do you think i should spray some belt dressing on the belt? I dont think this is the fix, but it might quiet the noise. My wife is upset, new car, bad thoughts, etc. I reassured her that she made the right choice on the Camaro and we'll get this sorted out.

thahemp · 03-28-2013, 10:11 AM

Don't spray belt dressing on it.

Can you take a video of the noise so we can better understand what you're hearing?

Iam Broke · 03-28-2013, 10:17 AM

Check the A/C belt, some times it splits and makes noise. It's a short belt just for the compressor.

HOLLYSS · 03-28-2013, 03:35 PM

I posted the video here, i couldnt figure out if i could embed it here or not.

http://youtu.be/uQPyZezxeRQ

The noise did go away after I drove it for a while, but after the engine cools off, the sound comes back. I did notice that the belt looks a bit ragged on one side of it which is the photo I posted. The sound tracks the gas pedal. It does sound like its under the car if I have the hood shut, but as I get close to the two bottom pulleys, I can really hear it.

i have to resize the photo next time. its a bit big.

GhOsT_2SS · 03-28-2013, 09:20 PM

mine was doing the same thing. I found that the AC belt started to walk off the AC compressor pulley and one heavy press of the gas I popped it off and it shredded the belt and wrapped itself behind the crank pulley and I had to pull out chunks of belt. I replaced the belt but found damage had already been done and ruined the lower crank/timing cover seal and it started leaking. Dealer replaced the seal under warranty.

thahemp · 03-28-2013, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsflyer

...does not look split or cracked.

Just do what the previous poster said and spray some belt dressing on it.

Don't overdo it... a little goes a long way. Just until the noise subsists.

No. DON'T spray belt dressing on it.

Thanks for the video. It's not the noise I thought it was going to be. It doesn't sound severe... just annoying. Wait it out to get to the dealer. They'll fix it. It's a pulley/bearing somewhere. It takes time and effort to find the right one. Let them do it for free. Sorry for your put-off (temporarily!) wife.

bundledmail · 03-30-2013, 04:43 PM

If it were a bearing, water would not have made a difference.

Camarojt · 03-30-2013, 05:46 PM

It looks like your AC belt is trying to wear against the pulley! Mine did this and eventually came off a shredded. Luckily it was winter so I just cut it off and later the dealer put a new one on. These belts are stretch fit so overtime the wear out.

2ssblk11 · 03-31-2013, 11:01 AM

take it back to the dealer, same thing happened with me and it turned out they got some cleaning material on the belt while cleaning the engine :p i took it back and they put a new belt on for free. Might be a lil different story with yours, but either way they still should replace it on there dime.

Kelly@PCMofNC · 04-01-2013, 08:00 AM

I wouldn't spray belt dressing on it either. Not only because it's a bandaid, but because you want it to be making the noise when you go to the dealer so they can find it.

Tell your wife not to worry, it's not a big deal at all! I'm sure they can get it fixed up.

HOLLYSS · 04-04-2013, 07:17 PM

Well, back from the dealer today. Apparently the belt wasn't put on correctly at the factory. It was like one rib off or not on the track correctly and riding on the pulley a bit. so the noise is gone. now we're waiting for our CAI to show up, so we can add in the noise that we would like to hear. Thanks to everyone for the help and ideas. I am digging the forum a great deal for info.

Lewis.

thahemp · 04-04-2013, 07:37 PM

Glad it worked out ok. Now you can move on to more important issues.

chuckie669 · 10-30-2017, 10:43 PM

Reviving an old thread, but glad I found this.

My 11 started making an unusual noise that sounded like belt but i could find nothing wrong. Search led me here and sure enough my ac belt walked off. After thinking I could fix it for 15 minutes begrudgingly cut the ac belt off so that I didn't make a small issue into something larger

At least I shouldn't need ac for a bit.

Spurshot · 10-31-2017, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckie669

Reviving an old thread, but glad I found this.

My 11 started making an unusual noise that sounded like belt but i could find nothing wrong. Search led me here and sure enough my ac belt walked off. After thinking I could fix it for 15 minutes begrudgingly cut the ac belt off so that I didn't make a small issue into something larger

At least I shouldn't need ac for a bit.

I was working on replacing my compressor on my 14 Sierra and just cut the belt. It was in great shape. The bummer was that the local O’Reilleys didn’t have the right size and the dealer price is $85 with the installation tool.

03-28-2013, 08:31 AM	#1
HOLLYSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Black Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 22	2011 Camaro SS Belt Noise My wife and I picked up a 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS over the weekend. She was so excited, its her first nice car in many years. I drive a competitors car (SRT8) so the Camaro is a bit different for me. we've started to hear this fan belt noise from the engine compartment. I've done some reading here on the forum which is awesome by the way. Similar to the Dodge one I read . I found that many people have had this belt/pulley issue and there was a TSB possibly related to it. I found that info here. I saw someone say "spray some water on the belt" which i did, and the noise of course changed, then it went away all together. I can't get into the dealer for another week, they are jammed and its the Chevy Dealer I prefer, so we wait. Do you think i should spray some belt dressing on the belt? I dont think this is the fix, but it might quiet the noise. My wife is upset, new car, bad thoughts, etc. I reassured her that she made the right choice on the Camaro and we'll get this sorted out.

03-28-2013, 10:11 AM	#2
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Don't spray belt dressing on it. Can you take a video of the noise so we can better understand what you're hearing? __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

03-28-2013, 10:17 AM	#3
Iam Broke PHAT B33 Drives: 2012 TF3 Camaro 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Dark of the Moon Posts: 1,460 View My Garage	Check the A/C belt, some times it splits and makes noise. It's a short belt just for the compressor. __________________ Another 1 of 371 '12 T3 LS3 M6's built.

03-28-2013, 03:35 PM	#4
HOLLYSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Black Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 22	I posted the video here, i couldnt figure out if i could embed it here or not. http://youtu.be/uQPyZezxeRQ The noise did go away after I drove it for a while, but after the engine cools off, the sound comes back. I did notice that the belt looks a bit ragged on one side of it which is the photo I posted. The sound tracks the gas pedal. It does sound like its under the car if I have the hood shut, but as I get close to the two bottom pulleys, I can really hear it. i have to resize the photo next time. its a bit big. Attached Images

04-04-2013, 07:37 PM	#12
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Glad it worked out ok. Now you can move on to more important issues. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

03-28-2013, 09:20 PM	#5
GhOsT_2SS Drives: 2011 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Killeen, TX Posts: 53	mine was doing the same thing. I found that the AC belt started to walk off the AC compressor pulley and one heavy press of the gas I popped it off and it shredded the belt and wrapped itself behind the crank pulley and I had to pull out chunks of belt. I replaced the belt but found damage had already been done and ruined the lower crank/timing cover seal and it started leaking. Dealer replaced the seal under warranty.

03-30-2013, 04:43 PM	#7
bundledmail Drives: 2011 SS/RS Vert Summit White/IOM Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Huntsville Posts: 26 View My Garage	If it were a bearing, water would not have made a difference.

03-30-2013, 05:46 PM	#8
Camarojt Drives: 2011camaro SS Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Allen, Tx Posts: 2,202	It looks like your AC belt is trying to wear against the pulley! Mine did this and eventually came off a shredded. Luckily it was winter so I just cut it off and later the dealer put a new one on. These belts are stretch fit so overtime the wear out.

03-31-2013, 11:01 AM	#9
2ssblk11 Drives: 2011 2ss Black/inferno orange Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: WI Posts: 74	take it back to the dealer, same thing happened with me and it turned out they got some cleaning material on the belt while cleaning the engine :p i took it back and they put a new belt on for free. Might be a lil different story with yours, but either way they still should replace it on there dime.

04-01-2013, 08:00 AM	#10
Kelly@PCMofNC Drives: 2010 RS/SS Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Mooresville, NC Posts: 959	I wouldn't spray belt dressing on it either. Not only because it's a bandaid, but because you want it to be making the noise when you go to the dealer so they can find it. Tell your wife not to worry, it's not a big deal at all! I'm sure they can get it fixed up.

04-04-2013, 07:17 PM	#11
HOLLYSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS/RS Black Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 22	Well, back from the dealer today. Apparently the belt wasn't put on correctly at the factory. It was like one rib off or not on the track correctly and riding on the pulley a bit. so the noise is gone. now we're waiting for our CAI to show up, so we can add in the noise that we would like to hear. Thanks to everyone for the help and ideas. I am digging the forum a great deal for info. Lewis.

10-30-2017, 10:43 PM	#13
chuckie669 Drives: 2011 ss Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: E-TX Posts: 764	Reviving an old thread, but glad I found this. My 11 started making an unusual noise that sounded like belt but i could find nothing wrong. Search led me here and sure enough my ac belt walked off. After thinking I could fix it for 15 minutes begrudgingly cut the ac belt off so that I didn't make a small issue into something larger At least I shouldn't need ac for a bit.