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[Varche]

Well at long last I am trying to get to the bottom of the whining/squealing noise on start up. It has been getting progessively worse to the point where I start the car up and leave it ticking over till the noise goes when the engine is warm

This morning I "slipped" the aux belt off. Started it up and no noise. So the problem is belt or pulley related. My guess but it is only a guess, is the belt slips when the engine is cold/at low revs and under load e.g. when you put the air con on.  The belt by the way looks like the original. It certainly hasn't been changed in the last 7 half years. It is perished,cracked as you would expect so I will get a new one.

All the aux pulleys seem to spin freely and without bearing problem rumbles.

Q1 when I go to the Opel dealer 40 miles away are there loads of different belts for a 97 V6 or will they be able to easily decide from chassis numbers etc which one? ( I had intended to take it off and measure it but the secondary air pipes and so on are in the way - that can wait till I have a new belt!)

Q2 The aux belt tension adjuster. It looks as though the adjuster is midway between the lugs. Is it something I can adjust? Looking from above is it better for the lug to be higher or lower.

Q3 Striking a balance between changing everything and just what is necessary should I buy a belt and tensioner, a belt only or belt and tensioner pulley if the latter can be seperated?

Q4 Any harm in squirting the tensioner pulley bearing area with a small amount of WD40?

olive  

[Bo Bo]

Answer to Q1 can be found here

[Marks DTM Calib]

There are only two belt types on the V6, with and without aircon.

The tensioner is automatic and hence it cant be adjusted

Is the noise better or worse with the aircon off?

Check the alternator, the rear bearing can get noisey on them with time.

[Varche]

Marks DTM

- Yes it has air con and I have the belt part number from Bo Bo's link.

Alternator(bottom left looking from front of car). Spins quite quietly by hand so I hope that is OK. Would a rear bearing sound distinctly noisy spun by hand?  

Yes the noise does get worse with the air con on. What happens is start up engine. No noise apart from aircraft whine from secondary air valve. Roundabout the time that goes off or before, the grind grind rotating noise starts up and continues for maybe three to five minutes before going away. Starting the air con when it has gone brings it back, setting off up a hill brings it back. Once the engine is warm it is noiseless under acceleration , switching the air con on and so on.  

olive

[Marks DTM Calib]

I suspect that main cause is an old and glazed belt....I would replace the tensioner pulley as well (available on its own)

[JamesV6CDX]

I suspect that main cause is an old and glazed belt....I would replace the tensioner pulley as well (available on its own)

Agreed, I would definately be changing that pulley too....