# Serp belt growl **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 5, 2019, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964 "2019-04-05T12:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/1 "2019-04-05T12:57:48Z")
kids 03 vue 3.0 has a serp belt growl. it has 2 idler pulleys. 1 is next to ac compressor and really growls with a stethoscope. the 2nd is further away and seem quieter. the noise seems to vary with the ac on/off. i put my hand on compressor while it cycled and i cant really feel any rumble when it cycles. i took off the noisy pulley and it is not smooth but it does not feel “bad”? of course its $60 at AZ. i even tried using the scope on the ac and it sounds less noisy than the idler pulley. i guess i start with idler? as i really dont want to change the compressor? yes i checked the alternator, wp. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/2 "2019-04-05T13:26:57Z")
All the haulmarks of a bad idler bearing. More load when the AC is on… more noise because there is more load on the idler. $60 these days is a cheap repair. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/3 "2019-04-05T14:40:44Z")
I took a noisy idler pulley into NAPA on a Sunday. They didn’t have a new one to sell me, but they did have the bearing and pressed it in place while I waited. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/4 "2019-04-05T15:11:54Z")
Got another pulley. No difference in noise. Took off SERP belt and motor idles nice and quiet. the comp pulley does not spin freely/easily. watched a video on removing clutch and hub. i even found a $30 comp at local yard. already pulled. maybe i could use it for clutch parts? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/5 "2019-04-08T23:57:24Z")
pulley I bet ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/6 "2019-04-09T15:53:27Z")
with the belt off, spin all the pulleys you can. if you can’t feel the growl at the a/c compressor when it is on, then I kinda doubt it is the a/c compressor or clutch. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/7 "2019-04-10T02:59:50Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/0/0e4ba5c8321b2805396e703d3524e8fd4027acc7.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/8 "2019-04-10T03:05:20Z")
I think you found your problem ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/9 "2019-04-10T04:47:26Z")
A/C pulley bearing failure is usually caused by a leaking compressor shaft seal. Refrigerant oil gets onto the clutch, the clutch slips, gets very hot and destroys the pulley bearing seals. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/serp-belt-growl/137964/10 "2019-04-10T13:42:46Z")
new hub is on. Nice and quiet. Not a fun job.