BFA

so belts replaced awhile back, started having some squeal. Alt and PS had about an inch of flex. Tightened them to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. No squeal. Did this yesterday. This morning 45 degrees outside, it kept wanting to die while I was trying to start it. Driveway is a hill and I couldn't get my foot from th le brake to the gas fast enough to keep her going. Usually cranks right up, and idle was about 500. Once it got going, the idle was well below 500, maybe 250-300. They don't seem too tight. Is it normal to have an idle drop some after drive belt replacement or adjustment especially considering it was low to start with?

gsp4life

500 rpm idle is way too low for a 22re. Factory setting is 850 rpm. Try loosening the idle adjust screw on the top of the tb. If that doesn't work, you've probably got a vacuum leak somewhere. Check all hose connections and especially the large accordian-like molded hose right in front of the tb, they're notorious for tears along the ribs after a few decades.

Belts don't have to be real tight on these engines, mine are kinda loose (3/4" deflection with a gentle push)) and I've never noticed them slipping. With your idle so low, that extra drag from too tight belts is causing the engine to bog and stall.

BFA

Thanks GSP. I just checked everything around where I was working to make sure I didn't break the "accordion" like piece u mentioned. I did unsnap the airbox like u would to change the filter and move it back when I was trying to get to the alternator belt adjustment. But I only moved it as much as u would to change the filter. No cracks or tears. Setting at a stoplight, it idles at about 300 w AC off. On it kicks up 500-600 RPM. THinking back, I'm not sure if the idle has changed at all. I KNOW it was never over 700. Tightening thise belts may have been just enough to make it drag on start before I can get my foot on the gas pedal. Soon as I get a chance, I will back them off a bit and adjust the idle.

gsp4life

The a/c has an idle-up adjustment itself off the side of the intake plenum. It's a white screw with a spring under it. It's normal for the idle to be higher with a/c on because the compressor is more efficient at higher rpm.

BFA

It has always cranked right up. The idle has also always been low but with no problems, why mess with it. I work in the sciences... never change more than one variable at a time. ALL I did yesterday was tighten the alt belt and PS belt and they are not banjo tight. Quarter to a half inch now. I also bought gas, but that was at the place I've been buying gas from for 15 yrs without a problem. Would the really low idle then the extra drag of tighter belts really make it not want to take off and run on start up? Guess it would. Once heading down the road, runs like a scalded ape. Not missing, nothing.

gsp4life

You're right about the single-variable problem solving, but I'm just trying to help you out with what I've learned about these engines over the past couple years of tinkering with them.

​​​​The 22re is designed to idle at 850 rpm for optimal performance and a lot of owners find benefit in adjusting it even higher, though the ecu is programed for a fuel cut over 1000 rpm with the butterfly valve fully closed.

Using your scientific method, if I were you, I'd adjust the belts back to 1/2" - 3/4" deflection and start your troubleshooting over. If something's squealing up front, it could be the a/c or p/s tension pulley. They're known to howl, groan or even squeal when worn. Tightening the belts might quiet those sounds down for awhile, but isn't fixing the problem, just covering a symptom. The p/s pulley bearing is replaceable while the a/c pulley has a captive bearing and must be replaced entirely. I've done both recently along with a new fan clutch and it's just amazing how much quieter things are in there now.

Pop the hood with the engine running and manually open the throttle for a better sense of what's squealing and from where.

BFA

Oh don't get me wrong in what I said. I wasn't making a shot at ur help. I was just baffled at a poor start up when I only changed one variable.. the tension of the belts. I appreciate the knowledge. The belts were put on new maybe 3-6K miles ago so stretch may be expected. At a stop, I could hard rev and get a mild squeal before I tightened them yesterday. No noise at all at first cold startup never has but I could drive an hour and heat it all up, hunt for a few hours, and get a bad squeal then on start up. Maybe they were heating up in the drive... and stretched that bit more it needed to hear at start. Sitting at idle, not a sound. I tightened them yesterday, drove it a lot yesterday afternoon, revs, not a sound. Then the ragged startup at 5:30 am today. Had to coax the pedal to keep it running. Once going, ran fine no squeals, but the idle was below 400. This morning if I shut it off at a light, cranked it, it would start ok while hot but with the clutch in, soon as it started it would pop to about 400, then drop to almost nothing then level out. I just adjusted idle to about 900 and relaxed the two belts a bit. No reving squeal. See how it starts up when cool down.

BFA

Thanks for your help GSP. Idle adjusted up, belts loosened a bit. Good starts, idle and no squeals.

gsp4life

Glad to hear it was something that simple.