ACCESSORY BELT NOISE/SQUEAL (DIAG. /REPL. APPLICABLE PART). Pontiac Firebird 1998

SUBJECT: ACCESSORY BELT NOISE/SQUEAL (DIAGNOSE/REPLACE APPLICABLE PART)

MODELS: 1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO 1998 PONTIAC FIREBIRD WITH 5.7L V8 ENGINE (VIN G - RPO LS1)

CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS AF THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES MAY COMMENT ON AN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT SLIP, SQUEAL AND/OR SQUEAK.

CAUSE:

THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY ONE, OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

1) INCORRECT POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY INSTALLED.

2) INCORRECT MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT ROUTING.

3) MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT NOT CENTERED IN ALL ACCESSORY PULLEYS. (RIBS IN BELT NOT LINED UP WITH GROVES IN THE PULLEYS.)

4) HARMONIC BALANCER POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE. THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE HARMONIC BALANCER HUB BEING MIS-MACHINED.

CORRECTION:

CHECK TO ENSURE THE VEHICLE HAS THE CORRECT P/S PUMP PULLEY (CORRECT P/N IS 12559885). THE PART NUMBER APPEARS ON THE WEB OF THE PULLEY IN RAISED CHARACTERS. THIS PULLEY IS ALL PLASTIC EXCEPT FOR THE INNER HUB THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE P/S PUMP SHAFT. IF THE INCORRECT PULLEY IS INSTALLED, REPLACE THE PULLEY ALONG WITH A NEW MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT. USE PART NUMBERS LISTED BELOW.

IF THE MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT IS NOT CENTERED IN ALL PULLEYS, CHECK FOR PROPER ALIGNMENT OF ALL THE ACCESSORY PULLEYS. IF ALL PULLEYS ARE ALIGNED, REPLACE THE MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT AND CENTER THE BELT IN ALL THE PULLEYS.

AT THE HARMONIC BALANCER, THE MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT MAY BE TRACKING TOO FAR REARWARD (APPROXIMATELY 3 MM, 1/8") IN RELATIONSHIP TO ALL OTHER PULLEYS.

IF THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, REPLACE THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT ALONG WITH THE MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT AND THE A/C COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT. ALL PART NUMBERS ARE LISTED BELOW.

IMPORTANT: IF IT IS DETERMINED THERE IS A MAIN ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT, OR A/C BELT NOISE COMING FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER AREA IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THE HARMONIC BALANCER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

PARTS INFORMATION:

PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 12559885 PULLEY 12557562 BELT 12553118 HARMONIC BALANCER 12557840 HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT 12559327 A/C COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT

PARTS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GMSPO.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE:

LABOR OPERATION DESCRIPTION LABOR TIME

E8360 PULLEY REPLACE 0.6 HR J0667 MAIN DRIVE BELT REPLACE 0.2 HR J0710 HARMONIC BALANCER REPLACE 0.3 HR

FIGURES: 0 ATTACHMENTS: 0

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.