Boy I haven't made a real post here in awhile, huh? Anyway...

All right again this may expose my limited knowledge of engine, BUT...

Recently my Caddy squeals every so often. I know, I know a lot of the times if a car squeals it is due to the belts... now yes I have recently put on all new belts, but from my understanding the car would squeal due to a belt problem if you rev the engine... it has only started doing this after replacing all the belts too.

Now my Caddy only seems to squeal when I am slowly backing up and turning the wheel. It does not do it when I rev the engine or any other time for that matter, only when I described. Would it because I am not moving fast enough and turning the steering wheel too fast and has something to do with the power steering? The only thing I can think of is that I possibly over tightened the power steering pump belt and when I turn the wheel, backing out causes it to squeal? OH! Forgot to mention and the squealing is not constant as I turn the wheel, only for like a second or two then goes away.

Any ideas? Before I say a thanks and much appreciated!

Recheck the tension on your power steering belt. If that checks out, suspect the pump itself. But, every RWD Cadillac I've had would squeal the power steering pump if I cranked the wheel hard over to a stop at low speed or a dead stop. I think it's the pump's way of releasing excess pressure.

I second what 77CDV said about the wheel-cranking. My '84 does that when you turn the wheel to it's full lock. Good Luck!

Agreed the car did squeal if I cranked the wheel too much over before replacing the belts, but not as I turn it while backing out slowly or at a dead stop.

So yeah I will check out the tension on the belt tomorrow and see if I over tightened it, which I may have. I do hope it's just that... wouldn't want to replace the power steering pump itself.

I shall update at a later time!

Over tightening wont cause a squeal, just the opposite, too loose. Also check whatever is shared with the power steering pulley. Sometimes another belt is loose and the tension on the steering will cause it to squeal. You have a LOOSE belt. Be aware that in most cases once a belt slips and squeals it becomes glazed and will still squeal even if tight. Check each belt at the center of its span from one pulley to the other. It shouldn't deflect more that a quarter of an inch when you press down on it.

My 90 D'elegance I've noticed has been squealing recently only when the heat is on higher settings. . . What would cause that?? When i put the heat to low or off it doesn't do it.

NEVER hold the wheel against full lock. That causes the system to become fully pressurized with no place for the fluid to go. If you hold it against the lock there is about 1200 psi of pressure in the system. Holding that pressure in there can easily trash your power steering pump.

Agreed the car did squeal if I cranked the wheel too much over before replacing the belts, but not as I turn it while backing out slowly or at a dead stop.

So yeah I will check out the tension on the belt tomorrow and see if I over tightened it, which I may have. I do hope it's just that... wouldn't want to replace the power steering pump itself.

I shall update at a later time!

Do you have the Olds 307 in your car? My power steering belt used to squeal and trash belts left and right if everything wasn't perfect even if it was over tensioned very tight with a breaker bar (Not suggested). My car has the A/C and smog pump removed so I only had a power steering belt going from the crank to the water pump to the power steering and the alternator coming from the water pump. (Also not a suggested set up. :)) I put a small belt in the first groove that goes just from the crank to the water pump in conjunction with what I already had an it stopped the squeal.

What other belts do you have going from the crank to the water pump? That one might also be loose causing extra strain on the power steering belt making it squeal like mine did. (When there was no belt there).

Just an idea. Sorry if my post is a little confusing...

Over tightening wont cause a squeal, just the opposite, too loose. Also check whatever is shared with the power steering pulley. Sometimes another belt is loose and the tension on the steering will cause it to squeal. You have a LOOSE belt. Be aware that in most cases once a belt slips and squeals it becomes glazed and will still squeal even if tight. Check each belt at the center of its span from one pulley to the other. It shouldn't deflect more that a quarter of an inch when you press down on it.

By that method of pressing down on the belt and should not deflect more than a quarter of an inch, all my belts are tight. They did not go down that much as far as I could tell.

NEVER hold the wheel against full lock. That causes the system to become fully pressurized with no place for the fluid to go. If you hold it against the lock there is about 1200 psi of pressure in the system. Holding that pressure in there can easily trash your power steering pump.

I understand this and I do not do this. I merely meant when I accidentally turn the wheel too much.

Do you have the Olds 307 in your car? My power steering belt used to squeal and trash belts left and right if everything wasn't perfect even if it was over tensioned very tight with a breaker bar (Not suggested). My car has the A/C and smog pump removed so I only had a power steering belt going from the crank to the water pump to the power steering and the alternator coming from the water pump. (Also not a suggested set up. :)) I put a small belt in the first groove that goes just from the crank to the water pump in conjunction with what I already had an it stopped the squeal.

What other belts do you have going from the crank to the water pump? That one might also be loose causing extra strain on the power steering belt making it squeal like mine did. (When there was no belt there).

Just an idea. Sorry if my post is a little confusing...

Indeed my Caddy's engine is a Olds 307. How I have the belts set going from the crank to the water pump is this: In the 1st groove is the alternator/generator belt. In the 2nd groove is the power steering and 3rd groove is the a/c belt. Oh and the grooves I am referring to are the ones on the water pump pulley and 1st groove is the closest to the fan.

Is that understandable? I hope. Is that correct?

Nothing?

Well this evening I am hoping to get the belts fine tweaked tighten here and there and really make sure here thing is good.

Again I just hope it is not the power steering pump going out... I haven't had any problem with steering any time other than the squealing. So I don't think it is that at least.