Accessory Belts

I have a 2000 Civic Si. When I start my car I hear a squealing sound
from the engine bay. Using a bit of water I have determined that my A/
C condenser belt must be loose or glazed or whatever. The noise stops
for about 30 seconds when I squirt some water on the belt that was
running over the condenser pulley. So with that said, here are my
questions:

1) Is a loose or glazed condenser belt the proper diagnosis?

2) I noticed that the adjusting bolt and the pivot bolt seem very
difficult to reach. I can't even get my hand in there to put a wrench
on the adjusting bolt lock nut.. . and there is about 1/2 inch between
the pivot bolt and the metal inner fender. What is the best way to
make this adjustment without removing the power steering pump?

3) Is this one of those cases where if you have to tighten the old
belt, that you are better off just replacing it? My car has 68K miles
and is still on the original timing belt. I'll probably do the timing
belt in the Spring (due to car age, not mileage), and I know they
usually replace the accessory belts at the same time. But this
squealing noise drives me crazy! Fortunately it does dissipate when
the engine warms up.

Any help you guys can offer, especially WRT #2 would be great. Thanks
in advance.

 

no, a loose belt is the diagnosis.

take it to someone with experience, or buy the honda service manual from
helminc.com.

 

Jim-

Thanks for your note. I do have the service manual, so I'm not
confused on what to do. My question is about the best way to go about
it. The service manual just assumes you have full and easy access to
the bolts you need to work with. So since I can't even get my hand
down in the area where I need to work, my thought is that I either to
try a different tool (my ratchet and box wrenches can't get to where I
need to work), or I need to take other things out so I can get down to
where I need to work. Does this make sense? What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

 

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If it's really hard for you to adjust it, there are chemical products
that make the belt 'sticky' and restore it's function. They are also
messy. Honda belts have to be very tight, it seems, compared to the cars
of 20 years ago.

'Curly'