Light Belt Squeaking when Cold

[sina27]

Hello, I have a 96 tracker 2WD 5 speed. 
I've noticed that when I start my car in the morning when cold, around 50F, i hear a very light squealing for a few minutes until the engine is warmed up. I popped the hood and it seems to be coming from the fan shroud area, but not sure what it is. 

Is it possible that the sound can be the timing belt? Or is it more likely to be the fan / alternator belt, or power steering belt?

[fixkick]

Hello, I have a 96 tracker 2WD 5 speed. 
I've noticed that when I start my car in the morning when cold, around 50F, i hear a very light squealing for a few minutes until the engine is warmed up. I popped the hood and it seems to be coming from the fan shroud area, but not sure what it is. 

Is it possible that the sound can be the timing belt? Or is it more likely to be the fan / alternator belt, or power steering belt?

a

any car this old there is no most likely , we do testing to find out, this, even dropping off all belts,  (no full set of accessories told)
but here is the list.
1 belt lose  accessories.
2 drop belt test turn (by hand) the PS pump, water pump and AC compressor , and alternator pulleys by hand, if the bearings are loose , they are bad if the bearings a seized (dont turn easy) they are bad.

setting the belt too tight is bad too.
why not have shop do this, they know what to do. for sure.
if at a oil change the shop hears this and finds it and tells why.l  all real shops do that , not Jiffyboobs. (they just say, get if fixed soon)

you can drop 1 belt and run engine dead cold for 1min no harm that too is  valid test, and tells you for sure learn what belt squeals for too loose or from overloaded bearings seized.

the TBelt loose is very bad and when that happens it slip cogs and will not run. cam timing lost.
some folks run the Tbelt to death day and the front cover on it is cut up  to hell, ribbons. looking for long slots on cover from this is 1st,   but 60k is belt life.
100k miles is death day so we change it so not get stranded.  changed in time and gates makes great belts.

[fixkick]

in nut shell, belt loose or bad, or accessories seized.

[Von]

Now this might be controversial depending on who you ask but without dropping a belt you can help isolate the sounds by spraying a little WD40 or your choice of water soluble product, just a very little on one belt at a time and if the squealing stops or gets louder it will help you determine if it is the belts or the accessories. Also from my experience I bought a Gates belt and an Anco belt for my 94 JLX 4x4 Manual with P/S and no A/C. The belt was for the P/S pump and both the Anco and Gates were to large. I had to go 1/2” smaller on the belt and no problems. Now you are a long way from determining that your issue was the same as mine but figured I would mention it.

[fixkick]

Now this might be controversial depending on who you ask but without dropping a belt you can help isolate the sounds by spraying a little WD40 or your choice of water soluble product, just a very little on one belt at a time and if the squealing stops or gets louder it will help you determine if it is the belts or the accessories. Also from my experience I bought a Gates belt and an Anco belt for my 94 JLX 4x4 Manual with P/S and no A/C. The belt was for the P/S pump and both the Anco and Gates were to large. I had to go 1/2” smaller on the belt and no problems. Now you are a long way from determining that your issue was the same as mine but figured I would mention it.

sure a water test (spray bottle) can be done, but it hard to get it on just one belt and putting oil on any belt is no good,  so says Gates.
the car comes new in not one form factor, ever.
PS and AC are options both or none or one. thus choices.
the early cars can have no AC and even no power steering at all. (depends on country too)

one belt does not fit all sidekicks. never has.

never ever oil or grease up any belt. this is very bad,  once oiled it it will slip for every, wd40 is OIL + solvent.

the cause can be bad belt, loose belt or seized accessories, seen many noob mech, keep tightening up the dang GEN and never cures it and the gen is seized.
https://fixkick.com/belts.html
forgot my page exists after 15 years. it lives on... even 10 year retired,
not saying I know what is wrong, all i can do is the testing to find it,  it is not hard work at all. just piddly easy stuff, water test, or drop belts and feel the pulleys,
one could look first then press on the belt. see if it is loose.  the spec is in the book for deflection distance and pounds of pressure,, 12lbs, 1inch? IRRC,....
see if belt was greasedup by others or by flying Oil from bad seals.  I cant look for you , and that is first, just looking, see what you see on the belts.
glazed or worn or frayed, oily,.  or loose.???? nothing new about fan belts, for 120 years now.
all in what 15 min work after hood up.
then play water tricks?
and if that fails try dropping belts
and then spin the accessory pulleys, of not free spinning the object touched is bad.  for sure.  the AC is freewheel at the clutch AC off.
my last seize was a real jeep PS pump, belts were not happy then, loud and yelling FIX ME.
next was seized ALT, front bearings gone.
look at water pump see green water at end of seal or the weep hole oops it will or has seized up, now.
looking is first, always, or get a real shop in the loop.  ASE shops.