[RosieCotton]

I think I have a fan belt going. :-\ When my car is a) coldish and b) at a stop, but with the engine running (like a stop light or intersection), it squeals HORRIBLY. Just started a few weeks ago. It’s embarrassing, but since the car seems to be running OK otherwise, I’m hesitant to bring it in.

[Corin Stormhands]

When that happens to me, I usually just blame the dog.

What? Oh...nevermind...

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh the other hand... fan belts are not expensive to replace, but will strand you just as sure as the expensive stuff!

[TalonDJ]

That just means it is slipping a bit. You can tighten it down really easy. There is usually a pulley that is in there just for that. If you picture like a cat’s cradle of string around your hands and someone pushes down on the top string. If your hands don’t move the tension on the string goes up. There is a pulley either in there to do just that. Or one of the things on the belt, like the alternator, can pivot a little. All it takes to tighten one is a wrench or socket set and one minute. What year model is your van?

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Might be your main flywheel. I had a squeal in a car I owned once. I hosed down the hub where the shaft mets the wheel (staring you in the face when you open the hood) with WD40 and it took car of the problem for a while, then I have to hose it down again.

If you do it make sure you don’t spray the inside of the wheel/pulley area.

There’s lots of routine maintenance you can do on your own car once you have someone show you what stuff is and what it does under the hood.