Piston Slap: Saturn Squeaks for a New Serpentine Belt?

Josh writes:

I’ve asked you a few questions over the years, and the answers have always been excellent. Well now… I’ve yet another: about a month ago I picked up a rather humble ’99 Fleet Car White Saturn SL1. Despite an intermittent “Service Engine Soon” idiot light (which I suspected to be the typical rather crusty EGR valve, and was right), rear power windows I was warned by the owner “to not put them down,” it was clean overall, had traveled only 110k miles in its lifetime, and was a one-owner car. I paid the sum of $1,100 cash money and became the proud new owner.

It has four new tires (that match!), doesn’t piss any of its fluids or smoke, and has cold air conditioning. And three cheers for damned near 40 mpg. On to my question: when the engine idles, it sounds “squeaky.” Not squeally, like belt squeal… but squeaky. And it’s more than just a squeak when it idles, it’s present while driving. I can hear the squeak while I drive down the highway even!

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  • Bd2 There's nothing wrong with admitting there is a problem yet that is but the first step. Hopefully GM can resurrect their vaunted hybrid technology and apply it to high value luxury vehicles and perhaps give the world a revival of that V Magic. They could even give Genesis a run for it's crosshatched grille money.
  • TMA1 Tell me the ICE version is going to weigh less. A 5,800 lb electric Charger just took the worst part of the old Charger and made it 30% heavier.
  • Danddd Just say no to CVTs unless you like the sound of droning.
  • Oberkanone GM will have 30 EV models by 2025. Over 40% of GM sales will be EV by 2025.quote - Marry Barra circa 2020Including 4 Chevy EV, 2 Buick EV, and 4 Cadillac EV.
  • Dwford There's plenty of time between now and 2030-35 to design and sell through a whole new generation of ICE vehicles, if not 2 generations. Chevy seems to be on a dual track plan with ICE and EV versions of the Equinox and Blazer nameplates. No reason Cadillac can't do something similar.