Question about tensioner pulley

[350TPI]

I have had a strange noise coming from the passenger side for a few weeks now and thought it was the water pump.Well,i took the belt off and rotated the pulley and it made a little low squeak noise and the pulley seemed very slightly loose( i could wiggle it back and forth if i gave it a good tug) but i am not sure thats what it is.I took the tensioner pulley off and checked the bearing and it makes no weird noises and is very smooth.I did notice that where the tensioner mounts is loose.After the tensioner was taken off i could move the part it mounts to back and forth really good by the hex head.Is it supposed to be this loose?Should the water pump pulley have a very small amount of play in it?Thanks,chris.

 

[projectSHO89]

Which tensioner pully are you looking at? There are three total. The two v-belt tensioners both have center mounting bolts that just flop around when the pulley nut is loosened. When the nut is secured, the pulley should have no play.

The water pump should have ZERO wobble or play. Yours has worn bearings/bushings from your description.

Steve

 

[350TPI]

Steve,this would be the one to the left of the waterpump thats kind of hard to get to.The noise actually sounds like a pulley tapping against something over and over.This doesnt sound like crank cancer does it?Its a metallic scraping noise.

 

[projectSHO89]

Momentarily start the engine with the v-belts removed. If the noise is gone, you should be able to isolate the source by reinstalling the belts one at a time.

If the noise remains with no v-belts installed, you're left with a loose timing belt (tensioner, probably) or the possibility of crank cancer. If you get the upper timing belt cover off and find a lot of reddish dust inside, crank cancer becmes the most likely diagnosis.

Steve

 

[350TPI]

Well i have taken the upper cover off and there is no red dust.In fact its very clean.Hopefully its a good sign.Also as far as taking off the belts go,the problem i am having is that the other tensioner (by the alternator)has the head broken off and looks like it will be very difficult to get off.I am not sure how to approach it.Hopefully it is my waterpump but the looseness in the pulley is so very miniscule i am just not sure.Thanks.

 

[350TPI]

Well after looking again yesterday i realize now that i do have the reddish dust all over the timinb belt pulleys.Does this definitely mean it has the cancer?I feel sick now.I absolutely love this car and i hope its not that.The noise isnt even coming from the crank area.I am pretty sure its just the water pump but if dust indicates this then i wont waste any more money.

 

[Bizzy]

Is there any way you can take some pictures and audio of the car? That would help a lot I think.

Don't lose hope just yet.

 

[TYSHO]

I did notice that where the tensioner mounts is loose.After the tensioner was taken off i could move the part it mounts to back and forth really good by the hex head.Is it supposed to be this loose?

That is normal, it tightens up and stays in place once you install the pulley and tighten the nut down.

 

[350TPI]

Well i will take the alt belt off today and start it.I guess if i hear the same noise i cna conclude it is probably cancer.

 

[350TPI]

Ok,so i took the other belt off and started it with no belts at all.For about 1 minute there was no noise whatsoever.Then i heard a slight tick coming from somewhere.The noise i heard with the belts on is completely gone.I listened to the sound clip of bizzy sons car and mine sounds nothing like it.Does crank cancer start with what sounds like a fuel injector tick?Thats what it sounds like but coming from much lower.As usual i have an impossible time pinpointing exactly where.Thanks for any and all help,chris.

 

[350TPI]

Anyone?I will put up a video of it hopefully by the weekend but if yall could answer the question above that would at least give me some idea.Thanks again,chris.

 

[projectSHO89]

Does crank cancer start with what sounds like a fuel injector tick?

Yes. That is the sound of the timing belt pulley hitting the Woodruff key in the crank when the crankshaft accelerates due to a cylinder firing event.

You would have to pull the harmonic balancer and the timing belt pully to verify.

Steve