Weird engine sound, buzzing?

[turbotsi90]

OK guys I need help, I was driving around and all of a sudden I hear a buzzing sound at all RPM's beside idle that what I thought was coming from the timing belt area?

Then on my way home about 2 hours later my water pump bearing took a crap and the pulley was just dangling there and the belt came off, so I had to tow her home.

I call a mechanic and had the TB, BS, & water pump replaced, the mechanic said my tensioners was still in good condition but when I got it back it still had the noise?

I call him back and told him about the noise it still had and I had to buy all new tensioners but all I had to do was pay for the parts not the labor again.

I get the car back today and its doing the same dam thing It runs and drives good just like it did before it went in.


When I first heard the noise I pulled over and popped the hood and thought it might be the top timing cover hitting, so I took that off and noticed it was missing what looked to be a part of a gasket that was around it. Maybe it fell out when I pulled it off?

whatever it is starting making the sound right before the water pump went

any idea's what it might be?

 

[twoTSis]

My car did this once, but it just sort of went away...my uncle, a mechanic, said it was a loose pulley.

 

[kenamond]

Did the mechanic replace the harmonic balancer? It might have separated (there's an inner metal part bolted to the crank gear (drives the timing belt) and an outer metal part that drives two belts, and the inner and outer metal parts are connected with rubber which wears out and separates). If this happens, the outer part can walk toward or away from the motor and start rubbing on the lower timing cover and making noises. I'd hope a mechanic would notice a shot balancer.

I assume the buzzing tracks the rpm of the motor - higher pitch as rpm goes up, etc.?

 

[turbotsi90]

Did the mechanic replace the harmonic balancer? It might have separated (there's an inner metal part bolted to the crank gear (drives the timing belt) and an outer metal part that drives two belts, and the inner and outer metal parts are connected with rubber which wears out and separates). If this happens, the outer part can walk toward or away from the motor and start rubbing on the lower timing cover and making noises. I'd hope a mechanic would notice a shot balancer.

I assume the buzzing tracks the rpm of the motor - higher pitch as rpm goes up, etc.?

yes the higher the rpm goes the more high pitch it sounds but not while idling.

I could of swore when he took it apart the second time he had me start it up real quick without the timing cover on and no belts besides the TB & BS there and it still was making the noise, that's why I thought it might be a tensioner which he should of done in the first place. Now with new tensioners its still doing it.

It's weird cause like I stated in my first post this noise started about 2 hours before my dam water pump went

I really appreciate your help

 

[kenamond]

You might ask them to try to zero in on the problem. A mechanic's stethescope should help them (or you) zero in on the source of the noise. Without more information/specifics, all I can do is guess.

 

[turbotsi90]

OK I'm gonna try and get a stethoscope and see if I can figure out where it is coming from.

Thanks for your help

 

[1992awdlaser]

Did you replace the idler pulley and tensioner pulley? If it is coming from the timing belt side I would take off the accessory belts and spin each pulley. You can hold the stethoscope on the part (alternator for example) you are testing when doing this. If you don't find it like this I would take the timing belt off and do the same thing with the timing pullies. If you find it is a pully that has to deal with the timing belt then replace all of the ones that haven't been replaced yet. You could try it with the belt on and the car running but it is hard to find sometimes because of other noises.

 

[turbotsi90]

Did you replace the idler pulley and tensioner pulley? If it is coming from the timing belt side I would take off the accessory belts and spin each pulley. You can hold the stethoscope on the part (alternator for example) you are testing when doing this. If you don't find it like this I would take the timing belt off and do the same thing with the timing pullies. If you find it is a pully that has to deal with the timing belt then replace all of the ones that haven't been replaced yet. You could try it with the belt on and the car running but it is hard to find sometimes because of other noises.

yes the idler pulley and tensioner pulley was replaced, we even started it with just the timing and balance shaft belt on and it still made that noise

 

[twoTSis]

Have you solved this one?

 

[turbotsi90]

nope, its going back to the mechanic and hopefully this time he can find it and fix it

 

[twoTSis]

nope, its going back to the mechanic and hopefully this time he can find it and fix it

He's not charging you every time you take it in is he?

 

[turbotsi90]

He's not charging you every time you take it in is he?

the second time he did cause he had to replace all the tensioners and some other stuff which he should of done in the first place, cause he said thats what was making the noise but when I got it back it still had it and to this day it still does.

But from now on out I will not pay him anything else

 

[twoTSis]

Has he agreed to finish the job and fix the noise with out any additional payments?

 

[turbotsi90]

Has he agreed to finish the job and fix the noise with out any additional payments?

yes he has

 

[twoTSis]

Good, atleast you aren't getting screwed by the mechanic also.

 

[turbotsi90]

well you guys here is a little update,

The day before I took the car back to my mechanic I was driving down the freeway again and I saw my temp gauge was over half so I stop and waited for the car to cool down.

Then I opened my cap and no water, so I was able to fill her back up and I guess my fan quit working for some weird reason? so I pushed and kept the AC button on so it would cool it down.

As soon as I got to where I was going I checked the water again and it was low.

So while I was headed back home on the freeway and my car started sounding like a Subaru and I lost a lot of power.

So the next day the mechanic comes and gets it and like 2 or three weeks later he tells me one of my valves had a piece of it missing and I have no compression in that cylinder? So I am having him fix that and also found out that the hot side of my turbo had a huge crack in it but I found a another one in excellent condition.

I need to find a new mechanic or learn to work on her myself

So that's where I am at now

Do you guys think that rattling sound could of been a piece of the valve bouncing around in there, cause right after it started making that noise I noticed that my vacuum was lower until now when I believe a bigger chunk broke and It didn't want to stay running?

here are a few pics of the valve

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here are some of my hotside of the turbo, it has a huge crack around the housing and I believe inside where the wastegate flapper is.

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[turbotsi90]

sorry to bump the thread but I was just wondering what you guys think? Cause I think my mechanic is trying to rip me off again. He has had my car for about a month now

 

[SpiralOut]

I would get your car back and do the work yourself. There is a Vfaq or a writeup on almost everything on a DSM. You can get a used head for 150, also get a metal HG and some ARP studs. since you need a new turbo just get a 16g. or this Modern Automotive Performance  :: DSM  :: Turbochargers and Accessories  :: Bullseye Power  :: Bullseye-Power T04B V Trim Bolt On Turbocharger. The labor will be free and you will get to know your car better.

 

[turbotsi90]

I would get your car back and do the work yourself. There is a Vfaq or a writeup on almost everything on a DSM. You can get a used head for 150, also get a metal HG and some ARP studs. since you need a new turbo just get a 16g. or this Modern Automotive Performance :: DSM :: Turbochargers and Accessories :: Bullseye Power :: Bullseye-Power T04B V Trim Bolt On Turbocharger. The labor will be free and you will get to know your car better.

believe me, when I get it back this time if anything goes wrong I will do it my self, the head shop fixed the valve and resurfaced the head and said all my other valves were fine. I also found another hot-side for my turbo that is in really good condition. I just need my car back running and I don't think the mechanic will let me take it since he has almost got it done? I should get it back this week. After I get it back I will start upgrading it myself

thanks for the info and link