Clanking/grinding noises from timing belt/belt area?

[Golden4g63child]

This problem just started recently ever since it got cold out. Well, when I first start my car up, it would make a low clanking/grinding noise coming from the driver side, seems like it's coming from the belt area, and after about 5 minutes of idle it would go away. But when im driving, particullary in higher RPM's (4 and above) the noise would come back from the same area. If I drive in the lower RPM band, the noise it not present (or im not hearing it) but even if I rev my car up in neutral, I could hear the noise. I have some ideas on what is causing the noise (something that has to do with the belts probably) but I wanna hear what other dsmers have to say from their experiance or knowledge. Any ideas?

 

[Golden4g63child]

Well, I just got done installing it today. So far, the noise that was coming from the area is gone, I haven't got her on the road yet but I will update. One thing is, I couldn't get the a/c belt back on so I just left it off, and I was wondering would that mess up anything?

 

[TSiAWD666]

Well, as I'm sure you know your ac won't work, but otherwise that's fine.

 

[Golden4g63child]

Yeah, I knew that My A/C unit has been broken for awhile now so I might as well take of the belt that doesn't power anything. As for the update, so far the noises are totally gone. I haven't gotten on it yet but as for regular driving, the noises are pretty much gone.

 

[Siberian]

Originally posted by Golden4g63child
Yeah, I knew that My A/C unit has been broken for awhile now so I might as well take of the belt that doesn't power anything. As for the update, so far the noises are totally gone. I haven't gotten on it yet but as for regular driving, the noises are pretty much gone.

That's great news!

My new wheel is on too, but I'm not 100% sure the noise is entirely gone. It certainly isn't blatantly obvious like it was before - and I may just be being paranoid now. Mine was noisy only sometimes, and sometimes was quiet, so I won't really know for sure until I don't hear it for awhile.

How was your old wheel?

Mine was fine. I kinda wished it fell apart in my hands, . So I'm thinking that readjusting the belts did more good for me than replacing the wheel.

Still, it's nice to not have to worry about it failing for another 75,000 miles

 

[Golden4g63child]

Yeah, mine looked fine too. Since the new wheel was sitting right in front of my face, I just decided to replace it since my car has about 135,000 mile on it already, and you never know, with a car being that old, the stock crank pulley has to give out soon... Yeah, I also think that adjusting the belts could have fixed the problem also, because I had alot of slack on the alternator belt/power steering belt, so I just basically tightened them down to the point where there was no more slack (or a little). I did notice however with the old crank pulley and the slack in the belts that when my car was idling, the crank pulley had play in it as well as the alternator belt. After replacing the crank pulley and tightening down the belts, the crank pulley and the alternator belt had no more slack so that was a good thing....

 

[Newlogics]

It's good that things worked out for you guys.

For the future reference, there on nasty pulley that tends to make grinding noise very often. It's AC belt tensioner. Somehow it always finds its way to the T-belt cover and starts eating it away. (You'd see marks on the cover if it happened to you)

As I always said, no AC- no problem, so I just ripped my whole system out.

 

[Golden4g63child]

Just to update again, well I got on it after school and the noise is still there, mainly in the upper rpm band. What else could cause this noise?? I replaced the crank pulley, remove the a/c belt, and tighten down all of the other belts! Any other suggestions or ideas?

 

[tsi20gawd]

just wanted to say the 2g damper has a raised "hub"
the 1g is the one without

is could be the t-belt idler which is usually a dry bearing howl or chirping sound behind the t-cover

 

[Newlogics]

Originally posted by Golden4g63child
Just to update again, well I got on it after school and the noise is still there, mainly in the upper rpm band. What else could cause this noise?? I replaced the crank pulley, remove the a/c belt, and tighten down all of the other belts! Any other suggestions or ideas?

How do you know that noise is infact coming from the T-belt side?
I presume it would be rather hard to distinguish while driving.

Good point about idler, although usually, if it makes noise, it's not loud enough to hear while driving.

 

[MyBlack94GST]

I have this same problem - when it's cold I get this rubbing noise that varies linearly with RPM. I replaced the crank pulley and all the belts 3 thousand miles ago but it still happens. Time to check other pulleys. Any reason why it only happens when cold - thermal expansion?

 

[Golden4g63child]

I have this same problem - when it's cold I get this rubbing noise that varies linearly with RPM. I replaced the crank pulley and all the belts 3 thousand miles ago but it still happens. Time to check other pulleys. Any reason why it only happens when cold - thermal expansion?

I have no idea but I re tightened my belt since the last time I tightened them when I replace my crank pulley and sprayed some wd-40 on the pulleys and sprayed some belt dressing on the belts and the noises it totally gone for now (fingers crosses) You may want to re-tighten your belts again, and spray the pulley and belts down and see what happens, hope that helps!