Ticking from timing belt side of engine

[94TalonKid]

I have this ticking from the timing belt side of my engine. It is a ticking/tapping sound, and I know that when it comes from the side of the timing belt it is usually associated with the tensioner pulley arm hitting the tensioner from the tensioner pulley not being tight enough. So i checked this, sure enough, that was the problem. There was a line worn down the center of my timing belt from it rubbing against the bottom screw hole of the timing belt cover, and the tensioner was fully extended, and there was still play in the tensioner arm. So i fixed this problem, tightened the pulley and had the tensioner in spec. (Could stick the grenade pin through the holes of the tensioner.)

I put everything back together, and I still have this ticking. The tensioner is fairly new... at max about 8k miles on it. It's not an annoying tick really, and I actually have to listen for it. But I'm thinking there must be something else associated with this, or I am missing something.


Thanks
Dan

 

[Gigaah]

Is your crank pulley comming apart?(beat you to it Defiant)

I would check it to make sure you didn't get one with a short lifespan, if you got a bad one that'll certainly make for a bad day somewhere along the road.

Of course also check for belt rubbing and loos TB covers.

 

[94TalonKid]

If by "short lifespan" you mean the tensioner, then I think it is still fine. It has plenty of pressure (I put in a clamp to test it... and it extends fine.)

The crank pulley, I'm not sure what to look for as far as it coming apart, besides the obvious of it being in two pieces. So what are the signs of this?

Thanks

 

[Gigaah]

usually to test them I was told you should attempt to compress it by hand(say against the cement) and if it moves at all then its bad. Maybe thats just another way of doing it?

The bad one I had was pretty stiff and extended but I could move it a bit by hand( I could actually see it move down JUST A BIT if I pressed with all my might with the tensioner in my hand using my thumb.

It could very well be good, infact the life usage indicates it would be good..but you can never be too carefull. Hope you figure it out man!

 

[94TalonKid]

Yeah i couldn't move it with my hand. It took a lot of force with the clamp even. I've done my timing belt a couple times and never had this happen like this.

It could be the crank pulley, but im not sure that makes a ticking.

Thanks for trying Gigaah, appreciate it.
Any other suggestions would be great.

Thanks everyone

 

[spooner_dee]

i have the same problem with my car, it just started a few days ago, theres a slight ticking tapping noise comming from the area down near my drive belt and all, but i have the 420a engine. I dont know whats wrong think it might be similar to your problem? should i have that whole belt area looked at testing what u did or what should i check for? i know you dont know whats wrong with urs yet but figured id ask maybe someone can help us both.

 

[94TalonKid]

I also hear the noise when im slowing down, with the car still in gear. It sounds like a tapping, but also like the sound that the rubber on a wobbly tire would make, wobbling back and forth... I know thats a horrible description, but the more important part is that I also hear it when I am slowing down in gear, and not just idle. So that should rule out the timing belt tensioner because it should tighten on its own when the revs get higher.

Any ideas? Defiant, crankbender, anyone?

 

[Jetblack]

When I had that same ticking noise it was my harmonic balancer.