Funny unexplained noise

[rbrthrly900]

Ok, so after re-timing my engine, and having it run... It runs great... No issues... Tension is fine as well... I notice a funny noise at idle... It's a funny whurrlling sound.. Like a pulley is bad, or the bearing... Anyhow, it sounded as if to be coming from the tensioner.. At the shop had a few tech's look at it and they thought the same thing... They said probably because the tensioner pulley had been used to being run at a specific tension, and now being run at 95lbs it is making a funny sound... Well got a new tensioner pulley, and guess what.. Same sound... The old pulley is just fine I believe... Come to find out the old one is one of those rebuildable one's too... lol... Anyhow, it seems to be coming from the exhaust side of the engine... Like the exhaust cam gear... I dont know... Has anyone ever run into this problem... When it starts to make the noise there is nothing going on... RPM's stay the same, oil pres. stays, everything is running fine... Only at idle, and if I tap the gas it goes away, and sometimes it comes back, and sometimes it does not... Not really sure what this could be... If anyone has ever had this, or has an idea it would be great.... Sorry for the bad description as it is just very hard to describe the noise... It really is a funny whining sound...

[Orangetona]

Usually...if its whining ive noticed that the tension is a little too high. Back it off a little and see if it goes away.

[Turbo3Iroc]

Yeah, usually the sound of too much tension. 95 lbs shouldn't be enough to cause that.

[RoadWarrior222]

Well if it wore funny under too much tension, it might sound that way however much you slack it off now. :(

[turbovanman²]

If its coming from the powersteering area, it could be the idler pulley.

Take off the serpentine belt, does the noise go away?

Are you sure your tensioning the timing belt properly? If it is whirring, that's sign its too tight.

[Turbo3Iroc]

If its coming from the powersteering area, it could be the idler pulley.

Take off the serpentine belt, does the noise go away?

Are you sure your tensioning the timing belt properly? If it is whirring, that's sign its too tight.

Yes, to properly check tension you need to loosed the bolts on the rocker shafts. If you just throw the guage on there you will can see numbers higher or lower than what it really is.

[rbrthrly900]

When I do the timing belt tension, I get it to a bit over 95 then take a wrench on both cams and pull them together so that all the slack is in between the two cams... Get it to 95lbs and then say... Good to go... I guess I can take it fully apart tomorrow and do it without the rockershafts on.... As for the noise, it does it with or without the serp. belt... The serp has new pulleys anyhow... I will keep everyone posted... Really was hoping to not take the rockers off... Not that it is hard, but just extra work...

[turbovanman²]

I know Kelly hates me for this but I do it with the rockers on, but don't rotate the cams to set the tension like your doing, it will give a false reading and most likely why the belt is humming.

But I would start from scratch and do it properly, happy big K, :eyebrows:

[Turbo3Iroc]

Yes, I know some people use the 2 wrench method with success. I personally do not feel it is an accurate method, introducing a variable into the equation. You do not have to remove the rocker shafts. Just 3-4 turns on each bolt is good. A speed handle or an air ratchet is your friend.

The torque on the rocker shaft bolts is 210 in/lb. Use a torque wrench if you have one. Also use an alternating pattern.

[rbrthrly900]

Just curious... What is "happy big k"..... LOL...

[turbovanman²]

Yes, I know some people use the 2 wrench method with success. I personally do not feel it is an accurate method, introducing a variable into the equation. You do not have to remove the rocker shafts. Just 3-4 turns on each bolt is good. A speed handle or an air ratchet is your friend.

The torque on the rocker shaft bolts is 210 in/lb. Use a torque wrench if you have one. Also use an alternating pattern.

Or electric screwdriver or 3/8 cordless impact gun, :eyebrows:


Just curious... What is "happy big k"..... LOL...

Big Kelly, lol. He hates it when I set my belt with the rocker arms tight.

[Opticon]

I lost an idler pully bearing on my R/T around 140K miles. The balls flew out and the pulley was spinning on the races and scraping the block. A very terrifying sound when you are 700 miles from home. Luckily NAPA had the part. Seemed to be pretty standard.

Perhaps you are about to go through the same?

[135sohc]

I lost an idler pully bearing on my R/T around 140K miles. The balls flew out and the pulley was spinning on the races and scraping the block. A very terrifying sound when you are 700 miles from home. Luckily NAPA had the part. Seemed to be pretty standard.

Perhaps you are about to go through the same?

That serpentine idler pulley is the same one chrysler used on pretty much everything.

[rbrthrly900]

I have a new one on there....... One of the FWD ones... Ok, well tonight I will check my belt tension with the rockers loose... I did find something last night though... The exhaust cam bolt was loose... Tightened it up and the funny whurrling sound is gone, and now just have a normal belt whine... Will do the belt tension tonight and update you guys... I am almost wondering if maybe my gauge is not correct... No way to tell, and I only have this one...

[Kryp2nitE]

I have a new one on there....... One of the FWD ones... Ok, well tonight I will check my belt tension with the rockers loose... I did find something last night though... The exhaust cam bolt was loose... Tightened it up and the funny whurrling sound is gone, and now just have a normal belt whine... Will do the belt tension tonight and update you guys... I am almost wondering if maybe my gauge is not correct... No way to tell, and I only have this one...

Maybe find a local shop and have them check it in the parking lot with theirs and compare?

[rbrthrly900]

Ok, so just got home... Took the valve covers off... now I have loosened all the bolts and the tension does not change... Not at all... Didnt move one bit... All the bolt are able to be moved by hand... Here is a look... Tell me what I am doing wrong... Is it ok to just go down a little bit on my tension??? Please someone let me know so I can go ahead and put this thing back together... I am up so feel free to call if you find it easier than typing... lol...

http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu351/rbrthrly90/2012-05-24221224.jpg

Rob Harley
301-305-7242

[turbovanman²]

Looks pretty good. Maybe back it off to 90, and try that. You said though that the noise went away after you tightened the loose cam gear bolt?

[rbrthrly900]

The funny whurrling sound went away... There was two separate sounds.... A typical belt whine... Then there was a funny whurrlling sound... Really do not know how to explain... Just a really funny noise... That really funny noise went away with the tightening of the bolt... There is still a belt whine... There with or without the Serp. Belt... I will back it off to 90 and see if that helps... Repost up later... Going to do it now, but wont drive it until tomorrow...

Rob Harley
301-305-7242

[Turbo3Iroc]

Or electric screwdriver or 3/8 cordless impact gun, :eyebrows:



Big Kelly, lol. He hates it when I set my belt with the rocker arms tight.

I'm all about an impact but I never impact rocker shaft bolts.

I'm setting the timing on my motor right now. Might have time to do some testing on this theory.

[rbrthrly900]

Yeah, I set it at 90 will be taking it out tomorrow... Will see how it goes... I found myself, that the rocker shafts tight or loose did not change my tension... It was 95 with them tight, when I loosened them it stayed 95... Then set to 90 with them loose... Tightened everything back up, and guess what... Still at 90... Started it up and it sounds good... Will let you know tomorrow morning when I take her out...

[Turbo3Iroc]

That can all depend on the position of the crank. I have checked this before at random positions and found higher and lower than the untensioned setting. If I can find say TDC for example gives a consistant reading then I will change my methods. I agree bolting and unbolting the rocker shafts is a pain.

[turbovanman²]

I'm all about an impact but I never impact rocker shaft bolts.

I'm setting the timing on my motor right now. Might have time to do some testing on this theory.

Not all impacts are strong, my little 3/8 Dewalt puts out about 40 ft/lbs, perfect for rocker arm bolts or I break them loose then use my cordless screwdriver to loosen them off and tighten them down.

[Turbo3Iroc]

I know speed is money in your buisness. We come from 2 different walks of life. :o

[RoadWarrior222]

Yah, I'd consider myself lazy to use the spinner handle on those :D

[turbovanman²]

I know speed is money in your buisness. We come from 2 different walks of life. :o

I'd rather call it laziness, lol, I hate running alot of fasteners like that by hand, lol.

[RoadWarrior222]

We'll tease up the wazoo, but really professionals who do this day in day out SHOULD make use of every form of automated assistance they can, otherwise they end up with RSI and buggered wrists at 50.

[rbrthrly900]

Ok, well now that it is at 90lbs, it is quite... The belt whine went away... Today sitting in traffic though that funny Whurrling sound came back for a moment, and then went right away... I have no idea what it is... Anyhow, it was quieter and only made the sound for a few seconds and went away by itself... Carlisle is coming up, maybe someone will look at it and know exactly what it is... lol... Who knows...

[Orangetona]

Ah ha! So loosening it made it go away? Hmm...gold star to me. ;) jk.

Inconsistant whirling...could be a pulley on your serp system. Probably like a power steering pulley or something. Pop your belt off and run it for a bit and see if you hear it.

[RoadWarrior222]

Heh, be funny if it's the A/C compressor noise that's worrying you in traffic :D

[Orangetona]

Heh, be funny if it's the A/C compressor noise that's worrying you in traffic :D

I know, I was thinking about that too LOL

[rbrthrly900]

Haha... Dont have the A/C charged... SO not the A/C.... I very rarely use the A/C anyway... My last vehicle it was never used, and at home I very rarely use it... Only when people come over... I like the hot weather...

[Orangetona]

Bleh...it was like 90 here today and I wanted to die. :D

[rbrthrly900]

Yeah, same here... It was great!!!!! lol... I cant get enough... LOL... If for some reason my timing belt idler pulley is bad, are they the same idlers as other vehicles??? I mean, the ones that the part store has, or rockauto... Will they work, or will they be for the 8v....

[Turbo3Iroc]

Just because the AC isn't charged doesn't mean the bearing or pulley isn't making noise. Take off the accy belt and see how it sounds.

[turbovanman²]

Just because the AC isn't charged doesn't mean the bearing or pulley isn't making noise. Take off the accy belt and see how it sounds.

He did that earlier, no change.

[rbrthrly900]

So that Idler pulley for the timing belt is just a normal pulley... lol Also, Turbovanman, I want a oil cap.... Silver... Give me a call, or shoot me a message...

[Opticon]

So that Idler pulley for the timing belt is just a normal pulley... lol
No, the idler for the serp belt is standard. Anything around a TIII timing belt is or soon will be a rare part.

Although Cindy organized a run of new TIII timing tensioners and idler pullies a year or two ago. I bought a set and it looks like she still has some available...

http://www.fwdperformance.com/Store/Category.asp?IDCatalog=43&txtCatalog=16v

[135sohc]

The timing belt tensioner pulley from a 3.5 V6 chrysler is very similar to the oem T3 idler pulley and that it will work with some modifications.

[turbovanman²]

So that Idler pulley for the timing belt is just a normal pulley... lol Also, Turbovanman, I want a oil cap.... Silver... Give me a call, or shoot me a message...

I sell some OE type idlers with the countersunk bolts to relocate it ala Jackson.