Hi All,

I've a pretty mechanical background having been a mechanic professionally for about 15 years before going into computers. Wanted to get that out because of the abnormal questions... Sorry for the winded post.

Has anyone ever heard of the water pump belt making the water pump sound like the bearing went? I am fluent with belt squeal, but this sounds very much like a water pump bearing. It's making that familiar howl.

So.. I replaced the pump, noise gone. Until about 3 days later.... now the noise is back.

I tightened the belt more than I cared to, just to make sure its not a new species of belt squeal.... How tight are these belts supposed to be? Manual says belt shouldn't move vertically more than 1/4" between distance of 7 to 11 inches, I'm at the 1/4" if not less... Noise still present.

When the engine runs for a while the noise goes away.. even with the old pump.

Any second opinions on the new (not rebuilt) pump being bad? It's a rare thing, but is possible. What's the probability, vs something I'm missing. Alternator has been replaced (was a good time to upgrade and I ran the engine without ac belt and noise was still present.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

Having had a few instances of duff aftermarket parts of late, my thoughts immediately turned to a failure of the replacement pump. You will know yourself how a failed/failing bearing sounds, and it seems that is what you are thinking too. Using a mechanics stethoscope or a long screwdriver, and taking care not to get yourself caught it the rotating parts, put it against the pump and listen with the engine running. It will be hard to miss a failed bearing. Could you possibly have overtightened the belt when you fitted the new pump, causing it to fail prematurely?
If the bearing sounds ok, I would try running the engine briefly with the water pump/ alternator belt disconnected to see whether the noise disappears, briefly being a key word.

 

I tried the long screwdriver, but couldn't discern the culprit during the rounds of diagnostics. I contemplated running the engine with no belts in place, but for what ever reason didn't. If I do and the noise persists, could it be a front main bearing? Never heard of one causing that noise... God I hope that's not it...

Any advice on Eurospare parts? My research hasn't shown them to be decent, but always looking for "live" feedback...

When i installed the pump, and not sure of the adjusting specs, I tightened the belt to a faint squeal then tightened to no squeal. Don't think I over tightened, very conscious of that, but who knows after being out of the field for so long...

 

Have you replaced the belt itself??.

Mine had similar, I replaced the pump, no different.

2 new belts, SILENT.

The a/c idler was another noise, but you have run it without, so just saying.

The front harmonic balancers are well documented to delamenate with age. That does give a wierd nosie, and mostly goes away once heated up.

Timing chain growl, mostly due to worn/broken chain dampers and guides is real, and quite hard to pinpoint.

 

I put new belts all around today, still same same...
If timing chain, wouldn't that give erratic idle or popping through intake?
Engine only has 67K miles on it.
How tight is tight for belts? Mine is pretty tight, tighter than I normally do actually..
Doesn't seem low enough for timing chain growl.. Higher pitch like water pump.

Why cant things just work

 

Those flat belts are fickle.

They are done fairly damn tight, much tighter than the old syle V belts, and can be scay.

The "grooves" in all the pulleys must be clean. I use a small "toothbrush" size wire brush, and carefully clean them all whenever I replace those flat belts. Any gunge in there will cause the belt to be noisy.

Thw top timing chain can be noisy, but definately not squealy. Erratic running of the AJ16 engine is not usually an issue with chain damper/guide wear.

I have never used EuroParts, so have no advice, but, like you, I have read heaps about them.

 

Mark your crank damper to rule it in or out as the cause, but I'd say that's your likely culprit.

 

Given all the other steps you have now taken, ruling the crankshaft damper out is a good call.
The timing chain would only give rise to an erratic idle or popping if it had skipped a tooth or two. It can be noisy without getting to the point where it skips a tooth, but given your low lileage, I would be inclined to discount the timing chains at least for now.

 

Ok, I will mark the damper today and report back. I also noticed the sound only comes around at certain RPM's, say about idle-ish or a little above. If I rev to a maintained 1500+ it goes away...

 

Yep, Grant called it. Damper is bad. Drew a line with a paint pen and now I have 3 individual lines.. That's crazy, I'd of never figured that in a million years... Good thing I do computers now


Grant, thanks a bunch! Ever get to Hawaii, first rounds on me.