IceBoy Posted April 23, 2007 Report Posted April 23, 2007 Hi All, I have just started to hear a metallic rattling noise (like a tambourine being rattled) from the engine bay. It appears at idle and disappears after 2000rpm. This is an intermittent problem and thins morning I stopped at the road side when the noise came back and it seems to be the following shaking rapidly: If you look down into the left hand side of the engine where the belts are whizzing around there is a metal cover (casing) which is plugged into the side of the engine there just behind the top pulley (for the belt). This can bee seen violently shaking and the then stops if revved over 2000rpm. When I switched it off it, the metal cover certainly feels solid and does not have any movement ?? What is this and should I stop driving it and take it straight to the Stealer / independent. Thanks in advance.IceBoy Quote
IceBoy Posted April 23, 2007 Author Report Posted April 23, 2007 Yeah kind of next to the alternator, just behind it...there is a small metal cover. Quote
tim-spam Posted April 23, 2007 Report Posted April 23, 2007 (edited) Is it the alternator drive belt tensioner by any chance? This is a spring loaded arm with a pulley pressing against the outside of the belt. If this is worn, it can become noisy - alternatively, it could be the alternator pulley itself causing the problem. These pulleys have a one-way clutch in them, and this is used to damp out the vibrations in the belt drive - they can start to fail anywhere after around 60,000 miles. Another symptom can also be a chattering feeling from the power steering pump. Edited April 23, 2007 by tim-spam Quote
IceBoy Posted April 23, 2007 Author Report Posted April 23, 2007 Yeap i think it is the alternator drive belt tensioner ! Just got back from Fords in Newbury and they were really helpfull. The Technician came out and checked the noise and said it would be the tensioner ! Anyway...thanks all. Can I carry on driving for the rest of the week before It is booked in? What happens if the tensioner fails will it cause massive/expensive damage? Iceboy Quote
Dave-G Posted April 23, 2007 Report Posted April 23, 2007 Yip - carry on driving it, but also try to turn the alternator cooling fan inside the alternator vents with a small nail file or something, when the engine is off. it should turn freely towards the front of the car - but not rearwards. A search for "alternator pully" should bring up the info which a member called LittleDaz gave us. Quote
tim-spam Posted April 23, 2007 Report Posted April 23, 2007 If the tensioner has failed, this may have been caused by the alternator pulley having failed. This should be checked first, as the tensioner may actually be OK. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.