Rich Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 It was me who replaced the belt and I didn't get a new pulley with it, AFAIK that is still the original one so it's done 120k miles, but then so have all the other pulleys. Maybe the rubber on the tensioner has perished, which is causing the belt to move? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Fan belt is nothing to do with the MOT. Very few cars have a fan belt these days Tony. That's an auxiliary belt Rich you won't get a new tensioner idler with a belt.. You will only get the idler with a new tensioner kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Rich you won't get a new tensioner idler with a belt.. You will only get the idler with a new tensioner kit. Yep that's why I was looking at the tensioners on the link I put above that come with a new idler pulley. I have a dilemma, buy a genuine idler pulley to put on the old tensioner for around £40 or spend £60 on a pattern tensioner and pulley to replace the whole thing. I need to double check where the tension indicator is as well but I'll be replacing the belt too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 you only need the wheel , the tensioner will be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2016 Car passed the MOT so that's something Need to sort this pulley now, I'll probably order the Honda one and a gates belt. The gates kit works out more expensive! The tension mark is supposed to be between the sides of a rectangle block but it's right on the edge and next to the square block, which means the tension isn't tight enough. Could the belt have stretched that much already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 Think I found the culprit, it is the idler pulley. I took the belt off again, this time in daylight and all of the pulleys seem ok. When I got to the idler one it felt ok at first but then I span it and checked, span again and checked, then I felt play in it! Span it again and the play wasn't as bad, then it almost disappeared after another spin, which explains why I didn't feel it the other day. I've already ordered a new belt but will order the pulley on Monday and fingers crossed that sorts it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted November 6, 2016 Report Share Posted November 6, 2016 Reads like you found the culprit, nice find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 I thought I'd fit the new idler pulley tonight, should only be a 10 minute job. After removing the old one I put my finger in the bearing/bolt hole and could feel it was a little rough. When I spun it there was a noise so it's definitely the culprit. Fitted the new one and after tightening it there was movement and it felt loose. I bought a new bolt but not the cover as I didn't think I'd need that. Decided to undo it to have a look and the nut that I thought couldn't fall out as it's up against the tensioner bracket did! It dropped down on top of the alternator then I didn't see where it went! I've removed the PS pump and tensioner so far and still no sign of it. It's too dark to carry on looking so it'll have to wait until Thursday now but what a PITA!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 Doh! Drop the undertray before you hunt too much.. You may be lucky and it's fallen straight through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 Ditto that suggestion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHAHZ Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 Oh man that's real frustrating!! Fingers crossed it's on the undertray, give the undertray a bang with you hand, you might be able to hear it, I had a similar issue when I had the Lexus and I managed to confirm it was on the undertray this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 If I had been wearing my old clothes then I would've taken the undertray off yesterday but I didn't have to time to faff around. In hindsight I should've just left the job until I had more time and not started it an hour before it gets dark! But then I was expecting it to be a simple unbolt/bolt on job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Hopefully I'll find the nut tomorrow without too much issue but when I do and bolt the new pulley on if it's still loose what could cause that? Comparing old for new the bearing looks to be in a slightly different position on the latter. If that is the problem then do I tell Honda and get another one or try and move the bearing a little in my vice with a socket. I'm not having much luck with their parts so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 Found the nut, it was under the alternator but I had to remove the radiator fans, expansion tank and undo some horrible clips to remove it. This was after I had undone half the undertray first! So just got to put it all back together tomorrow now along with the new parts. The old bearing is noisy but I think the play I felt is not related to it. The new one does the same and I can't figure out why. The cap doesn't move once it's bolted up and the movement seems to come from the bearing so all I can think of is it's not in 100% straight. The movement is about 1mm but only in a certain spot, spin it to a different position and it more or less disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted November 18, 2016 Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 How true is the hole the bearing fits in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 I'll take some photos tomorrow, I'm out tonight but I don't really know. The bearing just pushes in until it reaches the back of the pulley wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Well the car is back together but I'm not happy, there is still something up! I think the movement I could feel is from the bearings, it felt the same on the old one too so maybe it's normal to have a tiny bit of play. I've done a video of it with the cap removed, it's the same amount of movement with it fitted but you can see it better this way. Maybe the speed at which it spins counteracts the movement? The idler pulley definitely needed changing plus I've fitted the new belt and although this has made it a little quieter that noise is still there. I've done a little video of before and after. I fitted the new battery and was hoping now I have a Honda one the positive terminal wouldn't be loose but it was so I used the copper shim I made again. The car started fine once I had finished on Saturday and I took it out for a 15 minute drive but didn't use it yesterday. This morning the car wouldn't start first time, it was cranking, just wouldn't fire. Turned the ignition off and tried again, it started ok. So I'm not sure if something else is up, I should've charged the battery first or this one just needs to be cranked for longer. Although the Honda battery is 48Ah and 420CCA, the old one is 45AH and 330CCA so is actually a lower spec. On the plus side I put the winter tyres back on and the car drives so much better. The handling and tramlining from the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta is terrible, it's one of the worst tyres I have ever used! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Hate to say it but that sounds like bottom end , so hard to tell on a video though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 I hope it isn't that but surely there would be other signs? I had the bottom end go on old Escort when I was on the M25 years a go. The temperature gauge went through the roof and by the time I had pulled over it had gone, big crack in the bottom of the engine! I can't hear the noise when inside (neither can the missus) so I don't know if it changes when the car is driven. I guess it's time to get someone to take a look for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 When they start all you get is the noise What oil do you have in it ? Is the noise worse with the engine hot or cold ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 I've been using Exol 5/30 fully synthetic since I got the car 3 years a go and it's definitely worse when it's hot. Although I've not really used the car since changing the pulley so I'll have to check a few times to confirm that's still the case. As that pulley was knackered it might have been that making the noise when it was hot. I think I've done all I can now and need someone to take a look. If it was a project car and I had a garage then I'd try myself but as it's my daily runner I need to sort it. If it does turn out to be an engine bearing then I guess it's not worth sorting, the car is only worth £1,500 at the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Does it vary with ac on or off? you could try a thicker oil say a 5w40 or 10w40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 It does seem to get louder when the air con cycles on and I put that down to all the pulleys spinning faster. The video above I had the air con turned on and it cycled on and off a few times. The trouble is my phone seems to amplify the sounds too. I think I forgot to say but when I removed the belt and alternator I checked all the pulleys again and I felt a tiny bit of play in the compressor one. I'll have to watch the video later, I'm at work now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 I thought you had changed the compressor one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 No I've changed the idler pulley. I don't even know if the compressor pulley can be replaced and if it can whether it can be done in situ. If it is the compressor then it means paying to get the gas removed, £200+ on a reconditioned/pattern one, then get it regassed again. I guess that's cheaper than an engine bearing going though! It's a shame Tony B is no longer at the centre, he'd probably find it no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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.