What to replace?
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What to replace?
My 99 zx2 escort has a rattling that sounds like someone is jiggling a washer at the end of a bolt. I pured a few drips of water on the belt and the noise went away. I was oringonaly thinking the tentioner pulley but I don't want to just throw parts at it. It is driving me crazy!!!!!! A garden hose does not help isolate it eather. It is in the tentioner / pulley area
Thanks
Dustin
Thanks
Dustin
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: So Cal
I assume you have just one serpentine belt. If you had 2 or more belts you could pull each one until you isolated which one the problem is on.
With the one belt it sounds like you may be close or have found the problem. You might do the old mechanic trick of using a long screwdriver and putting the handle in your ear and touch suspect parts with the blade and listen for the sound. Of course be careful around moving parts, don't put the screwdriver on the pulley, just the mount.
Other way is to pull the belt off and check the pulleys you suspect. Often the tensioner pulley has bearings inside that go "Dry" over time and need replacing. A dry bearing will eaither squeak when you turn the pulley, have a lot of play side to side or even back and forth, or it will feel loose and maybe gritty as it turns. A good bearing will have a little smooth resistance to it when it is cold, that is the grease in the bearing.
A loose washer rattle sure sounds like a bad bearing, either the ***** rattling around or the side plates coming loose.
If you do determine it is the bearings, you might be able to find some at bearing supplies. Let's hope Ford didn't use some oddball size like I had on a Taurus. A bearing costs maybe $10, but Ford likes to sell the complete assembly, on my Taurus that cost $100.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
With the one belt it sounds like you may be close or have found the problem. You might do the old mechanic trick of using a long screwdriver and putting the handle in your ear and touch suspect parts with the blade and listen for the sound. Of course be careful around moving parts, don't put the screwdriver on the pulley, just the mount.
Other way is to pull the belt off and check the pulleys you suspect. Often the tensioner pulley has bearings inside that go "Dry" over time and need replacing. A dry bearing will eaither squeak when you turn the pulley, have a lot of play side to side or even back and forth, or it will feel loose and maybe gritty as it turns. A good bearing will have a little smooth resistance to it when it is cold, that is the grease in the bearing.
A loose washer rattle sure sounds like a bad bearing, either the ***** rattling around or the side plates coming loose.
If you do determine it is the bearings, you might be able to find some at bearing supplies. Let's hope Ford didn't use some oddball size like I had on a Taurus. A bearing costs maybe $10, but Ford likes to sell the complete assembly, on my Taurus that cost $100.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
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Joined: Sep 2001
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There is a serpentine belt noise diagnostics post in the Garage Forum FAQ section.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ease-read.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ease-read.html
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Thanks fellas,
I had my boss look at it, as he ran a mechanic's shop for over 30 years. He was shocked. The surp belt seems to be riding on the out edge of the water pump pulley. Why didn't I see that before?? He says the water pump needs to be replaced. It is not really inline with the "other" pullies. So I will make an appointment to have the water pump/ timing belt replaced at Bird Culgen for here in Waco, they seem real nice. I was told by a service tech there that my timng belt probably was still good at 140k miles as it has no cracks. He told me that his son's Zx2 has 160k and the belt looked like new."He had an honest inviting peronality. i was quoted $630 from Sakora, walk out the door price for the timing belt/tentioner, water pump, new antifreeze, and a new sur belt, I will ask him if he will "spin" the other pullies to check them. The gentleman that that I talked to a Sakora seemed to rush me i guess he knew I was younger and that I was just a "Kid" I hope they are the same price dealer wise.
Dustin
I had my boss look at it, as he ran a mechanic's shop for over 30 years. He was shocked. The surp belt seems to be riding on the out edge of the water pump pulley. Why didn't I see that before?? He says the water pump needs to be replaced. It is not really inline with the "other" pullies. So I will make an appointment to have the water pump/ timing belt replaced at Bird Culgen for here in Waco, they seem real nice. I was told by a service tech there that my timng belt probably was still good at 140k miles as it has no cracks. He told me that his son's Zx2 has 160k and the belt looked like new."He had an honest inviting peronality. i was quoted $630 from Sakora, walk out the door price for the timing belt/tentioner, water pump, new antifreeze, and a new sur belt, I will ask him if he will "spin" the other pullies to check them. The gentleman that that I talked to a Sakora seemed to rush me i guess he knew I was younger and that I was just a "Kid" I hope they are the same price dealer wise.
Dustin
