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I have a 2000 Honda Accord V6. When the car reaches operating temperature, it emits a humming or grinding noise from the timing belt area. I tried to pinpoint the noise by using a stethoscope and noticed that the noise is coming from the timing belt tensioner pulley. I already replaced this part twice. In addition, I have replaced the water pump, idler pulley, tensioner, and crankshaft pulley (wobble a bit). The noise is still there. I’m suspecting that the tensioner pulley made by Koyo is defective. Other than that, I’m not sure what else it could be. Need help in identifying this noise. Thanks.
Link to the noise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHcr4JTc55M
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Sure sounds like on of the pullies. Best advice I have is to remove the belt and feel each one by hand. Or maybe a quick spray of some lubricant on each til the noise disappears. Clean engine by the way
The noise is not coming from the drive belt area since I took the belts off and ran the engine; noise was still there. It is coming from inside the timing belt cover. As mentioned earlier, I already replaced most of the parts related to the timing belt. I’m still hearing noise from the tensioner pulley via a stethoscope, but I have replaced that pulley twice already. Can’t figure it out.
I tried a different brand (GMB) for the tensioner pulley and it reduces the noise a bit. However it still exists.
I took off the timing belt cover and ran the engine. The noise is still there. I replaced the tensioner pulley, tensioner, water pump, timing belt, idler pulley, and the noise is still there. Not sure what it is. I used the stethoscope and it seems that the noise is coming from the tensioner pulley but I have replaced that part three times already.
@mrdigital: Were you ever able to figure out where the noise was coming from? I’m experiencing the same sound after just replacing timing belt, water pump, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, auto-tensioner, etc. Same as you, the noise becomes louder as the engine warms up and is only noticeable at idle. Before timing belt change, engine purred like a kitten.
After noticing the issue, I tore it down again and tried to diagnose with the timing belt covers removed. The new tensioner pulley was the only one that sounded a little rough via stethoscope, so I put the old one back on and the noise continued. All of the other pulleys and components sounded smooth (water pump, idler pulley, etc). I then re-installed the new tensioner pulley and have been running car with this noise for a couple days. Car runs really well and smooth – only problem is the noise.
I did the job with the help of Eric’s video and the factory maintenance manual. The only issue I experienced was when attempting to install the new timing belt, the rear cam pulley slipped on me and moved ~1/4 turn clockwise. All I did then was move it back to the TDC position indicated by the marks on the pulley and resumed with timing belt installation. Timing is spot on now according to the marks on all pulleys.
I would welcome any thoughts or suggestions from others out there.
Jbennett,
Sorry, I was not able to solve this problem. It is very difficult to pinpoint. In addition to my previous efforts, I also tried adding more grease to the tensioner bearing and that did not help at all. I even tried using the idler pulley as a tensioner pulley and it didn’t affect the noise a bit.I’m thinking the noise could be coming from somewhere else. Not sure where.
One thing I noticed while taking out the front cam gear for cam seal replacement is that the gear is rubbing against the sensors a bit. So I tried grinding down the gear a tad. That didn’t do much. Perhaps, I need to grind it down a bit more. However, I already put everything back together.
Definitely need help here. Perhaps Eric can weigh in.
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