cmore

On my 97 1.8TQ....

Well a few days ago after being super annoyed by the howling/whistle noise at 2k and 3k rpms especially when cold I started to try to track down the noise.

I located the noise coming from the top front belt tensioner. To verify I took a metal rod and I pushed on the triangular pivoting tensioner and the noise stopped all together. I don't know if the pushing on it stopped a vibration or if it put more tension on the belt.

The noise is always there below say 55 degrees but it happens on warmer days when the engine is warming up. Others have the same noise too, but it seems like no one has a real answer. At least I've located where it is coming from.

Does anyone know if there was a TSB on that belt tensioner or if replacing it with a new piece could fix it?

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Chris More
97 1.8TQ

RKA

Have you inspected it closely? It might be that the belt is getting hard the brittle with age, and it's time to replace it. I haven't heard of common problems with belt tensioners...so I would probably advise changing the belt first, and if that doesn't fix it, then consider readjusting the tensioner (is it adjustable), and finally replacement if nothing else works.

Speedy72t

I'll be checking mine this weekend to see if I get the same result

Speedy72t

but I could be wrong. Either way it's the first answer to this whole problem that really makes sense to me. I usually warm up the car a bit before I leave the house so I don't hear it all that often but I'd like to fix it before another entire winter goes by. Once spring hits again there is no way to diagnose it.

Mirror|rorriM

Only happens at certain throttle positions. It's been too cold out for me to bother looking into it though.

Maybe I'll fix it by March.

cmore

Well just try what I suggested and take a rod and while looking down on the engine in the front you will see the top of the tensioner. Take the rod and push on the top left hand side of it. It doesn't take a lot of force... then rev up the engine with your right hand and the noise will probably be gone.

If you look closely you can see the tensioner moving slightly as you rev the engine up. At times I can see the howling noise synchronized with small movements it makes.

It is in the teens here in central PA so it howls constantly and it is really loud. If anyone is interested I can try to record a wav file.

I was 99.99% sure it was something in my intake because it sounds acoustic and it only happens on certain RPMS UP and DOWN the rev range. It happens for about a 100rpm band at 2000rpms and 3000rpms.

Chris

cmore

As a quick check if you don't want to try the rod check.... open the hood and stick your ear in front of the radiator and rev the engine up to make the howling noise. If you can hold it at the right RPM you should be able to locate the noise. I knew it was something on the front of the engine because sticking my ear in front of the radiator yielded a much louder sound.

Then when I was looking at the tensioner I swear I could see it moving slightly to the sound of the howl.

Chris

Mirror|rorriM

I'll clean and reposition the air filter and see what happens.