5v/cyl

When I bought my '99 2.8 30v it had unknown TB history and a noise coming from the TB area. I did the TB service and all was quiet for the first 12k miles. Now at 30k miles since service the noise is back. Not loud (most people don't even notice), but annoys me and only makes noise when warm.

In effort to figure it out I spayed just bit of WD40 on the belt and noise gone! Came back 100 miles later so I sprayed it again, but noticed that lubing the smooth side of the belt made no difference. It's the cog side that is making the squeak.

What's going on here? Belt tension seems good and belt tracks straight and true with no wobble. No signs of odd wear or fraying. Belt still looks new and doesn't appear to be rubbing on covers anywhere.

My one thought is that the car is missing the belly pan so maybe the belt is getting wet from road spray and salt water spray in the winter dirtying the pulleys and belt.

I did notice one thing that may be odd or not. The belt rides flush with the front of the passenger side sprocket, but hangs maybe 1 mm over the front of the drivers side. I pushed the belt back on both sprockets, but it moves back out and soon as engine is started. May be normal or may help shed light on a potential problem.

mtroxel

I did a T-belt on my old 96. Started it up and terrible noise. Found the aftermarket waterpump stuck out an extra mm or two and was rubbing on the back of the clutch fan bracket. Took the braket off and ground the back off.

I know that's not your problem, but could it be that one of the new pulley's with a flange is off a bit and is dragging the belt in/out a bit?

Here's a pic of the way my t-belt rides on the driver's side cam sprocket on my current 99.5 AHA:

4Driver4

Not sure what the issue is, but spraying a lubricant into the timing belt area is a bad idea...especially a petroleum-based lubricant.

5v/cyl

I don't plan on lubing the belt. So far it has just been to find the source of the noise.

4Driver4

I get that. But use something else. Water would be much better for the belt.

LoCus2021

Does this sound only appear when pressing the gas?

5v/cyl

Only at idle and only when warm. Thought it was valve train noise at first, but the spritz of lube on the belt proved that not the case.

5v/cyl

Water is what actually the first thing I sprayed on it. Made it squeak really bad for a few seconds.