WMi_S4

Feel like a noob asking this but i think my timing belt is going. Upon starting up the car (especially when its cold) it makes one hell of a groaning and squeling sound from a pulley/belt, thinking its the timing belt b/c it is coming from the front of car. Also, every time i rev the engine, the whining belt noise is consistent with revving the engining. Suggestions or possible problems???

B5QShip

you'd have to take off the accessory (ie serpentine) belt to determine which it was....which isn't terribly difficult, but will require bumper removal. Once you know which it is, then you can find the faulty component on the belt that's dying.

If its on the timing belt, I'd do a full timing belt service. If its the accessory belt, hunt down whether its a roller or the PS pump or something else.

When was your timing belt changed?

kelbrig1

That's your serpentine belt. How is your power steering fluid level?

The_Jerbel (Jordan)

I'm betting it's the tensioner pulley

WMi_S4

I know that most people usually wait till around 62K or so till they do the timing belt unless they are planning an all out stage 3 and then will do it in the midst of pulling the motor and what not.

I was hoping i could put off the timing belt till i saved up enough for a Beater DD, but the serpentine belt was my next guess. I'm going to be installing my Reiger front bumper come spring time (waiting till snow is gone) so can I continue to drive the car till then without any issues? Also, once I put the new bumper on, should I look for tears in the belt, how should I identify which of the pulleys/belt is making the noise/needs to be replaced??

And God I feel like a 16 yr old noob asking this stuff

WMi_S4

and i'm assuming they checked all the fluid levels, but i will double check the power steering just to make sure

Also, any definitive way to tell if it is the serpentine belt without pulling the bumper off??

WMi_S4

Where is the tensioner pulley and how to determine if this is the problem or not???

Dr.Duct_Mossburg

it is.. and if you dont know where it is, dont touch it.

WMi_S4

plus, i don't got to fart around with getting an OEM Rs4 front to fit my car. The reiger will fit perfectly and i got it cheaper than i would have paid for a new stock s4 bumper (which if i got would have the rs4 bumper mod done to it). And unfortunately, i got no one to ride around w/ here in Grand Rapids. But can i still call and txt??

WMi_S4

BTW, how do you know its the tensioner pulley for sure???