I think my tensioner is loose...it is making a rattling noise..has anyone had that problem before...the belt is tight but the tesioner is kinda wobbley!

Also what other things could it be? at first i was thinking ti was the alternator and then the tensioner...what other things in that area could make rattling noises and how to test for them?

thanks


any suggestions

thanks

come on I know someone has some suggestions for me to check out when i get off work!

thanks

Okaaay... weelll... The last time I had a problem that I _thought_ was the tensioner, it actually turned out to be bad bearings in the alternator.

When the engine was idling, I could see the tensioner jumping around every now and then, with the belt jumping along with it, and I thought, "Ah-ha! I'll replace the tensioner and life will be perfect again!" But the dealer said, No, it'* the alternator, and since (1) they were offering to replace the alternator for free under warranty, and (2) alternators cost more than tensioners anyway, I figured I had nothing to lose by letting them replace the alternator. Lo and behold, that was it.

So I'd suggest that Step 1 would be to remove the belt (not that hard to do, really, as long as you have the right socket and a breaker-bar handle or torque wrench to get enough leverage), and see which component really has the slop in it: the tensioner, the alternator or something else.

P.*. Be sure you're pushing on the tensioner (in order to release the drive belt) in the right direction. For example, the alternator belt on my '93 SSEi is loosened by turning the hub of the tensioner belt _clockwise_, not counterclockwise. It'* got a honkin' big spring in it so you need to push hard to back it off, which is why you want as long a handle as possible on the socket.

Yeah If the belt is tight I wouldnt think that it would be the tensioner I think it might be your alt because those bearings have been known to go bad.

ok so it would be the alternator even if i have had no problems with the battery or with it starting?

When i start it up there is a clacking sound..but kinda slight ..not a knocking sound but sounds like something is loose and rattling!

thanks

Yes, even if its pulley bearings are going, it might still be generating electricity just fine...

Yup Yup its the alt you dont want that thing to seeeze and smoke your belt. So get it done... :?

Mine was doing it too...called napa and they said i should change my water pump. did that and nothing changed, so i called back and they told me to bring my Alt in to test it... ran a test on it and said it was fine, he said the bearings were more than likely good. so then i bought a new power steering pump, as napa suggested. still the same noise was there, now theyve got me thinking my air conditioning compressor is going out...over $300 for it
the motor is in the shop still, getting rebuilt - and fixing the rattling sound while theyre at it, so when i get the car back ill post and let everyone know what is causing it.

Thanks for the replies..I have tried to tun all the pulleys by hand..all turned freely except the bottom one..It was kinda hard and it was dark out..so I will try it again tomorrow.

Also is there a diagram somewhere that shows how the belt goes on?

thanks

Should be a belt routing diagram under the hood near the radiator.