Metallic screeching noise, OBD1 M52

[slammin.e28]

So, I've got a terrible terrible, metallic screeching noise coming from the front of the M52 in my Rover.

It's the balancer, for sure. The tops of the teeth have evidence of hitting something. I took the CPS off and it had evidence of the balancer hitting it. Spaced it out, and I still get this noise, but not as bad, but sometimes as bad as before.

WTF could it be hitting?

I'm gonna put some nail polish on the teeth and see if it leaves it on whatever it's hitting, but for now I'm at a loss.

It's rather embarrassing to go through the drive through in an old English vehicle with a terrible, ear piercing screeching coming from under the hood.

For the record it's the German part that's acting up, not the English. :p :p

[328ijunkie]

You take the ac pulley off? You use shorter bolts? Water Pump pulley falling off?
Get the balancer set on the dowel?

[Adrian_Visser]

Have you put a hand on the balancer? It's Proly come apart internally.

[slammin.e28]

I have done nothing.

I'm gonna take it off tonight.

While it was running I pressed the handle of my screwdriver on it and the noise subsided quite a bit, but came back upon removal of the screwdriver.

Drove it to work, no noise the whole 12 mile commute, which included rescuing a box turtle from the middle of the road and hitting awesome puddles.

[slammin.e28]

I should mention too, it's converted to OBD1, if that makes a difference.

[hwy84]

Have you put a hand on the balancer? It's Proly come apart internally.

This.

[slammin.e28]

Got the tech at work to come out and look at it on lunch. The belt tensioner is moving enough to hit the balancer. There's a metal tab on the back of the tensioner that's hitting.

-_-