TBelt tensioner going bad

[SocalianSD]

How common is it for the tensioner to go bad even tho the TBelt was changed in 2009 and about 15-20k miles ago? The PO changed the tensioner and the spring when he did the job.

I have a noise coming from my TBelt area that sounds like a bad bearing on cold starts, grinding whirling noise. I had my trusted mechanic check out the noise and he checked all of my acessories and he said it definitly is coming from my TBelt cover. Sooo my question is how easy is it for the tensioner to go bad and is it likely in my situation?

[whodwho]

Possibly the water pump, pull the vbelts and see if it goes away.

[SocalianSD]

The mechanic i took it to said he checked everything including the water pump.

Thats what my first intuition was. Ill take off the belt running to the water pump to test it myself.

[jlevie]

While not common, it isn't unheard of for the bearing in the tensioner to fail before it is time to replace the belt. But it is possible for the noise to be from the waterpump bearings. With it located next to the tensioner it is pretty easy to mistake the source of the noise.

[SocalianSD]

Would a bad water pump stop making noise after the engine is warmed up?

[jlevie]

It can.

[DivineStyler]

Would a bad water pump stop making noise after the engine is warmed up?

I notice a noise similliar to the one you mentioned, but it's mostly on first gear up to about 25k rpm... but not on any of the other gears... would that also be related to the water pump?

[jlevie]

If the noise is only present in 1st gear and not when just reving the engine, it is probably something other than a belt driven bearing.

[SocalianSD]

I replaced my water pump/timing belt/ and tensioner and all of my noises are gone.

[DivineStyler]

i just replaced my waterpump the other day... it was pretty worn... but I haven't drove it around much just yet... to tell if its totally gone, but so far the noise is gone... except that my valves need adjustment really badly... my timing belt was actually pretty new forgot I had replaced it recently... and all my belts were fine so hopefully it was just the waterpump...

[SocalianSD]

Good to hear!

I did the same thing when my water pump starting making a whirling noise. I replaced it then about 3 weeks later my timing belt started to make a rally bad ticking soo i had to go back in and replace that and the tensioner even tho they were only a year and a half old. Now theres no more unusual noises in the front of the engine. :D