I have an early nc 2.0l sport with 130k miles, it’s got a bit of an odd noise from the engine bay, it’s always had it from when I got it several years ago and I got it with about 90k miles, but seems to be getting worse, took it for it’s mot and instead of occasionally making the noise it started to make it more often now.
I haven’t had chance to take the ancillary belt off yet, but thought I would ask here. It sounds less mechanical nocking so I do t think it’s a bearing or vvt?
(I had a bearing go on my 1.8 so I know what that sounds like)
I found a video on YouTube with the exact same noise again I haven’t had chance to video the noise myself yet.
From the comments from that video the tensioner looks to be the cause but looking for confirmation as the poster of the video wasn’t 100% sure as he can’t remember.
I had this on my 2.0 Sport 2006.
Pretty sure you will find its the tensioner and idler pulleys are shot.
At 130K worth changing and putting a new belt on if it looks slightly worn.
Just to be sure without firing the parts cannon take the belt off and have a listen.
I’d put money on the idler or tensioner pulley, or both. I just changed both of mine for a similar noise (not as bad).
I couldn’t determine which one, so changed them both.
When I took the pulleys off, the idler bearing was rather free when spinning by hand, didn’t rattle, but sounded rough.
The tensioner was tighter, difficult to spin and felt a bit notchy.
Both pulleys cost me £45.
Removing the belt then starting the car without it, is a bit tricky in the respect that you have to take the battery and battery box out to get to the belt
EBay item numbers 234898211331 & 334956730265
Also to add.
If you take the tensioner off to replace either the full tensioner or just the pulley, there’s a chance that one of the bolts may be seized.
I saw a youtube video where the bolt had seized then snapped when trying to get it out.
I did mine armed with wd40.
It’s actually possible to replace the tensioner pulley only, without removing the whole tensioner assembly.
Well I will be able to do the belt tomorrow, but I’m confident its not a major job, when I saw that video and the tensioner was mentioned, I thought that might be the timing chain tensioner, however I saw another video, different car, similar noise and it was an idle pulley for the belt, so with what you guys have mentioned and the other video I’m suspecting it’s an idle/tensioner for the serpentine belt
Getting the battery out and tray is an easy job, on my other project car the timing chain/vvt/tensioner is going on that, involves dropping the subframe/engine down to remove the cam cover… So a battery tray and a rusty bolt sounds way better than any alternative.
