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I have recently discovered a rather noticable "rattle" sound emmitting from the passenger side of my 98 E0 SVT. It seems that the sound is coming from the upper most part of the engine block (toward the rear of car) which is, right where the idler pulley resides.
I want to know how to correctly diagnose this problem....
If it is the idler pulley or tensioner how can I tell?
I'm getting ready to change the serpentine belt, water pump, plugs & wires, MTX fluid etc..... big winter projects. While i have the serpentine off I would like to fix this noise.... before it becomes, well.... more then a noise!!
THX
Jason
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Joined: Sep 2002
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WOW! I thought I was the only one. I took a rather long flat head screw driver and placed the flathead end of it on various pulleys and pumps on that side of my engine, then put the handle up to your ear. It's amazing how it amplifies the sound. The majority of the noise was coming from my idler pulley. To my suprise and joy, I found that a new idler pulley is only $10 and all you have to do is take of the drive belt and remove the bolt in the center of the pulley to swap out. Easy fix. 
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Could be the idler pulley as you mentioned but mine turned out to be the material in the precats had broken up and was rattling around inside the manifold. Try a mechanics stethescope to help isolate the noise. You can hold the blade of a large screwdriver to different parts of the engine and 'listen' to the handle to hear where a rattle or rub are coming from. (Try the rear exhaust manifold  ) The waterpump is on the other side of the engine so that is probably not the source of the noise. A 3/8" breaker bar (iirc) should fit the belt tensioner to make changing easier.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Originally posted by tw0wheelin:
Could be the idler pulley as you mentioned but mine turned out to be the material in the precats had broken up and was rattling around inside the manifold.
Wouldn't that be really bad!!??! Stuff in the intake=bad. It could be that, but I would think that it would have a different kind of rattle, more of an intermittent one. Mine had that rotational rattle sound. And you're right, it is a 3/8 breaker bar.
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Yup, it's really bad, especially if a chunk of ceramic gets sucked back into an exhaust valve.  Actually sounded like BBs bouncing around in a can. This is not all that uncommon on some 'tours  Glad to see I'm not the only nut out here 'listening' to screwdrivers! 
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Joined: May 2002
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I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2002
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just replace it all. idlers are cheap, the tensioner cost a bit more.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Originally posted by Guilty2:
I have recently discovered a rather noticable "rattle" sound emmitting from the passenger side of my 98 E0 SVT. It seems that the sound is coming from the upper most part of the engine block (toward the rear of car) which is, right where the idler pulley resides.
I want to know how to correctly diagnose this problem....
If it is the idler pulley or tensioner how can I tell?
I'm getting ready to change the serpentine belt, water pump, plugs & wires, MTX fluid etc..... big winter projects. While i have the serpentine off I would like to fix this noise.... before it becomes, well.... more then a noise!!
THX
Jason
Get both the idler pulley (I paid $18 at the dealership) and the tensioner ($???) before you change the serpentine belt. The correct way to diagnose them is to simply turn them by hand with the belt removed to see whether they turn smoothly and don't have excessive play. I'd replace the idler just because it's cheap and do the tensioner if the pulley feels anything less than perfectly smooth when rotating it. Scott
Troll! '99 BMW 328i
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CEG\'er
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So ATL-SVT, you did find that your idler pully was the component that made the "rattle" noise? I just ordered a new one, & I really hope that it solves the problem because It's been bothering me for a long time....!
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Joined: Dec 2001
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Veteran CEG\'er
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If you have time, you can test the idler pulley as follows:
- Remove serpentine belt
- Start engine
- Listen for sound
- Install old serpentine belt or replace with new one
If the sound is there after you have removed the serpentine belt, then you know its not that.
If the sound is gone, then you know that its one of the pulleys. As someone suggested, with the engine off, wiggle and turn each of the pulleys to check for play.
FYI: As long as your car has another belt to drive the water pump (which the V6s have), then there shouldn't be any problems with running your car w/o the serpentine belt.
96 Contour SE
Duratec V6 24-valve 2.5L ATX
108,000 mi.
Replaced: crankshaft w/ DMD, EGR valve (clogged), EVR, DPFE, PCV valve, evap emissions hose & tube (cracked), window regulator (broken), LH & RH PCV tubes, UIM gasket (leak), ignition coil
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