Originally posted by caltour: Westcoastajax, the belt (and the whole car) have 27,000 miles on them.
I just now got the top cover off and got a good look at the belt and tensioner. They look like new. The tensioner seems to be holding the belt tight. Everything looks good.
The reason I asked about adjusting the tensioner is because the motor is making a rattling sound in that general area. Fairly loud, but not metallic. Now that I've removed the cover and see the belt and tensioner look OK, I don't know what the hell could be causing it.
Is there too much play between the cam gears? No matter how much you try to tighten it at the adjuster you'll still have a rattle, and or a bad idle...unless you adjust the belt, using the proper technique [the right tools and remembering to loosen the cam pulley bolts when setting your tension].
Thanks for the info. The belt has only about 1/8th of an inch of play between the cam gears. I don't know what how much play there is supposed to be, but it seems fairly tight.
I have the top cover off, and I can't see anything the belt could be rattling against. Are there any other parts on a Zetec that might cause this rattling sound?
Did the rattle go away, once the top cover was removed? That's a common source for noise...the top cover, when the belt is real loose and old, or when it's just been replaced, w/o the proper tools and methods.
I can't think of anything else that would *rattle*...except maybe your converter...my Hi-Flo Y-Pipe rattled at an idle, or if you'd barely increase the idle. Maybe if you could stick a heater hose in your ear [being serious]...or at least a paper towel roll [just don't let anybody see you], you might be able to pinpoint the noise a little bit better.
