Hi:
Newbie here. My wife's TF magna (1998 manual Advance sedan, 205000 km) has had a growl under the hood since I first did the timing belt at 100000 km. I have replaced the top Right enging mount but it still does it. There was evidenceof chattering on the main through bolt on that mounting.

The noise is mainly whn it is cold (exhaust???). I have had the heat shields off the exhaust pipes and reset them but it still growls.

All drive belts are firm but not over-tight.

Any clues as to what it is?

Might be worth checking out the a/c bearing or the pulley's.. does the noise change in tone when the a/c is turned on?

Hi:
Newbie here. My wife's TF magna (1998 manual Advance sedan, 205000 km) has had a growl under the hood since I first did the timing belt at 100000 km. I have replaced the top Right enging mount but it still does it. There was evidenceof chattering on the main through bolt on that mounting.

The noise is mainly whn it is cold (exhaust???). I have had the heat shields off the exhaust pipes and reset them but it still growls.

All drive belts are firm but not over-tight.

Any clues as to what it is?

if you're talking about a resonant vibration when cold, in gear just at the point of when the motor starts to load up on initial take off then good chance the drive belt needs more tension. It does dispaly itself with a sound which sounds like a rattly exhaust/loose heat shield.

There has been talk about this recently in this forum and also about an internal plate coming loose in the exhaust Y-pipe.
Since you state it has only been present since you did the first timing belt and thes belts obviously come off to access the timing belt, i reckon this is a good place to check. It's a common problem and the drive belt needs to be fairly tight. The only problem I see though is if the drive belt is excessively tight it may overload the harmonic balancer and contribute to it separating prematurely in my opinion anyway.

i've had this issue on all the V6 magnas I've had, (TR,TF &TW).

Here's an example to read. http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85415&highlight=belt+tension

+1 for tighter alternator belt. They need tyo be really tight mate.

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I have tightened the drive belts (noise still there) and slackened them back again. The noise is a growl rather than a flutter(exhaust splitter). A/c Bearings OK - noise is more when cold, although this could be a bearing type noise (doubt it). I did check the A/C idler when I did the timing belt at 200000 km.

The noise comes at idle and at light load. It seems to go away when it warms up a bit and after a long trip there is no noise at all.

I am thinking about replacing the lower engine mountings.

if you're talking about a resonant vibration when cold, in gear just at the point of when the motor starts to load up on initial take off then good chance the drive belt needs more tension. It does dispaly itself with a sound which sounds like a rattly exhaust/loose heat shield.

Mine does that! Awesome, now I know what I need to do to fix it. Legendary!

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I have tightened the drive belts (noise still there) and slackened them back again. The noise is a growl rather than a flutter(exhaust splitter). A/c Bearings OK - noise is more when cold, although this could be a bearing type noise (doubt it). I did check the A/C idler when I did the timing belt at 200000 km.

The noise comes at idle and at light load. It seems to go away when it warms up a bit and after a long trip there is no noise at all.

I am thinking about replacing the lower engine mountings.

Interesting because the at idle/light load/when cold are exactly the symptoms I have experienced and it can sound like a loose exhaust and a low frequency resonance, growl like i guess. It only comes in as you load up in gear and goes away when it's hot.

This was my best guess with what you have described. I can't wait to find out the solution to this one then.

something to check , a power steer pump low on fluid can make a growling sort of noise too.

I have tightened the drive belts (noise still there) and slackened them back again.

Run the engine with the belts off. That will tell you if it is the belts or idlers, or if the noise is deeper in the engine.

The belts need to be unbelievably tight. Push with your thumb as hard as you can at the middle of the longest run, belt should only deflect about 1 cm.

If you don't believe that, go and check a new car at your Mitsu dealer and stick your head under the bonnet and press on one of the belts. lol

Thanks for your replies guys. I will take the belts off (P Steering is a real bitch!). P Steer fluid levels OK, although come to think of it, I have never changed the fluid in the 12 years of the car's life. How many others catually change their P Steering Fluid? I know that on my friend's 80 series Landcruiser, the fluid gets awfully black. Both my cars are still red so I think they are OK.

Engine pipe will give a growl not a flutter as it does not leak, it is a metal plate vibrating itself to bits inside

timing belt tensoner

To check the tensioner, before you crank the engine in the morning, remvoe the CAS plug, crank for 10s or so, connect and then start, if no noise then there is your issue

can i ask what a CAS plug is ?

Crank angle sensor i presume?

yes its the Crank Angle Sensor connector . its sits inbetween the 2 rocker covers on the plenum at the front of the engine. its sortof triangular in shape , with 3 wires going to it. might be Black in colour on a Magna but Grey on my import .

By the location of the noise, I suspect that it may be the engine pipe.

What does the splitter do in the engine pipe? Can I get to it and remove it before it collpases? Or do I have to wait until it does and then what? I assume that at worst, it will just block up the exhaust system somehere down the track - (probably mid Snowy Mountains where there is no help for hours)...

For what it is worth, the car has been on LPG for over 10 years now, so I imagine that the acidic exhaust condensates may have contributed to this - it gets a fair bit of short runs.

Well, time to own up! The growl seems to have ALMOST gone! I went out this morning to remove the drive belts and see if it was the idler pulleys etc. Go to undo the lock nut on the alternator belt and OOPS! it was already loose. The spring washer was still holding it but just. Tighten it up, noise gone. Check underneath for the P steering locknut and all is tight there. I reckon the noise is 90% gone now. Wife is very happy. Tme will tell.

Once I thought I made a mistake, but then I realised that I was wrong! I used to be conceited but now I am perfect!

Well, time to own up! The growl seems to have ALMOST gone! I went out this morning to remove the drive belts and see if it was the idler pulleys etc. Go to undo the lock nut on the alternator belt and OOPS! it was already loose. The spring washer was still holding it but just. Tighten it up, noise gone. Check underneath for the P steering locknut and all is tight there. I reckon the noise is 90% gone now. Wife is very happy. Tme will tell.

Once I thought I made a mistake, but then I realised that I was wrong! I used to be conceited but now I am perfect!

Yeah, I'm definitely in the check the belts camp although obviously a few things can produce similar symptoms and at the other end of the internet I can't hear a thing(LOL).

A long story but when I had my TR it did this, I ended cutting out flex joints an replacing them , removing shields etc,etc no result and gave up.
When I got my TF with 60k on the clock, same problem WTF! What is it with Magna V6's? Anyway spend more time and was more particular this time and using a piece of hose to pinpoint it, the noise peaked around the alternator, nothing obvious loose so I thought belts. Tighten belts=fixed.

Get my TW and same deal and annoying but uder wty so at the 45k service, report issue and suggest to them maybe it was loose belt(being diplomatic). They come back, yeah mate y-pipe rattle , new one ordered and I was not paying for it sotheir problem.
new pipe noise still there, 2 more services, report problem, suggest and ask them to tighten belts(they don't agree/listen) still there.

Move interstate, new dealer report again and request belt tighten and they said common problem= solved(no surprise to me)


Glad you had a recheck because your symptoms were a mirror of what I have experienced. I have found they need to be tighter than what you would expect to get that noise to disappear.

Would have been real disappointing if you spent heaps of $$$$$ to find out it was the belts.

Quick update on the engine growling: IT IS STILL THERE!!! We visited some friends over the weekend and they have a very steep driveway. As we left, first gear up the hill, the growl was louder than I have ever heard it. It sounds as if the rear engine mount is deflecting, allowing soe contact as the engine rotates back due to torque reaction.

I did check the rear engine mount the other day and it looked OK - no obvious sagging etc, but I will have to check it a lot closer now.

Anyone have any other ideas???