im just after some tips on removing the tensioner its got that bad rattle. i do all work oncar myself just have not done the magna yet, do i go under the gaurd and is there an easy trick to removing the crankshaft pully. If your out there mad magna could you please give advise as i read that you replace them when customers wait. thanks heaps guys
regards
Greg.

Put a breaker bar & socket on the pulley bolt, rest end of bar on the ground facing to rear of car, pull dizzy electrical connector so it won't fire, flick the ignition key to engage starter motor VERY briefly - one loosened crank bolt.

And, yes, you have to remove the cam covers to get the tensioner off & replace it.

One question though - is it definitely the tensioner, not one or more of the hydraulic lifters?

By the way, that's for a TJ.

After all timing covers and crank pulley are off, rotate clockwise (I'm pretty sure clockwise...) belt using left cam gear, which will pull up the tensioner so you can put a pin in it. You can then directly replace the tensioner, pulling the pin on the new one and re-tensioning the timing belt (as long as you know the timing belt has been properly tensioned)

Yeah mate its the tensioner, sounds like a tractor sometimes. Only does it now and then. But it has to be replaced as it could break. i have onother 50k to timming belt i was going to do the lot but don't wont to take the risk. thanks for the advice mate. ps i do go under the gaurd dont i ? its just so cramped in there , im used to rear drive more room in bay

thanks mate and for the tips.

Does it only make the noise when warmed up and at idle? I have been chasing a similar noise and have looked at the tappets but can not find it.

Warm motor at idle is an acc belt too loose or the tensioner for that belt is on its way out.

Timing belt tensioner noise is only on cold start unless really bad then may get on warm start

The motor in my KH makes a strange noise, made me think it was the timing belt tensioner too but it wasn't. In neutral the engine sounds very smooth but put it in gear and under load it makes it, its sort of a chugging kind of sound, sounds like the timing belt is flopping around hitting the plastic covers, anyone have any Idea what it maybe? cheers

Yes you go under the wheel arch to get at it. Take the wheel off & the plastic guard & that gives you reasonable access. If you're not changing the belt, you don't need to remove the engine mount, which makes the whole thing a lot easier. Make sure you've got the special tool for setting the tension before you take the tensioner off though...

By the way, my motor made grumbling noises on start up before the first cam belt change at 100k - that was either the water pump bearing or the tensioner pulley - not the tensioner itself, as it went away after changing those items when I did the belt change. Didn't get that problem with the second belt at all (just changed it again last week), & the tensioner itself is still fine.

yes Sondar im going to check everything whn down and dirty and thanks for the tips. to the other guys with noise the tensioner will only do it every now and then when cold and if you turn it off and then on it usually goes as the tensioner has done its job and tensioned the belt so you might want to check other things. thanks guys.

Yeah Sondar i thought it might be the tensioner pulley il know when i check as if i dont have to change it i wont , i was getting the part out of another engine i have and i dont want to do it twice as its a pain, the other engine is still in car that i got wrecked, already paid for itself with spares i used .

I have the same noises in my TJ (auto) which seem to occur around 1400 rpm in any gear. Very pronounced around 65km/h in fourth . I am thinking it would be a water pump bearing as I have chenged my tensioner pulley.

Just wondering does it make the same noises if its in neutral and doing 1400 rpm? cheers



I have the same noises in my TJ (auto) which seem to occur around 1400 rpm in any gear. Very pronounced around 65km/h in fourth . I am thinking it would be a water pump bearing as I have chenged my tensioner pulley.

No it doesn't make any noises in neutral. Interestingly, I loosened the alternator belt and it started to make the same noises immediatelly in neutral and traced it back to the alternator, I am thinking the bearings are shot??? I've checked the voltage and it's not dropping any voltage?

Interestingly, I loosened the alternator belt and it started to make the same noises immediatelly in neutral and traced it back to the alternator

Check the alternator bearings by spinning it by hand.
To me what you wrote suggests its the tensioner pulley that you touched when you loosened the belt. Check it for bearing roughness and alignment when you tension it to the RIGHT tension. On my TJ the adjuster bolt tends to twist the pulley, I need to tighten the centre bolt then back off the adjuster and retighten the centre bolt. Cured the cold rattle on mine anyway.

Just a quick question about the failing tensioner sound.

Mal says its on cold start up; On cold start up, does it sound like ALL of your lifters are rattly for about half a second then all is quiet - like a very quick rattle and then nothing?

Please god say NO. I have this sound occasionally, not every morning, but some days it sounds like I woke up my lifters too early. The sound would be best described as similar in tempo or speed to that of a ratchet being turned but with the same "sound" of lifters with low oil pressure. Literally lasts half a second. This is definitely engine noise, not my starter or a loose external part. Maybe I should youtube a video...

Anything else I should check before hitting the financial panic button?

I have the same noises in my TJ (auto) which seem to occur around 1400 rpm in any gear. Very pronounced around 65km/h in fourth . I am thinking it would be a water pump bearing as I have chenged my tensioner pulley.

I would say this is your engine pipe or cat, either way exhaust related

I would say this is your engine pipe or cat, either way exhaust related

That's what I thought but when I touch the alternator it vibrates with the noise and it stops when the noise goes away as the revs increase.??

That's what I thought but when I touch the alternator it vibrates with the noise and it stops when the noise goes away as the revs increase.??

If the belt flaps about at the same time it needs to be tightened. It should only move 1 cm when you press with your thumb as hard as you can on the longest run.

Sorry about hogging the post! Just a quick update on my rattle issue, I replaced my alternator and got my smooth car back. It looks like the bearings on the alternator were worn out.