Hi, over last couple of days noticed 'differant (rougher/rattley/tapping)' not anything severe but just a noticable differant noise from under the bonnet as opposed to the usual smoother sound, taking in to fords for a check tomorrow just incase it needs attention.

i'm wandering if the cam belt would need changing, i can not see any evidance in the service history that i have of it being done.

service history todate:

sept 01 mileage 17687 - Ford annual service

sep 02 mileage 26554 - Ford annual service

may 03 mileage 30072 - major service (no details)

may 05 mileage 38625 - Annual service

may 08 mileage 49591 - Annual service

april 10 mileage 53548 Annual service

i have had the car just prior to getting it serviced in april, mileage now 59560

any advice on whether i'm looking at a cam belt change / water pump drive belt etc (assume both would be done same time) and likely charges from Fords / non Fords would be appreciated.

Adrian

more info needed year,petrol or diesel

more info needed, year, petrol or diesel..

Its a deisel, year 2000 'w'

Its a deisel, year 2000 'w'

mines a 2001 1.8 petrol, service guide says 10 yrs or 100,000 some people have said 90 k its on 84 and its booked in next friday at ford - 220 quid for the full kit, tensioner etc

as far as i know it would be the same for the diesel 10 yrs or 100k but i stress these are guidelines, from doing reserch about getting mine done its the tensioners that tend to fail first. Theres plenty of people here that will give you good, sound advice, just give them a little time to answer.

could be the alternator bearings, new alternators are easy to change, if it is also replace the alternator belt

"the sounds that you say are what you would get if the alternator is worn"..

could be the alternator bearings, new alternators are easy to change, if it is also replace the alternator belt

"the sounds that you say are what you would get if the alternator is worn"..

thanks for replies so far, i would also add the last couple of mornings it has been more sluggish turning over, i took it for a good 100mile round trip think the battery could do with a good charge, in view of last comment re alternator .... a possible cause? await further advice.

Adrian

have you checked the volts at the battery when the car is running, should be approximately 13.5 to 14.6 volts if it is lower than this, it indicates that the alternator needs to be replaced. as for the bearings you will here roughness when turned by hand do this with the belt off..

have you checked the volts at the battery when the car is running, should be approximately 13.5 to 14.6 volts if it is lower than this, it indicates that the alternator needs to be replaced. as for the bearings you will here roughness when turned by hand do this with the belt off..

Just to update further, took local garage, test on alternator shows thats working ok, possibly a problem with the starter motor itself, there is still the 'noise' as described earlier that is coming from the cam belt area, going in for further diagnosis tommorrow!

Just to update further, took local garage, test on alternator shows thats working ok, possibly a problem with the starter motor itself, there is still the 'noise' as described earlier that is coming from the cam belt area, going in for further diagnosis tommorrow!

if its a slight rubbing sound almost metallic sounding with a mild tick then its the cambelt tensioner thats worn and needing replacement my foci was on 70k when it started and when it was changed the guy trold me it didnt have much life left in it to reitterate ford state the belt should last 100k not the tensioners and guides which is why only the belt is gauranteed

Just to update further, took local garage, test on alternator shows thats working ok, possibly a problem with the starter motor itself, there is still the 'noise' as described earlier that is coming from the cam belt area, going in for further diagnosis tommorrow!

glad mines booked in for the cambelt friday, 84k and ten yrs old, feels like im on borrowed time..lol

hope you get it sorted

glad mines booked in for the cambelt friday, 84k and ten yrs old, feels like im on borrowed time..lol

hope you get it sorted

Car was (and still is) booked in to garage tommorrow, just got in from work having waited 3 hrs for recovery (thats another story!)

Basically shortly after starting and turning the steering wheel to reverse out of my parking space, the steering suddenly lost all PAS and subsequently had to call out breakdown guys, turns out the cause of the rattle must have been a loose 'idler pulley bearing', this had failed causing the belt to come off, remnants of the part in the floor pan of engine compartment, hopefully not an expensive repair and only happened at 0 mph! i dread to think of the consequences if it occured yesterday whilst doing 80mph on the M2!

thanks for all replies, last and hopefully final update tommorrow!

was the car still running when pas stopped working? with what you are saying, with bits on the undershield it sounds like that its only alternator drive belt idler pulley, "new belt and idler pulley" to save money its not that hard to do it your self, if you know your way around a car.