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Nasty Noise Coming From Aux Belt


sparkplug1988
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Hi all. I've had a nasty rumble a while back and I changed the tensioner and crankshaft pulley and that cured the noise. How ever it's come back. So I changes the aircon pump and still the same what else can it be. The new tensioner I put on a while hack is bouncing. So would it be a dodgy tensioner I bought. Has anyone else had this problem. Cheers

Sent from my C1905 using Ford OC mobile app

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Yes, its a common problem, there is a lot of mk3s with rattling aux belts

I think tey last as little as 25 - 30k

Best to replace the belt, tensioners and crank pulley at once, Gates is ok for belt/ tensioner, but probably best to stick with a genuine Ford crank pulley

The design is not ideal, on the X-type (almost identical to the mk3) there is a different design of alternator pulley that works better and lasts longer before the belt etc needs replaced,

The very long, length of belt and complex routing (not realy nessesary as there is only 2 devices driven off this belt, the alternator and the AC) along with the low idle setting/ vibration from the engine all work together to wreck the system - the belt gets streched, the tensioner wears out, the crank pully has 2 parts that wear (especially a pattern one)

As part of my cars' serious lightening the AC was removed, the belt being shorter and only having to drive the alternator seems to have permenantly cured the belt/ tensioner problems

Some others have fitted x-type alternator pulleys (part of the alternator needs ground/ machined to do this, though)

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It might be worth getting a new tensioner from gates then. Can't see it being the New crankshaft pulley I put on as there is no play on the crankshaft pulley. It a poor design. It's embarrassing noise. Thank you for the information

Sent from my C1905 using Ford OC mobile app

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Where can I get a gates tensioner

Sent from my C1905 using Ford OC mobile app

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Its normal to change the belt, tensioner/ pulleys and crank pulley in one go, due tio the cost of getting it changed (if you are paying mechanic/ garage rates) its a difficult jub for a DIY mechanic

It's not that bad - I've done it twice and I'm no expert. I just don't like paying garages to do stuff I can do by myself - even if it does take me 3x longer. The worst part is taking the engine mount off to drop the engine for better access - was terrifying doing that for the first time.

(and I thought I'd go one better and take the tie rod out the way, but I snapped the track rod end trying to get it off). :D

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The worst bit I found the first time was getting a 1/2 inch key into the tensioner. According to some sources they claim you can just put a 1/2 ratchet in.. Ummm no! Not even my smallest/slimmest snap on ratchet could fit in. I ended up cutting a drain plug key in half and using that with a 19mm spanner.

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The worst bit I found the first time was getting a 1/2 inch key into the tensioner. According to some sources they claim you can just put a 1/2 ratchet in.. Ummm no! Not even my smallest/slimmest snap on ratchet could fit in. I ended up cutting a drain plug key in half and using that with a 19mm spanner.

I just bought the cunningly-named "special tool". Didn't see the point in making an already fiddly job even more difficult (because that's when tempers get lost, and things get thrown around).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi BigD, where did you manage to get the tool from please ? and how much did it cost ? cheers Mick.

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