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Whirring From Engine Bay

Caliban07
Caliban07
in Ford Focus Club

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Ford focus 2003 93000 miles 1.6 petrol engine. Zetec

Recently had a water leak. It was coming from a housing with a gasket. Not the thermostat housing. Was another one that attaches to the front of the engine bay. For now we have just used gasket seal and all is well.

Anyway it was a mate that did this and whilst he was doing it he tried to remove the long belt at the side of the engine and he seemed to pull quite hard on it to try and release the tension on the belt. Needless to say it didn't budge.

Now I have a whirring noise in the engine bay near the belt. Belt looks a little flaky in parts and I could scratch some of the top layer of rubber off with my nail.

I know this could be a number of things from alternator bearings to depleted power steering fluid or just a worn belt. My concern is my mate pulling on the belt. no signs of anything drastic yet. What should I check first?

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  • Quote


    For all the price of a belt, I'd be putting one on it, although belt could just be dry, have the car running and spray a load of Wd40 on it and see if it goes away

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

  • Quote
    • Author

    For all the price of a belt, I'd be putting one on it, although belt could just be dry, have the car running and spray a load of Wd40 on it and see if it goes away

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

    Tried that yesterday. Still there. Doesn't happen immediately, after a few mins it quietly starts then gets louder. It's a timed noise these increases with the revs.

    Sounds like it's coming from the left side facing the car at the rear of the engine. Almost like something needs tightening.

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

  • Quote

    Are you sure it's the auxiliary belt that's making the noise? Take the belt off and run the car and see if the noise clears, if it doesn't you know you're into something else, try spinning alternator by hand with the belt off and see if it's rough or noisy, pretty common for the bearings to go in them

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

  • Quote
    • Author

    Are you sure it's the auxiliary belt that's making the noise? Take the belt off and run the car and see if the noise clears, if it doesn't you know you're into something else, try spinning alternator by hand with the belt off and see if it's rough or noisy, pretty common for the bearings to go in them

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

    No im not sure it's the belt. In fact I don't think it is the belt at all. Alternator could be worth a shot. Alternator is at the front side though and the noise is at the rear. I'll have to take it back next week. For a more thorough look.

    Thanks

    Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

  • Quote

    There's nothing at the rear that can cause the noise other than the timing belt and tensioner the only housing at the front would be the water pump if it was the water pump then it coil very well be that causing the noise the pumps designed to leak when its faulty

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