Bearing Noise From Timing Belt End Of Engine

[richandhazel]

Just thought I would share this experience with my fellow Mk1 owners:-

All last year, since putting the cab back on the road, and this year I have been suffering with a loud noisy bearing noise from the timing belt area of the engine. I had convinced myself that the new tensioner that I had fitted was at fault so last week I fitted a replacement tensioner and belt.........only to find the noise still there

This afternoon, as the weather is nice, I took the car for a spin and the noise seemed louder than ever so I tried to troubleshoot it.

I removed the aux drive belt to take the water pump and alternator out of the equation and ran the engine briefly - noise still evident.

I removed the top timing belt cover and ran the engine briefly - noise still evident

At my wits end I tried slackening the timing belt tension slightly - noise disappeared
So on both timing belt and tensioner changes I had overtightened the tensioner!

Sounds great now

[Guy]

oopsy! at least you have it sorted now and can operate more peacefully 

[JamesW]

The fun of hunting down funny car noises 

[SoundillusioN]

Good tip... I didn't document it but I had similar when I changed my cambelt recently... Being paranoid that the belt was too loose, I did the same as you and overtightened it and along came the noise.

[thai-wronghorse]

From what Ive read (but not personally experienced) is that it's quite common for new cambelts and tensioners to give out a certain amount of noise when new due to the fact they haven't bedded in yet and will quieten with use.
Was it a manual or automatic tensioner that you fitted?

[SoundillusioN]

From what Ive read (but not personally experienced) is that it's quite common for new cambelts and tensioners to give out a certain amount of noise when new due to the fact they haven't bedded in yet and will quieten with use.
Was it a manual or automatic tensioner that you fitted?

Manual which is the norm in a mk1...  it was literally a couple of mm adjustment in it to shut it up for me.

[richandhazel]

Likewise, just a minor tweak slackening the tensioner fixed it.

MOT time already......booked in tomorrow just after the Mk4.

[Guy]

Likewise, just a minor tweak slackening the tensioner fixed it.

MOT time already......booked in tomorrow just after the Mk4.

how did you get on?

[SoundillusioN]

Likewise, just a minor tweak slackening the tensioner fixed it.

MOT time already......booked in tomorrow just after the Mk4.

how did you get on?

Has it been a year for the cabby already!?  and yeah, how did you get on with it?

[richandhazel]

Both cars passed, Mk1 had no advisories, mk4 had one

That year did go very quickly didn't it