weird noise after HB replacement [video added]

95gtdrop · Jul 1, 2009

5litrarag said:
what about the idler pulley... those make some pretty weird noises when they start to go bad. Or maybe the distributor as mentioned earlier.

I doubt the HB is touching anything.

my first guess. i had to replace mine after making noises like that. its a cheap fix around 10-20 bucks.

dutch · Jul 1, 2009

I did notice some rubbing marks where the black paint came off the balancer on the timingmark edge, so it's def hitting something. I'm in the neighbourhood, so I'll drop by the specialist shop today and ask them to take a look at it..

5litrarag · Jul 1, 2009

dutch said:
I've WD40-ied every other pulley and checked the disty.. but it really seems to be comming from near the HB i'm afraid..

how did you check the distributor? If you didn't pull it out and swap it with a known good one, you didnt do enough.
Dizzys will squeal like a pig when they need to be replaced and the sound is hard to track down. Dont count it out yet....

x182dan · Jul 1, 2009

why not start the car without the belt on there? If the noise is stll there that eliminates a lot of possibilities.

mikey94gt · Jul 1, 2009

Good thinking.

dutch · Jul 1, 2009

I'm gonna have to wait till tomorrow morning for the final test with a stone cold engine, but I think we found the problem. Bottom waterpump bolts had one of the edges pointing down which in turn hit the balancer very very slighty.. thus explaining the highpitched noise.. we'll see tomorrow if it's still quiet.

mikey94gt · Jul 1, 2009

Bingo. that would definitely do it!!!

dutch · Jul 2, 2009

well, I started it this morning.. no squeeky noise.. so that's good.

But instead, the powersteering pump rattled like a bugger! So I popped the hood, rev it a couple times by hand and it was gone, so I just got in the car and drove off.

not 1/2 mile later... slap slap slap slap.. I think shit, sounds like the belt.. So I park, shut the car off and pop the hood.
And wadda you know? shredded 2 ribs along the entire length of my 2 month old belt!! It tried to crawl off the alternator pulley!!

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! Everything seems to go wrong after that HB replacement. Now I need to find out WHY the hell it shreds the belt before I start tossing new ones on.

Stupid thing is, I drove home yesterday from the shop, which is about 70 miles away and all was fine.

It seems all these things happen when the engine is started cold..

CC'S95GT · Jul 2, 2009

I'm hatin it for ya. sometimes things just snow ball.
What do you mean the PS pump rattled.
Are you sure the HB is seated all the way down, and the pulley is bolted down tight to the HB. If there is an alignment problem you'll eat belts.
Also check the idler and tensioner pulley bearings, if one is dragging it could cause you to throw belts too.
On the up side, the squeek is gone.
Good luck

dutch · Jul 2, 2009

I just checked the allignment, but I have no reference.. from above it seems the crankpulley is seated 2 or 3mm more forwards then the AC and Smog on either side of it.. Is this normal?

It also seems the belt is riding on the outer (forward) edges of the waterpump and tensioner pulleys.. not centered on them, which could explain why I think my alternator pulley ripped a few ribs of the front of the belt..

So the crankpulley seems to sit more forward then the others, and the belt seems to ride more forward on the non ribbed pulleys...

I 'think' the balancer and pulley are tight, I saw them put both back on with an airgun.. I just tried to tighten the crankpulley bolts with the one spanner I have at home, and they were all tight..

edit: you can see in my previous video how the belt sits forward on the wp-pulley...

CC'S95GT · Jul 2, 2009

I think you need to take it back the shop again. Something is definately not right. All the pulleys should be in a straight line. There is a chance the shop missed getting the belt exactly back on all the ribs of all the pulleys and that is why it ate the belt. The belt will not self center because of the ribs, and that's why it ate the 2 outer ribs. (this is a slim chance)

dutch · Jul 2, 2009

The belt was put on correctly, I helped and checked.. But now I'm thinking they didn't put the balancer on far enough. The slid it on and tightened it with an airgun. But haynes sais to use a big washer on the bolt first to get the balancer on.

Also read in some other thread that a normal socket doesn't go all the way into the balancer, so they might have thought the bolt was fastened, but actually the socket just couldn't go any further.. thus explaining the few mm's that the crankpulley extends as opposed to the AC and smogpump.

CC'S95GT · Jul 2, 2009

The haynes also says to torque it to 90 LbFt. (I don't know the metric conversion for you). Did that happen?
There is already a big washer on the bolt that was removed. If there wasn't there should have been.

dutch · Jul 2, 2009

Alright, I just came back from a local Ford dealer, where I could use the lift for an hour.. took the pulley off and checked the HB.

From what I could SEE, it's not far enough on the crank. There's a difference in the waterpump/crankpulley allignment of about 3-4 millimeter, and there's a considerable amount of shiney metal visible on the crank.

I can FEEL the washer on the end of the bolt, but I can rotate and wiggle it with my finger, there's NO pressure whatsoever on the washer, is this normal?

But here comes the biggest screamer, I tried to get the bolt out of there to put it back like it's supposed to.. it comes off a few twists and then it's stuck again... So I couldn't get the bolt out, or put the HB further on.. I'm stuck here. I torqued it back down with 90lbs, but it wouldnt go on any further...

CC'S95GT · Jul 2, 2009

nope, You should'nt be able to spin that washer. Sounds like the bolt is cross threaded.
Did the shop reuse the old HB bolt or use the one with the new HB?

duff daddy · Jul 2, 2009

good news with that now you have a reason to go buy a stroker or built rotating assembly with some flat top pistons

dutch · Jul 2, 2009

they re used the old one..

I wish duff, but I hardly have enough money to keep this thing on the road.

5litrarag · Jul 3, 2009

Go back to those hacks and let them know they crossthreaded your crank and you want your money since now you'll have to get somebody COMPETENT to fix their fvck up.

Sucks but it may or may not be repairable... once that bolt comes out it might bring all the rest of the threads with it. I know how it feels man... I did it a few years ago. The only good that came out of it was a 342 stroker kit that I bought to replace it. Good luck dude.

x182dan · Jul 3, 2009

wow man that sucks to here. So you paid a garage to do this work and they gave you the car back like that? I would take my car back there and demand they fix it or you will file charges. Legally they have to warrenty the work for 90days I believe.