Odd ticking sound - Tensioner?

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
I know this may be tough to diagnose online, but does this ticking sound seem like it's coming from the OE tensioner? I tried using a screwdriver to amplify the sound and it seems to come from there.

It happened briefly a few weeks ago after cruising a few hours and then it stopped. It just came back this afternoon after a mildly spirited accelration (after cruising around a few hours on a hot day) and continued all the way home. I'm letting everything cool down before I restart and check everything but thoughts?


open
 

dre256

forum member
Joined
May 8, 2012
Posts
608
Reaction score
17
Location
NJ
Usually when my tensioners went bad on my 4.6Ls belt squeaks a lot or has a whine to it like a supercharger. Never had a tick noise before but doesn't mean it's not the tensioner.
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
Ok, so after letting the car cool down overnight, the tapping sound is gone. So whatever is causing this noise, it must only happen when the engine is heat soaked.
 

07 Boss

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
3,831
Reaction score
968
Location
Sin City
How does your belt look? Any unusual wear or rubber dust around any of the pulleys? I've heard belts out of line make a chattering/knocking sound and it usually comes down to a bad balancer or crank pulley. That might be a stretch but easy to check.
 

94_cobra

forum member
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Posts
52
Reaction score
0
I've had my belt make a weird noise like that. There was a lot of belt dust around and the belt looked a bit rough. Replacing the belt got ride of the noise.

Mine was there cold and went away hot though
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
I've been checking for frayed edges, glazing on the belt and dust around the belt/pulleys. Everything looks fine. I'll have to drive around a bit to see if I can get the noise to return and use a stethoscope to isolate the source.

I also tried isolating the sound using the ol' screwdriver trick. It seemed louder at the tensioner as compared to the alternator or crank. I could be wrong though.
 

deebo05

forum member
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Posts
124
Reaction score
0
i have had several tensioners sound like rod knock when they went bad. one was a new tensioner on a new build first start, my heart dropped when i heard it.
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
i have had several tensioners sound like rod knock when they went bad. one was a new tensioner on a new build first start, my heart dropped when i heard it.

I'm looking to do an 8-rib upgrade with a 15% overdrive crank. I want an upgraded tensioner as part of that. I'll probably add a 200A/4G upgrade to the list at the same time. The shaker scoop needs to come off so I might as well do it all at once.
 

Wes06

forum member
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Posts
5,383
Reaction score
59
I messed up a gasket on my manifold install and my fresh engine build spewed coolant once it hit temp.
Down the timing cover and out the valley to bellhousing and to floor.
I about had a panic attack, shut the car off, tried thinking while I stared at it still dripping, and gf tried to talk about something to me. I just held up a finger telling her to shhhh
 

slackinoff

Senior Member
S197 Team Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2016
Posts
843
Reaction score
9
Location
East Texas
Lol. I can picture this clearly in my mind. It is hilarious

Instagram account: "Probuildmustangs"

Rm
 

Stinkyone

forum member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Posts
169
Reaction score
0
Location
TAMPA
Had the OEM power steering pulley go one time. Couldn't figure it out for a while was going tick-tick-tick. Popped an a aftermarket pulley and it stopped. never came back.
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
Well, I guess the plan is to keep driving it until the sound returns and see if the automotive stethoscope I picked up will help me isolate the source. I'm hoping it's the tensioner making the noise once things heat up. At least if I purchase an upraded tensioner (ARS or THUMP) it'll be a step in the right direction as I'm looking to do an 8-rib upgrade.
 
Last edited:

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
So... I can't reproduce the damn ticking/knocking sound (yet) but I've developed a new sound. It's more of a whine/squeal that's coming somewhere from the general area of the Novi 2200SL. It only happens around 4K RPMs.

Odd Whining/Squealing Noise

So it was recommend to try some break cleaner on one pulley at a time to see if it's a pulley causing the noise. I'll change the fluid on the Novi as well but it only has about 1,200 miles on it.

I'm going for a cruise to confirm if the max boost I can generate is impacted as well. I was dyno'ed at 12 but only registered about 5-6 while cruising the other day.
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
How does your belt look? Any unusual wear or rubber dust around any of the pulleys? I've heard belts out of line make a chattering/knocking sound and it usually comes down to a bad balancer or crank pulley. That might be a stretch but easy to check.

So this may be part of the issue. I double checked all the pulleys and I found the idler on the blower bracket can wiggle just a bit. Possibly enough to cause the pulley to rub something or vibrate during certain RPMs and possibly cause that chattering noise I heard earlier.

So, even though my setup is officially a year old, Vortech is being very kind to send me a new pulley. I'll swap it out and hopefully the mystery will be solved. Wish me luck!
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
I forgot to post an update on this. I swapped the idler pulley and the slight wobble was still there. However, the noise was gone. It hadn't reared it's ugly head until this past weekend (months later) and it had the same tapping noise for a few minutes while cruising some back roads. I stopper to turn right onto a main road and the sound disappeared again. After investigating everything again, I see that the intercooler pipe leading to the throttle body is right up against the tensioner. So maybe it's an occassional shift in the tubing and the vibration is from the tubing and tensioner hitting?

As I mentioned in a different post, I bought a 12% OD crank pulley and looking at a new tensioner (UPR, Thump RRR or ARS). I'll need to move the tubing to get a thicker tensioner on there. So either way, I'll need to address how close the tubing is to the tensioner. I've got one or two more cruises this month before I wanna start tearing things apart.
 

gasykes

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Greensboro, NC
I forgot to post an update on this. I swapped the idler pulley and the slight wobble was still there. However, the noise was gone. It hadn't reared it's ugly head until this past weekend (months later) and it had the same tapping noise for a few minutes while cruising some back roads. I stopper to turn right onto a main road and the sound disappeared again. After investigating everything again, I see that the intercooler pipe leading to the throttle body is right up against the tensioner. So maybe it's an occassional shift in the tubing and the vibration is from the tubing and tensioner hitting?

As I mentioned in a different post, I bought a 12% OD crank pulley and looking at a new tensioner (UPR, Thump RRR or ARS). I'll need to move the tubing to get a thicker tensioner on there. So either way, I'll need to address how close the tubing is to the tensioner. I've got one or two more cruises this month before I wanna start tearing things apart.

Does it still make the whining sound? I remember my '06 had started making a whining sound and it turned out to be the alternator. Couldn't believe my alternator was going bad after three years of ownership, but I bought a replacement, put it on, and never had another issue. Of course, I also had my engine stock otherwise. I'm assuming you have an aftermarket cold air intake?
 

MassMustang

forum member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Posts
755
Reaction score
0
Location
Southeastern Mass
Does it still make the whining sound? I remember my '06 had started making a whining sound and it turned out to be the alternator. Couldn't believe my alternator was going bad after three years of ownership, but I bought a replacement, put it on, and never had another issue. Of course, I also had my engine stock otherwise. I'm assuming you have an aftermarket cold air intake?

Yeah, I found the source of the whining noise. It occurred to me that it was like a kazoo, getting air to move through a hole at the right frequency to create a harmonic vibration. Turns out it was from a temporary cap I was trying to use when I removed a BOV. Earlier this year, I swapped from a 25mm BOV to a 52mm BOV located further down the IC pipe. So I used a temporary cap to close off the flange from the original 25mm location until I can remove the IC tubing and do it properly. Swapped out the cap and the noise went away. Now that the cold weather has arrived, I'll be pulling it apart. Feeling a bit foolish about that one! :whistle1:

I'm fairly convinced that the tapping noise is from the OE tensiioner vibrating against the IC pipe if things shift a little bit. So when I go to reinstall the IC pipes, I'll try to get it curved a bit more to give some room around the tensioner, especially since I wanna use a larger tensioner.
 

Support us!

Support Us - Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Sponsor Links

Banner image
Back
Top