Auxcillary belt

[froggy]

Hi, When I start up from cold, Iam hearing a noise coming from the auxcillary belt. I changed the belt last summer, the tension seems ok ( its tight) When I start the engine from warm ......the noise disappears.Should I try and tighten the belt some more ! or could the noise be coming from the rollers that tension the belt ? has anyone needed to change the rollers on a S1 ? Many thanks Terry.

[Xantidote]

Hi Terry,

Any aux belt will have rollers which will wear/give out over time. Does your S1 have manual or auto adjust tensioner?

Mine has manual adjustment, so probably the simplest. Noise you ascribe to the belt could be the belt, rollers or tensioner, even the alternator. Over the years, I've had noise from the alternator (subsequently replaced), and from the manual tensioner, which I've replaced twice (both these supplied by GSF - life not so good as original). My S1 has no undertray, which means the tensioner is more exposed, and the bearing seems to run dry and then wear. There is some sort of seal to stop weather ingress to the bearing, but doesn't have infinite life. I've on one occassion removed the tensioner, and worked oil into the bearing past the seal, and that got rid of the noise, and at least confirmed that in my case the noise was from the tensioner, which I later replaced.

Belt doesn't want to be overtight. Just so long as it doesn't shriek under maximum load, which is usually on start-up. Need to eliminate the possible sources of the noise one by one

[froggy]

cheers Martin. mine is manual adjustment. my car is also missing under tray. Terry.

[Dommo]

I recently discovered that on my 'manual adjustment' setup, there is an automatic tensioner of sorts higher up, which had worn out on my car. This weird looking thing:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390881904438

On my car with AC it sits below and behind the HP pump.

[Xantidote]

on my 'manual adjustment' setup, there is an automatic tensioner of sorts higher up

Mine doesn't even have that so much simpler

[Dommo]

Ahh, it must depend on whether you have AC or not then? Do you have AC?

[froggy]

no A/C.

[froggy]

cheers

[elma]

When I'm not sure where a belt/tensioner noise is coming from I grab my stethoscope. It's a great tool and you can tell exactly which bit is squealing when the stethoscope is pointed at it. Make sure you stand a couple of meters away if you try it and walk closer with the stethoscope pointed at what your listening to until the volumes about right. If you try to use one close up or touching on a car it'll hurt your ears a lot.

The cheap £2 ones like this work fine.

[old-un77]

When I'm not sure where a belt/tensioner noise is coming from I grab my stethoscope. It's a great tool and you can tell exactly which bit is squealing when the stethoscope is pointed at it. Make sure you stand a couple of meters away if you try it and walk closer with the stethoscope pointed at what your listening to until the volumes about right. If you try to use one close up or touching on a car it'll hurt your ears a lot.


rather like trying to balance a pair of Stromberg carburetters with a piece of tubing