scotty38356

Help. I have a 98 Camry and within the last month i have replaced the battery and the alternator, as well as the serpentine belt around the pulleys. Now, it sounds like someone has a sound to it in the area of the alternator that sounds like someone sticking a pencil in a fan.
Does anyone have any ideas? This car sounds like a piece of junk!

Mike Gerber

If you replaced the alternator yourself, take if off and take it back to the place you got it from. Tell them of the problem and ask them to either test it out for noise or exchange it for you. If you had someone do the repair for you, take it back to them and ask them to exchange it. This was probably a rebuilt alternator. The failure rate on rebuilt alternators is fairly high.

Mike

jsinton

Get a piece of plastic tube and stick it in your ear. Use it like a stethescope and track down the location of the sound. I'd say you just got something spinning around and hitting a piece of plastic, etc.

A long screwdriver can also be used like a stethescope to locate things like noisy valves, etc inside the engine. Just stick one end on the motor, and one end in your ear. You'd be amazed how clearly you can hear valves.

scotty38356

I have been able to determine the noise is caused by the timing belt. the timing belt is not tensioned all that well, and the belt is hitting the plastic timing belt cover, causing the noise.
My problem is this, what do i do to fix the tension problem?

jsinton

Are you sure it's your timing belt? Did you take off the cover and look at it to determine it was too loose? If it really is your timing belt, then don't play around. Just have the timing belt replaced. You should do it every 60,000 miles anyway. Do it yourself, or have it done at the shop.

scotty38356

Without a doubt, it is something to do with the timing belt. I have the timing cover off and towards the smooth side of the belt, i can easily push an inch before encountering any resistance.

the only thing i can figure out is, the tensioner spring, or the tensioner pulley is defective some how. Any ideas?

jsinton

It might be different on my 88 Camry, but I would loosen the pulley with the spring on it. By loosening the bolt, the spring should automatically tighten the belt to the perscribed amount. Then tighten the pulley belt back up.

However, if the belt is already stretched out, I would just go ahead and replace it.

scotty38356

Alright, I put on a new timing belt and water pump and now the car won't start.
I happened to notice it was because the cam and crank were no longer in time with each other.
I pulled the belt off, and turned the camshaft back to the correct mark, turned the crank back to the correct mark, reinstalled the belt, and it still won't run.
Is there a certain way that belt has to go back on when it comes off, like timing marks?
Help please.

jsinton

As long as you got the pulleys lined up, it should be ok. Sometimes I check the pulley alignment about 10 times before I am satisfied. You have to rotate the motor via the crankshaft. Are you 100% of pulley alignment? If so, look for another reason it won't start.

scotty38356

success!! i got it to crank. but the first problem i had is still a problem. the noise is caused by the slack in the belt, the belt isn't loose, matter of fact, it isn't removable by hand at all without removing the idler pulley. but while its cranked the belt is bouncing up and down, and vibrating, and that bouncing is slapping the timing cover causing the horrible noise. any suggestions? think i should replace the idler pulley?

jsinton

Sounds like the spring is not tight enough or something. A new timing gear set, with all the timing belt and pulleys, cost about $100. I would only do that if a pulley was making noise. If you replaced the belt, why do you still have slack? Didn't the spring tensioner on the pulley take up all the slack? It's supposed to tighten it up to the correct amount automatically... right? Your car may be different than mine.