Car sounding like theres metal in the pistons (there isn't its something to do with the pullys) and the belts jumping off

[StonedOdie]

So the other day I was driving the car and it was working fine, shut it off and turned it on like 4-5 times that day as I was driving around, then I went to check the muffler and when I started it it sounded like someone jammed a bunch of metal shavings in the engine. The engine is completely fine and there is nothing in it I know that for a fact, and the fact that the belt keeps jumping off is a def pointer that its something to do with a pulley. My friend thinks its the tentioner pulley because its jumping like crazy when the engine is running but the sound is horrid. I'm gonna have a friend come look at it tomorrow after work but wondering if anyone else has had this problem with a Pontiac grand prix non supercharged. Also, my friend snapped the bottom bolt on the power steering pump and i left the broken piece in and I always heard it rattling and it was bent when I checked cuz I thought thats what was making the sound. So that poped out enough to hit the pulley and bend what was left of the bolt down. I spun each pulley and I didn't hear any sounds, and I tried to shake them and none felt loose. Just looking for ideas here, this fuckin car is getting on my nerves. Its got 130k on it but still, 1 problem after another after another. Could that broken bolt that came out and hit the pully possibly jarred it off balance or something? If the tentioner pully isn't broken then something is making the belt stop because its pulling it down periodically. Just trying to see if anyone has had an issue like this and knows what I should look for to fix it. thank you very much.

[Tech II]

Would help top know what year we are talking about...

Your post is a little confusing....first you talk about a sound from your muffler and then you are talking about a rattle from your tensioner...is the noise coming from your cat rather than the muffler(catalyst broken up inside?) Take a rubber mallet and tap the cat and hear if it rattles...

A power steering bolt was snapped and not replaced? And then it backed out and hit the pulley? when it backed out was it removed and replaced? Was the other bolt check out?

If it was never replaced, it's possible that pump became cocked slightly over time(moved) and could be the reason why your belt is coming off....

[StonedOdie]

I apologize man I was checking to see what was wrong with the muffler and thats when the sound started. Its not the muffler making the sound thats for sure. Its an 05 pontiac grand prix. I always try to throw all the info I can but I was in a rush last night. And yes a friend snapped the bolt and I didn't notice it till I was feeling around the pulleys the other day. It was never replaced and the broken piece is only sticking out of the engine block by a hair. The broken piece came out a bit and the pulley must have hit it, and it bent the piece hanging out a bit.

Edit: Also, the tentioner pulley is like jerking almost as if a pulley is stopping spinning or something like that. Thats why the belt jumped off I think because of the way the tentioner is jerking.

[StonedOdie]

Well I figured that problem out as well, but it has led to a worse problem I'm going to post on a new thread... It was the power steering pump, one of the bolts had snapped and the piece came out and hit the pulley knocking it off balance and pulling the other bolt out a bit, I fixed it and it ran for a while but now the second bolt has snapped and my entire power steering pump has come off so I can't even hook up my serpentine belt, no altenator or water cooling so I pretty much can't drive it more than a few miles...

[tazpal15]

Besides the obvious power steering pump issues. I have seen these 3800 ll's have an issue with the harmonic balancer breaking the weight loose and clanking like a loud piston trying to jump through the cylinder wall. The car runs and drives but scares the devil out of you. I would agree that the power steering pump issue is the belt jumping culprit. Good luck. Hope this helps.