Technical Strange noise
- Thread starter YeYe
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Technical Strange noise
Without headphones it sounds normal
So the belts were changed by a professional? Then you shouldn't have to worry about it.
How does it sound when you accelerate? Does that sound go away, does it disappear when engine's completely warmed up?
It's possible that the belt needs to settle a bit and that sound will become less audible. However belts are noisy if the tension is not perfect.
How does it sound when you accelerate? Does that sound go away, does it disappear when engine's completely warmed up?
It's possible that the belt needs to settle a bit and that sound will become less audible. However belts are noisy if the tension is not perfect.
Yes, done by a trusted mechanic. Goes to a bit of a continuous whine on acceleration. Probably fine, just sounds different I suppose.
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Get it checked by your mechanic. A good mechanic will know how it should sound.
Back with this again. This time I have a better recording. I placed a milk carton onto a screwdriver as a stethoscope and the noise is definitely coming from behind the cam belt plastic cover. It's sort of intermittent and sounds rotational. Its driving me nuts. Could it be a bad tensioner?
I don't hear anything out of the ordinary on the last video. The first video has a whine which could be audible when the engine's cold. It's just a guess. If it makes very little noises, then it should be ok. You shouldn't worry about it if the tensioner was changed.
You could buy a stethoscope from Aliexpress for few euro.
You could buy a stethoscope from Aliexpress for few euro.
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The auxiliary belt has a tensioner which might have a grumbling bearing. The timing belt should have had a new tensioner with the belt kit.
Looks like I may have sorted this. The bottom plastic timing belt cover has a small bit of movement in it. When I moved it away from the engine as much as I could the noise reduced dramatically, which leads me to think that the belt was making contact with the plastic cover. For those who couldn't make out the noise in my clip, here is a link to another person recording the same noise (skip to 22sec). Thanks for the responses.
Try loosening the bolts that hold on the cover and re-tighten them all to finger tight / light contact and then gradually tighten them up, bit by bit, in turn.
The covers are quite flexy/bendy and it could be someone just tightened up one bolt at a time, which might have prevented the cover from seatingitself quite right.. or distorted it a little.
Having said that, I once had a cover that always fouled the aux belt, so that the edge of the belt wore a small groove into it. Once the groove was established, it didn't rub any more..
Ralf S.
The covers are quite flexy/bendy and it could be someone just tightened up one bolt at a time, which might have prevented the cover from seatingitself quite right.. or distorted it a little.
Having said that, I once had a cover that always fouled the aux belt, so that the edge of the belt wore a small groove into it. Once the groove was established, it didn't rub any more..
Ralf S.
Thanks Ralf. Unfortunately, I only imagined the reduction in noise, however, your advice was gold. But instead of just loosening the bolts on the cover I removed it completely to have a good look. Everything in there is perfect and I was able to confirm that the noise is not coming from the cam belt but from the new ancillary belt. It doesn't fix the noise issue but it reassures me that there is nothing amiss with the cam belt and therefore no potential for major damage. Hopefully it's just new belt noise and will reduce over time.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
see if you can add a little light oil to the tensioner. If you can quieten ut it may stay quiet. Also the alternator bearings. Change must have unsettled something.
Keep an eye (or ear) on it. If it is the auxiliary belt, failure is not terminal, but potentially inconvenient. Might need a new tensioner.
New cambelts often sing gently but this should disappear, however, my Doblo, (1.4 Twin cam 95hp), had a new belt fitted, by a 'professional' beginning of January. Belt sang gently, more so than expected, as I've done a few over the years. The noise diminished, but never went away, whereas the Panda 1.2 is silent. Recently, it has started to whine, not immediately on startup, but after a few minutes, then continues. Can sound worrying from outside.
I investigated. Every fastener to gain access was overtightened. Removed auxiliary belts, noise still there. Cover off the cambelt revealed a paint mark on the cam pulley, suggesting locking tools not used, so may also have been tensioned at TDC, instead of with the pistons mid-bore. Belt is very tight, never seen one this tight before. Already looking old, despite being only a few months and 2000 miles. Tensioner is singing loudly, not a happy tensioner, and water pump is also leaking.
Sadly, due to warranty, has to go back to the same idiots for replacement.
These rotational tensioners can be very fiddly to set up. Initially they need overtensioning, rotate the engine by hand two turns, then release and tension correctly. My guess is that is was done at TDC, which may affect the tension as the cams will be in different places, and may be pushing back, and that the initial overtight was left.
Tensioner is also hiding behind the engine mounting, and on the Panda, is very difficult to see. On the 1.2 it is necessary to juggle a mirror and some light, whilst setting the tensioner and tightening the bolt. Very fiddly. Doblo has a little more room, and if still singing when I get it back, I will probably have to do it myself.
New cambelts often sing gently but this should disappear, however, my Doblo, (1.4 Twin cam 95hp), had a new belt fitted, by a 'professional' beginning of January. Belt sang gently, more so than expected, as I've done a few over the years. The noise diminished, but never went away, whereas the Panda 1.2 is silent. Recently, it has started to whine, not immediately on startup, but after a few minutes, then continues. Can sound worrying from outside.
I investigated. Every fastener to gain access was overtightened. Removed auxiliary belts, noise still there. Cover off the cambelt revealed a paint mark on the cam pulley, suggesting locking tools not used, so may also have been tensioned at TDC, instead of with the pistons mid-bore. Belt is very tight, never seen one this tight before. Already looking old, despite being only a few months and 2000 miles. Tensioner is singing loudly, not a happy tensioner, and water pump is also leaking.
Sadly, due to warranty, has to go back to the same idiots for replacement.
These rotational tensioners can be very fiddly to set up. Initially they need overtensioning, rotate the engine by hand two turns, then release and tension correctly. My guess is that is was done at TDC, which may affect the tension as the cams will be in different places, and may be pushing back, and that the initial overtight was left.
Tensioner is also hiding behind the engine mounting, and on the Panda, is very difficult to see. On the 1.2 it is necessary to juggle a mirror and some light, whilst setting the tensioner and tightening the bolt. Very fiddly. Doblo has a little more room, and if still singing when I get it back, I will probably have to do it myself.
Had a look this morning and couldn't get in and around enough to add oil to the tensioner. I have decided that an unexplained noise in an Italian car can only be fixed by an Italian, therefore I shall be playing my favourite Puccini arias, very loud, every time I drive.
I wondered if you ever got to the bottom of this? I just replaced an ignition coil and next time I took the car out I noticed this exact same noise (indeed, searching the word fiat 500 1.4 warbling sound took me straight here pretty much. Been under the car with the under tray off and I can't pinpoint the location. Sounds like it's coming from some part of the aux belt assembly though. As with you (and the other owner who's link you posted) it's noticeable when the engine is idling.
Hi gadb, I have never solved it. I have been told by a a mechanic who specialises in Italian cars that it is the timing kit that was used. He said that they are tight and it can cause the noise. He also said that it was unlikely to cause an issue. Almost one year on and the noise is still there, perhaps even more pronounced, but the car runs perfectly. I did have the aux belt replaced at the same time.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Take it out and give it an Italian service! Kill or cureHad a look this morning and couldn't get in and around enough to add oil to the tensioner. I have decided that an unexplained noise in an Italian car can only be fixed by an Italian, therefore I shall be playing my favourite Puccini arias, very loud, every time I drive.
Thought it was an issue with the aux belt or aux rollers/tensioner but just had the cover off and it doesnt seem.to be coming from there - it's further in (i.e. towards engine). Seems to be absent when engine is cold but once warmed up and idling its quite noticeable. Changed the cam belt a while back without issue so I doubt its that. I'd be surprised if it was anything to do with changing the coils either though. Stumped.
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Hi gadb, I took the timing belt cover off today and listened with a tube. The noise is 100% coming from the belt, precisely at the point where the belt leaves the camshaft pulley. There are no unusual sounds from any of the pulleys so it seems to be just an idiosyncrasy of the Gates belt. Reassuring for me to know that it's not an issue with the pulleys or water pump.
