Technical Cambelt tensioner bearing?

[Bay Trials]

Got a whining noise coming from somewhere at the front of the car. It seems to happen when first driving the car after its been standing a while. The noise doesn't start till about 2500/3000 revs(ish) then gets progressively louder as you accelerate, then it stops. I've checked through some old posts and the suggestions for similar problems seems to be the timing/cam belt tensioner bearing.

I had the timing belt replaced 10,000 miles ago but I dunno whether the tensioner was done then. Is it possible to replace the tensioner bearing without replacing the timing belt again, or is best to do it to be on the safe side?

Car's a 1998 60s mk1.

Cheers.

 

[beau]

the belt would have to come off to do the tensioner, and for the sake of like £5-10 for a new belt, its something worth doing. its usually the other belts making a noise though, cant remember the name atm! alternator belt maybe? called the fan belt? i duno but mine were whinning.

 

[ChrisUK]

Yes its possible they didn't change the tensioner too (I hate garages that do that :bang. As beau said get the tensioner and belt done as its only cheap the main cost is the labour which you will be paying anyway. Also get the Aux belt and tensioner done as well to be on the safe side as it could be that thats worn as well.

 

[teulk]

Erm if my memory serves me correctly the belt wouldn't have to come off just to change the tensioner but if your changing the tensioner you may as well change the belt...........

 

[vtec]

the belt doesnt "have" to come off but it would be silly not to change the belt if the tensioner is being done., The noise could also be the bearing in the water pump, try getting WD40 and spray a bit into the tensioner while the engine is running and see if the squeek goes away, if it does then you know the tensioner needs to be changed.,

 

[Bay Trials]

The noise could also be the bearing in the water pump,

This probably sounds daft, but is the bearing part of the water pump? I had the water pump changed about 9 months ago, so I'm wondering whether the water pump bearing would have been replaced along with it

 

[The Sultan]

This probably sounds daft, but is the bearing part of the water pump? I had the water pump changed about 9 months ago, so I'm wondering whether the water pump bearing would have been replaced along with it

the water pump and bearing are all one piece

what could have happened is they charged you for a belt and tensioner and didn't fit either

so best change both

and also get a new alternator belt they wear at the same rate as a cam belt so it's silly not to change at the same time

another thing that may have happened is they overtightened it
causing premature failure if this has happened and caused damage to your water pump you may want to be taking the bill for it all to the garage

so for now I would just replace cam belt and tensioner and alternator belt

and see how it goes

ps any garage that change belts and not tensioners are right idiots and deserve to fold into liquidation

 

[Bay Trials]

Cool, I'll try getting the alternator belt, timing belt and tensioner done then. Any idea on a price for all this from a garage? Tempted to try it myself, but I'd probably be without a car for a while when I screw it up lol

I don't know for certain that the garage didn't change the tensioner. I was just trying to diagnose the problem from what other people had said - it may not even be the tensioner at all.

Cheers.

 

[vtec]

its not a really a difficult job, if you look in the stickies theres information on timing the engine etc, but you can just mark the enfine and pullys while the belt is still on and then when your fitting the new best you'll just have to line up the marks.,