Another elusive engine noise question Options

[Xander_X]

When the engine is cold, there's a noise coming from the belt area of the engine that kinda sounds like a Ducati clutch. For those of you that don't know this sound ... kind of like a helicopter. As the engine reaches normal operating temp the noise subsides drastically. It's not annoying loud ... more suspiciously and "wtf is it" loud. Anyone ever have this?

FYI: The previous owner said they had just replaced the timing belt, though I haven't checked to see if this statement was true or not. And the belt squeals something fierce when I turn the A/C on and hit the gas for the first 5 seconds (have the new belt, haven't gotten around to changing it yet.)

PS - it also got noticeably louder after replacing the valve cover gasket recently.

Any ideas?

This post has been edited by Xander_X: Oct 3, 2012 - 12:31 PM

[rave2n]

I would look at the timing belt idler pulley, and tensioner. Also the power steering pump and bits are in that area, they are often the cause of such noises.

Could also just be the idle pulley for the belts in that location...alt/ac etc.

Try to find its location with something to centralize your hearing of it. Using a pole to the ear pointing it in places of question.

Or, if you have a laptop, and a cheap mic..you can get a freeware program, bring the laptop out, and move the mic around until you see the highest waveform of such noise.