Hi,
We have a 98 Escort with 43k miles on it. Just replaced the timing
belt. Before that however, there was and still is a distinct clicking
coming from the accessory belt area (pulley ?). It occurs on startup,
in Park and drive, disappears in neutral.
With the car running in Park, when I use a ratchet to take the
automatic tensioner out of tensioning the accessory belt, the sound
disappears.
I'm somewhat short of cash right now and have to fix this myself. Any
help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much in advance for any ideas!!!!!
Bob Bailin - 10 Dec 2006 21:26 GMT
> Hi,
> We have a 98 Escort with 43k miles on it. Just replaced the timing
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thank you very much in advance for any ideas!!!!!
The problem with your description is that park and neutral should
behave exactly the same as far as the engine is concerned. The only
difference between the two is that park engages a parking pawl to
keep the car from moving. Other than that, (and the position of the
transmission lever) the two positions are both neutral.
Since the noise goes away when you remove the belt tension, one
would suspect that the noise is coming from either the alternator,
a/c compressor, power steering pump, or one of the idler pulleys.
Or, one of these pulleys is brushing up against something when the
engine is rotated slightly when not in gear.
You can either live with the noise, or take off the belt and spin each
accessory by hand to see which one clicks. Or use a length of heater
hose as a stethoscope to try to pinpoint the problem.
Bob
Diarmud387@verizon.net - 11 Dec 2006 03:19 GMT
Thanks for the advice, I think I'll live with it until it gets worse.
Thanks again.