Has anyone here ever had a tensioner ( serpentine or timing ) go bad?? What are the symptoms of that? I have a rattling sound when I hit the accelerator. Once upon a time, the exhaust heat shield cracked and was vibrating on the exhaust pipe, thus causing the rattling... i just jacked my car and really can't tell what the rattles are, and it seems to be coming from around where the throttle wire thing attaches to the engine, near the windshield behind where the the air intake snorkel tube enters into in the engine. Any ideas??

this rattling is annoying....

 

no one has any idea???

 

I have not experience with timing tensioner go bad. But if it did go bad. it would be a little difficult to hear due to all the plastics cover. These SC v8s are pretty well insulated. Let say if it was bad. You can remove the driver side spark plug cover. Start your motor, go under the hood, rev up the throttle, listen to any unfamiliar noise.

You stated the rattling came from near the windshield behind the air intake. I would check around this area.

Thats two different location and far apart. Just my opinion.

good luck

 

I had my serpentine tensioner go while I was on the highway this winter. The symptom was a chirping sound at idle that I thought was the belt. It sounded just like a belt but it ended up being the bearing. After a new belt it still chirped for 6 months before it finally siezed. It was easy to install the tensioner and belt.

 

I had mine changed about 2 months ago and I changed it because it sounded like I needed my valves adjusted but it was just the rattling coming from the bad tensioner.The tensioner cost about $175 and takes about 20-30 min to change.My car even idles better now because of it..When you take the tensioner off , just spin it and you will hear the rattle it makes...Also while your in there you might aswell change the belt also..Hope this helps..

 

that's cool / helpful... i just wanted to be a lil bit more informed if it could be causing the rattling sound since i just changed out my alternator for bad bearings, which that noise ( my pseudo supercharger sound ) is now gone,...but it was masking the rattling sound,...so now, this repair is next....

been a rough few weeks for the SC... but otherwise, the car has been bullet proof...