Is it Accessory Drive Belt / Belt Tensioner Assembly?

[Anonymous]

I have a 01 which I think has developed the rattle! I have based my assumption on the helpful information found in this forum but wanted to make sure before contacting a dealer to fix.

The rattle appears to come from the right of the engine but I cant pin point the exact source, I can hear it when sitting inside the 2 when stationary but it is blanked out when on the move.

It gets worse as the engine heats up, other than that its running fine, no significant oil loss etc.


My assumption is (you guessed it) Accessory Drive Belt / Belt Tensioner Assembly!

has any one had this problem, then had it fixed with no further trouble?

Any extra advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated

[Tem]

See if you can view this video:
 m http://www.spyderchat.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8366 m

[Anonymous]

It is the tensioner. Loads have had it fixed, and it's a known problem by Toyota. Get it down to MrT and get em to swap it.

[Anonymous]

ok, will contact the dealer, i'm 2 months the wrong side of the warrantee with 41k, recently had 40k service, how much sympathy will they give me?

[Anonymous]

Oh dear... Don't think you'll have much luck, unless you've notced it before the warranty ran out and did atleast mention it to them?

[SteveJ]

You can also get a rattling noise from the timing chain and it's tensioner. This seems to be more prevalent as the oil gets thinner (or you use a very thin oil  s:? :? s:?  )

Markiii had this problem with his car whilst using Magnatec and the dealers were all for trying to sort the problem out, but since switching to 15W50 fully synth, the problem has gone away.

How old is the oil in the engine, and what grade / manufacturer are you using?

[Anonymous]

Isn't that what he said, the tensioner?

Having just stripped the top end of my spare engine, i've got the tensioner sat in front of me. I originally thought i read it was some sort of bearing but it isn't. It is a sealed unit that has a ram arm that is pushed onto the tensioner arm by oil pressure, so Steve is exactly right that oil thickness matters. The hole into it is small so this to could be blocked. The ram arm has notches on it where a ratchet arm locks the ram from going in when there's no oil pressure.

Can't see how these things could ever wear down, taking it out, cleaning it and putting it back may work. But the right oil is a must.

[markiii]

I also ran a flushing treatment through when I did the change, which may have helped were it actually blocked by sludge.

[Anonymous]

am I correct in thinking we are talking about two seperate parts?:

1. accessory belt/tensioner
2. timing chain/tensioner


just had 40k service, the oil on the invoice is castrol 10w40 ZX

[markiii]

correct

acessory tensioner has a belt
timing tensioner has a chain

[Anonymous]

No just 1. It's the timing chain tensioner. Not the other,that's a rubber belt.

[SteveJ]

The video (which mr-s_turbo seemed to be agreeing with) shows the auxiliary belt tensioner which has a damper unit which fails, resulting in a resonance mode vibration occuring at particular speeds. This gives a low rumbling noise.

The rattling noise is the timing chain tensioner and is essentially internal to the engine (it can be removed by removing the oval plate that can be seen close to the aux belt tensioner) This plate is also prone to leaking as it has a pressurised oil feed running behind it to drive the timing chain tensioner.

I think we are all singing from the same hymn sheet now - the noise is almost certainly the timing chain tensioner, and the first port of call is to ensure you are using the right grade of oil, and that it hasn't gone thin due to it's age.

[Anonymous]

the first port of call is to ensure you are using the right grade of oil, and that it hasn't gone thin due to it's age.[/quote]

just had 40k service, the oil listed on the invoice is castrol 10w40 ZXOIL

[Anonymous]

you could say that the noise started when they changed the oil this would then coenside with a blockage being moved into postion for it to be a probelm, so put it to them that it was fine before you chaged the oil and as it works heavily with the oil it's there fault and they should fix it   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

I'm a little confused by this thread, so please correct me if I've got the wrong end of the stick!

I had a diesel engine type rattle coming from the right hand side of the engine, which was the belt tensioner wearing out.

I was 2 months out of warranty, but the service manager was quite sympathetic after some indignant persuasion by me.. he got in touch with Toyota customer care, who paid half the parts cost of a new tensioner assembly. (~ £100 + VAT)

I still had to pay labour and VAT, but it came in at around £150 all in as I remember.

Apparently the part has been redesigned 3 times since the launch of the Roadster, so hopefully my new one will solve the problem permanently.

Mr T still seem to have a policy of turning a blind-ear to it unless you point it out though.. surely their techs should be able to catch it early and potentially within warranty..   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  

Tim

[Anonymous]

You'd think, but they would rather ignore it and let you point it out to them.

As i said, i don't see how these can wear out. It is just a oil pressurised ram that pushes on a plastic runner guide that takes the slack out of the chain. It is more than likely easier to replace it than flush it and clean it.
I'll take a photo of the assembly later if anyone hasn't seen it and is half interested.

[Anonymous]

I'll take a photo of the assembly later if anyone hasn't seen it and is half interested.

I'm half interested   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:   Maybe even as much as 5/8ths.

[Anonymous]

You'd think, but they would rather ignore it and let you point it out to them.

As i said, i don't see how these can wear out. It is just a oil pressurised ram that pushes on a plastic runner guide that takes the slack out of the chain. It is more than likely easier to replace it than flush it and clean it.
I'll take a photo of the assembly later if anyone hasn't seen it and is half interested.

I would also be iterested in seeing a pic.

still a bit confused to whether its my timming chain tensioner or accessory belt tensioner causing the problem.

[Anonymous]

I had a diesel engine type rattle coming from the right hand side of the engine, which was the belt tensioner wearing out.

would you also describe the noise as a rattle? and did the repair fix it?

[Anonymous]

I'll take a photo of the assembly later if anyone hasn't seen it and is half interested.

I'm half interested   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:   Maybe even as much as 5/8ths.

  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  OK, i'll post the pics later.

[Anonymous]

I had a diesel engine type rattle coming from the right hand side of the engine, which was the belt tensioner wearing out.

would you also describe the noise as a rattle? and did the repair fix it?

Umm....yes, it was kind of a diesel rattle?! Difficult to describe, but no doubt your problem is exactly the same as most of us have experienced on here... it seems inevitable that all MR2 tensioners will wear out and make the same noise eventually... I was surprised to learn that it's taken Toyota 3 attempts to design one that doesn't start making an embarrassing noise!

With the new part however, noise totally gone. The engine isn't the quietest at idle (mabye just mine?!   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  ), but the rattle went away completely. No sign of it returning another 5000 miles later, fingers crossed!

Money well spent in my opinion, although incredibly annoying that the techs must have heard it at the last service before the end of the warranty and kept schtum!   s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  

Tim

[Anonymous]

Anyone that wants to see the tensioner look here, links on my last post
 m http://www.mr2roc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=48841#48841 m

[Anonymous]

thanks for all the help and advice on this subject, I'm new to the club and its already been very beneficial.

On reflection I think I'm going to take out an extended warrantee with Toyota for piece of mind.

Has anyone had a bad experience with the EW?

Thanks again

Dom

[Anonymous]

The aux drive belt tensioner can rattle upto 1500rpm due the oil getting bubbles inside the tensioner, after 1500rpm it goes away
Toyota have modified this tensioner quite a while ago which should be ok
the tensioner can be purchased with bracket which makes it awkward to fit
at over £100 or just the tensioner alone which is around £40 + vat

As for warranty & techs spotting it unless safety related techs are not allowed to report warranty work back to the customer if u go by the rule book  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

after taking out a new extended warrantee, and allowing for a small cool off period, I shall bombard my local dealer with my new found knowledge

Dom.

will post results