I've been listening to a noise from my timing belt area, that seems to be slowly getting worse. The noise crops up soon after the motor is started and I drive, can be heard well at idle and gets loudest at 2,000-2,500 rpms, right above that it goes away until I hit those RPM's again. When the motor is totally heat soaked the noise is almost gone.

Recording of the sound parked with motor mostly warm, the noise is louder than the video makes it sound:


Any help appreciated. Its a 2003 VIII with 155k miles, it had its last timing belt at about 125,000 miles. I'm guessing that the tensioner is giving up or something.

 

Pull the upper timing cover off and test for belt tension...is it too loose? too tight or about right? With the upper cover off you might be able to hear the noise a little better too ... not sure though. It's only 4 bolts.

Did you do a complete timing job or did you cut some corners?

 

Did ya figure it out?

 

yeah pull that top timing cover off it comes off easily and check that tension on there. did you put a new tensioner on there when you did the timing belt service? you should change it whenever you do the timing belt service just as insurance

 

Back to looking at this issue again; I had a water pump fail and I had the shop that did that work replace the timing belt too. Far as I know the tensioner was carried over. I'm going to pull the cover and see if there's anything to be seen; will that tensioner have play in it of its bad? What should I be looking for?

 

YO!!!!! My Car is doing the same thing! I have an 06 evo. When did yours start happening? Mine started after doing a 60k so Timing belt, waterpump, tensioner pulley, where all replaced. BTW I DONT have balance shafts so its not that.

Idk how to tell if the belt is tensioned properly.

 

I don't hear anything except for some lifter noise.