Hi all,

Looking for some help possibly identifying a noise coming from the MIVEC cam gear. Video below is me attempting to catch it on video, note however I have since identified where its coming from as the next day I pulled the upper timing cover off and it was very clearly coming from the cam gear.


To my ears it sounds like a rotational sound where something is "loose" or wobbling, but the only time I touched that cam gear is to hold it in place when I did a timing belt service on the car recently. Belt was replaced with a Regular Gates belt (not the Gates Racing Kevlar), my understanding is that while its not spec for the IX, its spec for the VIII and can be used just with a smaller service interval (if that understanding is wrong, please advise). I tensioned it to spec as per the service manual, perhaps I've overtightened it? I don't know of this occurred due to my service because at the time I did all the stuff I also did the oil pump which had some damage and was drowning out basically every other noise in the engine bay.

Anyone recognise that sound and can point to some possibilities? Can the cam gear be serviced? I noted that it bolts onto the sprocket so figure it may indeed be possible but not entirely sure, I'd hate to have to get a new cam gear entirely.

Regards,

 

i cant tell from the video. have you tried idling it quickly without the accessory belt?

 

Yeah done that, no change its definitely the cam gear. I'll do another video this afternoon with the cover off see if that helps.

 

Tried again this afternoon without the cover.

 

did you have this noise before the new oil pump? hows your oil pressure at idle? did you plug back the control valve

 

I couldn't say, the oil pump noise was so loud it drowned everything else out. I haven't got a gauge for oil pressure so don't really know.

What specific part are you referring to by the control valve? The VVT solenoid at the back of the engine? If so yes, thats plugged back in.

 

Check the inline filter for the MIVEC to make sure it's clean. Then run 12v to the MIVEC solenoid to make sure it's cycling. The probably cause is a bad timing belt tensioner that make the belt slap, which sounds like it's the MIVEC gear clacking.