Timing Belt Noise?

[nicr4wks]

Hi Guys,

I've replaced a couple of timing belts before, but this is the first Gates one I've done. There's a noise coming from the cam gear area which I think is the noise of the belt teeth against the gears. I've heard the Gate's belts can be noisy but this seems pretty excessive and I'm thinking I might need to loosen it up a bit.

Can anyone confirm?

Cheers.

[GTSBoy]

f**k! That's a bit ordinary. Put the old belt back on. See what happens.

[Ben C34]

You got spacers for the cas? Seeing as not running the cover?

[nicr4wks]

Should point out the idler and tensioner were replaced at the same time, along with the water pump. Prior to all this there was no noise from the old belt!

You got spacers for the cas? Seeing as not running the cover?

Yes the CAS has spacers, it's also only temporarily removed for diagnosis of the noise.

Edited August 6, 2015 by nicr4wks

[Dobz]

It does sound like a humming of the belt teeth but the sound quality makes it hard to distinguish. I've heard a/c idler bearing make the same sort of noise when they're on the way out but you say it's up at the cam pulleys.

How tight is the belt?

[KiwiRS4T]

Stock belts have been known to do 130,000 or more. You should replace them every 100 so no need to pay more.

[nicr4wks]

It does sound like a humming of the belt teeth but the sound quality makes it hard to distinguish. I've heard a/c idler bearing make the same sort of noise when they're on the way out but you say it's up at the cam pulleys.

How tight is the belt?

http://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/397602-how-to-replace-a-timing-belt-202526-pics/

As described in this guide, I can get roughly 1/4 turn out of the belt. It doesn't feel overly tight.

[mr skidz]

hag a greddy belt same color make same noise on my old gtst,drove me crazy

[Dobz]

That method of a 1/4 turn isn't the most accurate. There are too many variables that can change like hand strength, how you hold the belt when you twist and if you can position yourself to get better leverage on it.

The best way I was taught and I feel its the most consistent is to pull the slack of the belt in between the cam pulleys so the rest of the belt is tight. The slack inbetween the pulleys can now be measured. Putting a ruler behind the belt it should only have about 6mm movement, that's +3, -3mm from centre.

[nicr4wks]

Loosened up the belt last night, noise gone!

Dobz method seems pretty solid, I also found the belt "feels" the tightest between the two gears, I guess this is due to it being the shortest run between two points.

[SargeRX8]

Looks like a gates belt. Pieces of shit. Noisy as f**k. I wish I never put one in my car. Even at the right tension, you will get occasional noise from the belt.

[Hadouken]

Why not just go with a oem belt?

[GTSBoy]

Because not blue silicone special overnight parts grade stuff.

[iruvyouskyrine]

Any gates belt I have ever put on has never made a single noise.

[Hadouken]

You are a lucky one. It is a well known occurrence that gates belts make noise.

[Dobz]

Gates have a small sweet spot where you can keep them quiet but still noisy compared to oem. That +3/-3mm measurement was the result of frustrating trial and error on my own gates belt.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Dobz

[mr skidz]

my recent squeal once car warmed up turned out to be the tensioner bearing and possibly the gates belt which was on the car already which doesn't flex as well as the original one so some excess tension was put on the bearings causing them to squeal due to the expansion of the engine as it warmed up something to think about

[tridentt150v]

Thats just the killer wasps!!!

Thankfully mine doesn't make that sound......when I did it I just ordered a kit for the water pump, idler, tensioner, and belt. Belt that came was a Gates........I didn't think about it, but prob should have requested OEM.