Weird whiney noise from pulley/belt area

[DaveA3]

Hi All,

As above i have a weird whiney noise coming from the pulley/belt area. It seems to get a little louder on acceleration but not alot. Mostly noticed when the car is idleing.

I've heard the following from everyone ive asked:

# Belt Tensioner (although mine doesnt jump or move irratically)
# alternator pulley clutch (my battery charges fine and no alternator light)
# Water pump (no signs anywhere, changed at 75k with cambelt cars on 101k now)
# Bearings in pulley (possible)

Can anyone shed some light on if it could be any of the above or a past experience perhaps?

I've tried to search but its hard to pin point the issue at the moment so results are vague.

Many thanks in advance

Dave :icon_thumright:

 

[Matt82]

id say belt tensioner pulley or a guide pulley. cant you get a stethescope on it and listen?

 

[DaveA3]

not while its running ill rip m ear off lol. I have a video on my phone i can upload later on if u like?

whats the guide pulley? as i was told that the tensioner pulley would be jerky if it was that which it isnt at the moment.

p.s who owns a stethoscope that isnt a doctor?

 

[Matt82]

me

lol you can get mecahnic stethoscopes. they had a big spike in place of the round pad so you can listen to the noises things are making.

when i did the belt change on my S4, the guide pullies and tensioner pullies were both cream crackered. i didnt realise how much noise they were making until i started the car again afterwards and could hear the lovely v6 properly!

 

[MIKE GTR]

Def sounds like a pulley, don't take any chances get it done as mine has just cost a total of £3k all because it seased

 

[Matt82]

eek. the ones i took off the s4 at 115k miles were a mess. like you found out mike, all the little components are important too. i changed everything whilst i had the s4 in bits. gaskets, seals, the tensioners and rollers

 

[DaveA3]

ok cool cheers lads. u kno how much roughly they cost to change? pulleys and hours of labour?