Ticking noise, wanted second opinion. Serpentine belt area

John Mark Henry

John Mark Henry

Greenie N00B Member
I have a 2011 MS3 with 91,500 miles. Since I’ve owned it I’ve done regular oil changes and so on, all the maintenance I should do. This ticking noise outside of the fuel injectors is driving me crazy, it doesn’t go away when I press the clutch and the only issue I can see is that the idler pulley has some travel side to side when it’s spinning. I was able to move it enough to tap it by hand as well. This video was taken after about a 10 minute drive, no AC. AC on or off still makes the noise, all I can think is the idler because it definitely doesn’t sound like the timing chain to me. Anyone mind listening and helping me out? I made a short video where it’s audible.
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Take the belt off and spin stuff by hand. When I had this noise it was the A/C compressor clutch. I thought it was power steering at first but it was the bearings in the A/C clutch.
 
JohnnyTightlips said:
Take the belt off and spin stuff by hand. When I had this noise it was the A/C compressor clutch. I thought it was power steering at first but it was the bearings in the A/C clutch.
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That’s been part of the problem unfortunately, I live in a place where I don’t have a flat area to get it up on ramps so I haven’t been able to remove the belt. But I’ll see what I can do about that. The reason I suspect the idler is that it moves a bit more than the video shows side to side and makes a clicking noise if I move it to the side by hand. It’s confusing. Does it make a difference that it happens with AC off as well?
 
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I had a similar sound but got it louder with RPM but not all the time. Turned out my alternator pulley bearings were going out. I saw flex when I revved it at that pulley. While in there I replaced the idler pulley and belt after replacing the alternator.
 
Db09ms3 said:
I had a similar sound but got it louder with RPM but not all the time. Turned out my alternator pulley bearings were going out. I saw flex when I revved it at that pulley. While in there I replaced the idler pulley and belt after replacing the alternator.
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It’s something I’ve listened for but I definitely can’t hear it increase with rpms. The only one I see moving at all is the idler. I’m about to go take another look and do what I can with my limited work space. I appreciate all of you for the help.
 
John Mark Henry said:
Yeah I guess it was stupid of me to ask at this point haha. But hey, see that green noob tag under my name? Accurate.
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It's all good just take some time and work through the diagnoses. If you need a new idler pulley there is a better one from autozone that moves the tensioner nut to a MUCH better place so you can get the belt on and off much easier. https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/belt-tensioner/duralast-idler-pulley-305372/78070

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JohnnyTightlips said:
It's all good just take some time and work through the diagnoses. If you need a new idler pulley there is a better one from autozone that moves the tensioner nut to a MUCH better place so you can get the belt on and off much easier. https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/belt-tensioner/duralast-idler-pulley-305372/78070

TjDmpy.jpg
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Will do! I appreciate the help. I'll report back probably later today but I'm pretty certain it should be good after this. At least, I hope.
 
I’ve replaced the idler and it sounds better, all the other pulleys sounded good. I still hear a faint ticking off time with the fuel pump but at this point it’s probably just a rock or some shit. I hear it near the IM but can’t pinpoint anything. So I’ll leave it alone.
 
I am having a similar noise, think it might be the idler pulley/tensioner as well? I’m also new to the forums so I am not sure how to properly send my videos haha
 

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JohnnyTightlips said:
The fuel system on these cars is very noisy, you will hear ticking from the DI injectors "under the intake manifold" and the hpfp is also noisy.
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I do always "enjoy" someone telling me my car's making a weird ticking sound when they see a speed for the first time. Gotta love the fuel system.
 
Yeah I know the fuel injectors making a ticking noise and the hpfp noise but the noise that I heard outside of those was a whirring noise near the serpentine belt area, figured out it was the ac compressor it’s shot and on its last legs, I could feel and hear the whirring and vibration coming from the compressor. When i turned my ac on for 30 secs and turned it off the noise got much worse as well. Checked the idler pulley and tensioner and it was fine. New ac compressor for me lol
 
I owned a 06 n/a 1st gen 3 for a while when it got passed down from family and i knew coming from that to a speed3 there would be a shit ton more maintenance and mishaps that can happen and whatnot, just wanted to see if anyone else had the same issue.
 
mattsark said:
Yeah I know the fuel injectors making a ticking noise and the hpfp noise but the noise that I heard outside of those was a whirring noise near the serpentine belt area, figured out it was the ac compressor it’s shot and on its last legs, I could feel and hear the whirring and vibration coming from the compressor. When i turned my ac on for 30 secs and turned it off the noise got much worse as well. Checked the idler pulley and tensioner and it was fine. New ac compressor for me lol
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It could likely just be the A/C clutch, those do go bad over time and the bearing goes out. Compressor is likely fine, there was a thread on the old forum for replacing the clutch bearing which can be done while it is on the car. I don't know where it is now but maybe you can do a write up if you get into it.
 
JohnnyTightlips said:
It could likely just be the A/C clutch, those do go bad over time and the bearing goes out. Compressor is likely fine, there was a thread on the old forum for replacing the clutch bearing which can be done while it is on the car. I don't know where it is now but maybe you can do a write up if you get into it.
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Thanks man, I’m going to check the clutch bearing 1st this week and check for play and if it is worn out, aren’t the ac compressors the same on the n/a 3s? I never had this issue with my n/a and it had 141k before it got totaled
 
I am not sure if they are the same I don't think so. I think the pulley is different. I know when I got a new one off ebay they asked for the vin because something had even changed mid model year. That was for an 07 speed 3.
 
JohnnyTightlips said:
I am not sure if they are the same I don't think so. I think the pulley is different. I know when I got a new one off ebay they asked for the vin because something had even changed mid model year. That was for an 07 speed 3.
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Thats a ford product for you, they love to change random shit mid year. worst i ever found was a friends explorer that for same motor trim etc had three possible oil filters for that model year. needed to know the vin to get the right part.
 
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