When the engine is cold, there's a noise coming from the belt area of the engine that kinda sounds like a Ducati clutch. For those of you that don't know this sound ... kind of like a helicopter. As the engine reaches normal operating temp the noise subsides drastically. It's not annoying loud ... more suspiciously and "wtf is it" loud. Anyone ever have this?

FYI: The previous owner said they had just replaced the timing belt, though I haven't checked to see if this statement was true or not. And the belt squeals something fierce when I turn the A/C on and hit the gas for the first 5 seconds (have the new belt, haven't gotten around to changing it yet.)

PS - it also got noticeably louder after replacing the valve cover gasket recently.

Any ideas?

This post has been edited by Xander_X: Oct 3, 2012 - 12:31 PM

I would look at the timing belt idler pulley, and tensioner. Also the power steering pump and bits are in that area, they are often the cause of such noises.

Could also just be the idle pulley for the belts in that location...alt/ac etc.

Try to find its location with something to centralize your hearing of it. Using a pole to the ear pointing it in places of question.

Or, if you have a laptop, and a cheap mic..you can get a freeware program, bring the laptop out, and move the mic around until you see the highest waveform of such noise.

replace the belt and go from there.

sounds like somethings loose

I was thinking all of these. Problem is we don't have a garage at our townhouse and I have to find time to drive 40 min to my parents house to use the garage (my tools are there also). I just didn't know if someone else has had a similar issue or if the 5S was known to be a little loud in this area. I haven't been around another 5S in over 12 years (my first car, 91 GT-S) and I didn't know jack about cars then.

>


You can change the alternator belt in the street. It literally takes about 15min to do.

>


I literally have my electrical tools here and that's it. No wrenches. It looks like it's a nice tight squeeze in there between the side engine bay wall and one of the pulley's on the bottom. I can't remember which one, didn't pay attention, just looked quick.