scraping noise

[smilesforu]

When at idle the car has a scraping type noise coming from the engine area. Is there a fan or something I should look at to oil up or grease. The car is not moving when this noise so its definately engine or electric motor noise of some kind. thanks for the help in advance

[splatterdog]

Could be alternator, water pump or timing tensioner bearings. Pull alt and ps belt one at a time and run it. If it's still there, sounds like a timing job.

Slightly possible it has a throw out bearing going bad.

[PrescottAZ]

throw out bearing is a scraping rattling sound. My car is a wonderful example of such symphonic joys.

[Mattel]

Does the noise go away when the clutch is engaged?

[Petros]

possible the radiator fan is rubbing on the shroud if the front was ever dented. The fan is electric motor driven that only comes on when above a certain temp, so if the temp sender is working the fan is only on after long periods of idle.

Advise above is good, do not recommend idling too long with out water pump/alternator belt in place, but will be fine for a short test of 30 sec or so.

My method is to keep driving it until it gets so loud finding the source of the noise is easy to isolate. the hazard with that is if it suddenly fails, it could leave you stuck. There was an odd intermittent "chirp" from my wife's Mazda once, came from the font of the engine, but it did not good to sit there and listen for it since the sound only occurred once or twice a day.

A few days later the timing belt idler pulley bearing seized up, shredded the belt and bore it way though the plastic timing cover and ended up in the splash pan. Leaving the car stuck 30 miles from home. So I found what was making the noise, but it was a PIA to get it home. It could have done more damage, but I was lucky.

[smilesforu]

I took the waterpump alternator belt off and the noise went away. The water pump has some play in the wheel and the alternator does make a little noise when I spin by hand. Hate to think I need to replace both.

[dlb]

water pumps are cheap and you can get a used alternator at a wrecker. the alternator only takes a minute to swap, the water pump has a few steps but is also easy. be sure to use a gasket sealer along with the gasket, other members recently did the same work and had leaks instantly without the stuff.

[toughtercel]

water pump are common noisy problem , i had my other 4WD of 10 years driving which I replace 2 times then third time ,I ignore it till waiting to leak but never did .Even the belt was not tight at all .