buffon01

iTrader: (9)

I did two trips back and from Orlando to Miami this week and on my way back during second time around I started to hear a weird noise coming from the hood. The car had been fine previous to these trip and I have had no issues with it lately. To save a few bucks I used 15w50 oil this time since my roommate had some unopened quarts that I could use aside from there was nothing unusual that I did to the car.

There's a squirting-like sound and a strange intermittent rubbing-like noise. I'm thinking bearing and oil pump are about to go. Oil pressure gauge shows same pressure before the noise appeared ~20psi at idle and vacuum hasn't changed from the usual ~-19h

Opinions?

scenturion

iTrader: (9)

I may be mistaken but your crank pulley seems to have a lot of runout? Could just be an artifact from the video.

FRT_Fun

iTrader: (19)

I think it's just the video, but it does seem to be pretty bad if that isn't just the video.

dieselmiata

iTrader: (3)

I'm also thinking the harmonic balancer. If the rubber inside the damper has rotted away and is slipping it could explain the squeaking/squirting noises and the wobbling. It happened to me on my 95 a few years back.

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

I'll check it and see if there's anything going on in there.

The wooble didn't seem that bad to me but my roommate says it does in person too.

The rubber inside the dampener? Also, how would that make the squirting noise?

dieselmiata

iTrader: (3)

Rubber squeaking get in loud compartments can make an array of strange noises. I can't tell by the video how it sounds up close and personal, but the dampers are known to fail and make strange noises. It very well may be the oil pump, but it can't hurt to try add rule out the easy stuff first. Occams Razor and all.

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

The sound in the video is the exact sound in person. What could I do to evaluate the state of the crank pulley?

FRT_Fun

iTrader: (19)

Pull it off. It's just that big bolt and like 4 bolts isn't it? And the belts of course.

dieselmiata

iTrader: (3)

The wobbling is not normal, so it's either your pulley gone bad or worse the crankshaft keyway is bad. Start by getting a timing gun and checking the timing. If it's off from where you set it last and the car runs fine, the rubber failed. Next, pull the pulley off and inspect the keyway . As mentioned earlier, the wobble is either bad pulley or bad keyway. Both need to be fixed sooner than later.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Make sure none of the pulleys are rubbing against the plastic timing belt covers before doing anything else. Then try to wiggle the water pump pulley to check for play in the water pump bearings.

If you don't own a mechanic's stethoscope, use a long jack handle, a series of socket extensions, or a piece of broom handle to put your ear against and place the other end on different components to find the source of the sound. Try the alternator.

joyrider

iTrader: (8)

That's some good info, lower plastic timing belt came loose and sounded like metal hitting something in the head. We did find the plastic rattling and causing this sound because 1 bolt snapped, ty wrap solve it.

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

Thanks for the info. It was the alternator. I freaked out for a second. I am concern for the crank pulley wobble though.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Glad to hear that. Pull off the crank pulley and check the keyway and get us some pictures. Then you can put it back together with the loctite fix and all should be good.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

And dont worry about the 15w50. I used to run that in my NA8 engine because it was the only thing that didnt make the lifters tick.

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

yeah I have to make sometime for that.

Cool, it was just the only thing I did different that time around haha