So I went to start my car the other day to go to work and heard this tinny grinding noise popped the hood and located it to the timing belt area. I am thinking it might be the tensioner but, not sure. I checked ad the tensioner bolt is still as tight as orignially was. The timing belt does kind of look like it might be trying to walk off. I did a search and someone said that they had a similar noise and the water pump went shortly after. I am hoping this is not the case as it is a brand new water pump which was just installed during the rebuild, hell the engine only has 850 miles on it since the rebuild. Please help ASAP as this is my only means of transportation. Oh and the engine is a b16 head with a gsr block. All OEM parts were used minus the cam shafts/gears....

 

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dunno if this applies to your situation but i had the same problem from the same area and thought as you were but instead timing belt tensioner mine was the Acc. Belt Tension Pulley the bearing had gone bad and was making a grinding noise 25$ and a few turns of a wrench and done and no more noise

 

I had the same problem once... It turned out to be an Adjustable Cam Gear Bolt that loosened and fell in the timing belt cover... It was grinding against the water pump gear.. Luckily it didnt get caught under the timing belt..

 

Well I think I may have found the problem..... I guess I should have payed way more attention when looking..... I didn't realize but the crankshaft bolt had fallen off and was sitting in the pulley! I thought the sound was coming from up higher but, I guess it was just traveling through the cover.... DOH Thanks for the help though, now I need to pick up a key for the crankshaft pulley and reassemble it all.... at least I don't have to rip my engine apart again! At least not that I know of yet.


I am officially an idiot!