What does it sound like when it's going bad??? I think mine is. There is a metalic sounding squeek at rpms from the belt side of the motor. i'm sure i could be a number of things but help narrowing down the list would be good. thanks for any help

 

not sure what it'd sound like as i've never had one go bad on me but...

*how long ago did you change it?
*how long ago did you change the timing belt and water pump?
*do you always here the sound? what RPMs? constantly or intermittent? in other words, what do you mean by "squeek at rpms?"
*what makes you think it's the tensioner?

 

still the origonal timing belt at 103k changing next week.
Water pump will be changed too at that time.
I only hear the sound at lower rpms under 3k and it seems to be in time with the rpms also(if the rpms drop the squeek slowes down
the only reason i thought it was the tensioner is that i've read that they will make a noise when they start to go bad, and i don't know what it would sound like. And i figured while i was in there i might as well change it too?

Any other thoughts or opinions???

 

^good to hear you're changing all of that. just go from there and see if the sounds still around afterwards. GL.

 

It can squeak, or sometimes it will make a slight "rod type" knocking noise.

 

Thanks for the help everyone. It's definatly not a knocking noise. Well it looks like i'm just going to have to fix what i can and see if it's still around. I guess it could be comming from any of the pullys. Does the alternator start to make a noise when it is about to give up???

 

I would remove all of your accessory belts (including the alternator) one at a time starting the car between each belt removal and see if the sound goes away. If it never goes away that takes the alternator, AC, and PS out of the solution tree.