Problem after garage fitted new cam belt

poohbear5

Hi,

Recently, I noticed a noise coming from my cars cam belt just after starting. It lasted for approximately 2-3 minutes and then went away.

After speaking with my local independent garage they suggested changing the belt may solve the problem. As I was already having a full service I paid an extra £45 to get the belt changed.

Over the next 3-days I noticed a noise coming from the new belt not just when starting but throughout my journey. I returned the car to the garage and they tightened the belt which now makes less noise but it is still noticeable. I also get the impression that they don't want anything more to do with it!

Do belts take time to settle in and will the noise stop after a while on it's own? It seems like all the garage can do is loosen and tighten the belt is there anything else they could try that they are not telling me about? Thanks

Westmead_Fan

are you sure its a cambelt not drivebelt you have had changed??

if you paid an extra £45 for a new cambelt what did they do give you a second hand one?

poohbear5

Westmead_Fan wrote: »

are you sure its a cambelt not drivebelt you have had changed??

if you paid an extra £45 for a new cambelt what did they do give you a second hand one?

I checked the receipt and it was an "alternator belt" so you maybe correct. The belt was made of a rubber material

colino

Drive belts are often much tighter nowadays but the temptation to graunch it up, especially when there are tensioners involved is a bit ham fisted. A decent tech, even without a trendy stethoscope, will be able to tell you where the noise is coming from and hopefully it is still an adjustment issue and not a tensioner needing replacing or a waterpump, power-steering , a/c or alternator bearing on is way out.

poohbear5

Should I take the car to a dealer then?

poohbear5

He showed me the old belt after replacement with the new one. The belt was cracking in several places. The car only has 23K on the clock.

BeenThroughItAll

Cracked belts don't normally make a noise other than where they squeal due to slipping as they harden with age or wear. If it's making a continuous sound, I'd suggest it may well be either alternator bearings, or a tensioner (or A/C compressor, or power steering pump if the belt drives those too).

Tightening the belt may mask the issue if it's a worn bearing but it'll soon be back as overtightening will accelerate the wear and make the problem ultimately worse.

Horizon81

In this weather you'll hear a lot of cars drivebelts squeaking/squealing/chirping. The general dampness in the air exacerbates it. I too had the problem, had new belts fitted and the sound soon came back. Some cars are more prone to it than others. If you've tried a new belt, then they could either try tightening it or slackening it.

If you want to diagnose whether it's the belt or a pulley/tensioner that's causing the noise, then lightly mist some water or wd40 on the belt with the engine running, being careful obviously! If the noise temporarily disappears after you've misted the belt, then it's the belt to blame rather than anything else. When I say the belt, it could be the belt or the belt's alignment on the pulleys. I just mean you could just eliminate it being a bad pulley/tensioner bearing.

poohbear5

Firstly, I would just like to say thank you to everybody for your wonderful advice it has been very helpful.

I phoned my garage this morning and asked if it could be the tensioners but they said no the tensioners were fine. I was then told it could be many other problems but it was "impossible" to locate them without changing the pumps etc mentioned earlier. I think later this month I may have a diagnostic with a Nissan Dealer and hopefully they can locate the problem more precisely. Thanks

BeenThroughItAll

poohbear5 wrote: »

I phoned my garage this morning and asked if it could be the tensioners but they said no the tensioners were fine.

Presumably then, they have removed and checked the tensioners? I have doubts about this statement due to what they say below...

poohbear5 wrote: »

...it was "impossible" to locate them without changing the pumps etc mentioned earlier.

With all due respect to your garage, that's complete bo**ocks. You can listen to the bearings in the pump/alternator/compressor using either a mechanics' stethoscope, a screwdriver, or even the naked ear. You can do this with the engine running or without, and the belt either attached or not.

With belt not attached and with the engine off you can spin the pulleys, tensioners and idlers by hand and you'll soon feel whether or not there is any wear and hear the results.

It is rare for a noise audible over the running engine to not be audible when attempting to locate by hand; even the tiniest amount of bearing wear can be felt in a pulley.

I prescribe a different garage. A Nissan dealer will not be any better equipped to locate this issue than a GOOD independent. Whereabouts in the country are you located?

poohbear5

I live in Birmingham. I don't know how tell a good independent garage from a poor one but any recommendations would be welcome. Thanks