What the hell is this loud ticking noise in my engine bay? I'm assuming its the timing tensioner because I have horrible luck and its expensive to fix at the mechanic and I'm laid off and broke at the moment.

Here's a video. Excuse the wind.
What the heck is this noise!? - YouTube

 

rotors in the supercharger?

take a screwdrver to various parts of the engine keeping your ear on the handle end like a stethoscope... it wil help you gauge where the sound is coming from

 

My dad's best friend works at the Chevy dealership downtown so I just called him. He said if it is the tensioner it will cost between $300-$400. Bringing it in tomorrow morning for them to look at.

 

hell no, buy that from CED. its like 50 bucks. There is a how to on here.

Could be Supercharger coupler also. I had to replace mine on my LSJ

 

I've never really done anything that intense on my car before. I've done simple things like brakes, radiators, etc but I'm scared to mess with anything where I could mess up timing and potentially detonate my car.

 

You are in mass so take your car to New England performance and tune. Pm 1ajeremyd on here definitely won't cost you $400 if you take it to them

 

If the sound never goes away my guess is tensioner. If the noise goes away after its hot it's the supercharger coupler, which is dirt cheap on ZZP. So easy a caveman can do it.

 

The tensioner is really simple, people just worry to much about it. To be perfectly safe all you need to do is take off the valve cover, remove the tensioner, put the new tensioner in, and put the valve cover back. Simple as that. Dealers charge a lot because they change the chain, the guides, the tensioner, everything involved in the timing of the engine which takes quite a bit longer.

 

Ive had ALOT of experience with finding noises on these cars.

1. Remove the belt completely and start the car. If noise is still there you can rule out anything the belt touches (alt, tensioners, pulleys, supercharger).

2. Use a long screwdriver or something to locate the noise by putting the handle to your ear.

Post results.

 

This is what my tensioner sounded like.

IMG_1909.mp4 video by vinalhaven15 - Photobucket

 

hmm. mine is making that same noise ^^^. ill check mine out.

 

it took me about 2.5 hours to do. Was not nearly as hard as changing the thermostat

 

Was that your source of noise? (The tensioner)

 

Quoted for truth.

I was super **** about doing it as I must of searched too much. Bottom line to be safe.

1. Remove valve cover (paint while its off....yeah extra project time!)
2. Zip tie chain to cam gear as far down as you can to keep tension
3. Unscrew the tensioner and make sure its all out.
4. Install new one.....
5. Remove ties and reinstall valve cover.


Some people trip out because if your old one has any tension left in it....it pops out and the vibrates....it COULD jump time. but thats what the ties are for. keep it tensioned enough so it doesnt jump.

total time......1 hour including painting and watch it dry.

 

BTW anyone who cares lol.

Cobalt SS/SC rattle noise.... - YouTube

That noise was my alt. decoupler pulley. Replaced whole alt. then found out I could have had just replaced the pulley with a lighweight one for 54 bux. This was after........new tensioner.....new idler......new tensioner pulley.....new s/c coupler (replaced on xmas eve in 30 mins!)

 

dang you must be really quick and painting and prepping lol took me about 6 hours to prep, prime, and paint my valve cover...and other 24 hours to cure.

 

Slight exaggeration.......I didnt mention I drove another vehicle for 2 days! Waiting for somebody to catch that!