Have a Maggie TVS2300 with the inovators west 8 rib kit and the ECS tensioner along with the green HD fleet belt. It is making one hell of a chattering noise, not a squeal, a chatter. Almost like metal knocking on metal. Checked tensioner and all is perfect. Not the stops hitting each other. Changed the tensioner pulley bearing, nothing, changed the tension on the ECS bracket, nothing. Can't for the life of me figure this out or where it's coming from. If you add a little or take away a little tension from the tensioner with the ratchet it will stop the chatter.

 

Bump

 

You sure it's not one of the other bearings along the line? I.e. water pump or idler near PS pump?

 

It is coming from that area I've just never heard a water pump make that noise before. I'm going to switch the two idler pulleys I have that are identical and see if the noise changes. If it doesn't I might need a new water pump. My power steering pulley is also misaligned and I'm taking care of that tomorrow. Don't think it's causing it but I have to take care of it anyways so I'll see.

 

In the past I've had a lot of luck finding noises like that with a stethoscope

I've used a long extension or pipe in a pinch. Put one end on or near whatever could be making the noise and put your ear up to the other end. You'll know when you find it

 

Ya I tried that yesterday with a rubber pipe and could not pin point it. All over the water pump the idlers, the tensioner everywhere I could think of and nothing stud out. I'll try a stethoscope, that will be more sensitive. It's loud though so I'm surprised I didn't find it. I also took the belt off and started the engine to see if it was something internal and it's as quiet as a mouse so it's definitely in the pulleys somewhere.

 

Yeah, something metal should work better. I had a noise from an AC compressor going out that I was sure was something else.. then as soon as I put a stethoscope on one of the AC lines it was 100% clear that's where the problem really was

Hopefully that helps you find it

 

I'll definitely try it. I appreciate the help, thanks!

 

most likely the spring tensioner...try a shorter belt

 

Belt is set properly according to ECS. Tensioner is at 80-90% wouldn't be able to get a shorter belt on. This noise was never there before and suddenly started with the same belt and with the old and new tensioner so it can't be the tensioner or the length of the belt. I'm assuming it's either a bearing or misalignment of the pulleys. But that's just my best guess at the moment. I'll hopefully know a little more tomorrow after I swap the idler pulleys and realign the power steering pulley. I've also ordered a new gatorback belt to see if that helps any.

 

My car made a similar/scary noise and the belt was a little loose. Tightened it more and it was fine

 

Well I figured it out!! After looking and searching and changing pulleys and new bearings. I bought a mechanics stethoscope and looked everywhere. The noise was still coming from the tensioner. New belt, fully tightened to specs from ECS and still made the noise!! finally while I was listening to the tensioner with the stethoscope I was also looking at the belt coming from the harmonic balancer and noticed it was slightly coming off the balancer towards the front of the car and the movement of the belt was inSync with the noise. The power steering pulley was not aligned and was causing the belt to be forced forward and trying to come off the balancer and the more tension put on the belt the worse it made it. The belt was also squeaking. So I took on the HORRIBLE job of taking the powering steering off to further press the pulley on. I have the proper tool to press and pull the pulley on but no matter what I did I could not press it on any further and it still had plenty of room to move back. So in frustration I removed the hub completely and noticed that innovators west had also anodized the inside and pressing it on caused the anodizing to creat a lip that would not allow me to press it in past that point. So I took my Dremel and slightly ground off that lip and only the lip because I didn't want to change the inside diameter of the hub since it needs the close tolerances to stay on being its pressed into place. So here I go and re-press it on and now it finally pressed on to the point I needed. Now that it was aligned perfectly with a straight edge according to the alternator pulley I reinstalled everything and all the ratcheting and squeaking noise is GONE!!!!