Thread: 300tdi playing jingle bells AGAIN!

I had one of the wost experiences "chasing" a zinging noise once upon a time!

Saab 9000 turbo, manual...had what I could only describe as a loose cam chain noise....years of motorcycles between my b@lls "helped" me diagnose this!

As it was a manual, changing through the gears made some interesting variations to this 'cam chain' noise.

It may or may not have done it at any given engine speed in a particular gear, and just when you thought...Ahhh! it does it a 2000rpm in 4th...it wouldn't do it again for 200klms!!

So I TOLD!! the mechanic "we're going to change the cam chain, tensioner....etc....all that goes with such a job!
I carefully watched over him!! (ps. we're good mates ) while he very patiently completed the work(about 3 hours??)

After stating the car, it initially sounded OK, but driving about 100 meters out the gates, it all started again!

Up on the hoist with me in the car revving....etc...etc...he found nothing(with his stethoscope thingy!) except a cautious "it's coming from around the power steering pump?"

OK...I shall return.... one day!

The regulator thingy in the alternator died, a few days later...and I returned..... to help HIM fix it!! (he really hates when I loiter around, he reckons as a mechanic I make good coffee! )

Bleeding hell.....pulling the "almost impossible to remove" alternator, proved easy thanks to the previous "NOB" that forgot(or didn't tighten) the 2 (out of 3) nuts/bolt holding the alternator.....

Replacing the missing (really long) bolt on the bottom of the alternator stopped the alternator pulley fins rubbing against the bracket, and fixed the cam chain, much better than actually replacing the cam chain!

moral of the story?....if you can't immediately find the "source" of the noise...look towards the other end of the car!


I hate Malcom Fraser for saying "life wasn't meant to be easy"......my oath it was!

Actually, a stethescope comes in realy handy at this point. Failing that, just a short section of hose pipe!

Stick one end by your ear and then move the other end around in the engine bay until you can track down the noise (assuming oyu can re-produce the noise while stationary).

If you've already replaced the tensioner, my money would be on the alternator.

Mark.

Just spray everything with WD40 until it stops.

Seriously though, where does it sound like the sound is coming from? I have a problem with mine screeching and the bearing in the belt tensioner was buggered. My belts can be noisy when off road and i go through a puddle but thats it now. Matt