funny (not) noise

skyway · May 21, 2016

Good evening guys,

Hope someone can help me out with this if at all possible.

I have a noise coming from the engine, the fan belt is new also I have sprayed water on the pulleys but there was no change.

I did just change the radiator so maybe I have messed up the water pump (really hope not) with my ham fistedness.

btw I had to cut the atf pipes off they were stuck on it seems with magic I ain't coming off glue. (left a lot of blood n skin on the car trying to get them off :) )

Thanks in Advance

https://youtu.be/aRbAGH7Josk

Its not my youtube channel

messi · May 21, 2016

It might be one of the pulleys. It doesn't sound right at all. Sorry can't be more help

Tinonline · May 21, 2016

Well it sounds like a pulley bearing doesn't it?

Did you put a wet belt back on and wd40 can still make a belt squeal?

The belt is correctly routed?

I don't believe you need to panic. Just recheck everything. Why did you replace the rad? Maybe the water pump is shot? Any leaks of atf anywhere?

ambermarine · May 21, 2016

The noise is not definitive and the process of illimination will be helpful ,to illiminate the ancillaries ie alternator a/c compressor power steering pump ,pulley tensioners and fan. Remove the serpentine belt and run the engine for a short time. if the noise is still there it is the engine and will require attention from trained techies.If the noise is not there it is one of the foregoing ancillaries .The water pump is driven by the cambelt and that requires a lot of work to remove.

Titch LS · May 21, 2016

My money would be on one of the ancilliary pulleys. Either the ancilliary belt tensioner pulley,(reverse threaded if you decide to undo it) or the ancilliary idler pulley, (normal thread). I replaced both on my LS and the same noise you have disappeared. To determine where the noise was coming from, I very carefully placed the end of an extremely long screwdriver near to those bearings and placed my ear on the handle end so as to "hear " any roughness in the bearings. It acts in a similar way to a stethoscope. If you do this just make absolutely sure you keep well away from the turning belt. You do it at your own risk, but it is a very effective way to diagnose a mechanical problem.

The-Acre · May 22, 2016

Does the noise go when the engine gets up to running temperature? I'm not sure how you would damage anything, especially the water pump by replacing the radiator. I know what you mean about the transmission hoses being impossible to remove, that's why I suggested in a recent post that they should be cut off and replaced. When did you first notice this noise, was it immediately after replacing the rad/belt? Because the belt is easy to remove it makes checking pulleys etc fairly straightforward.

skyway · May 22, 2016

Afternoon guys and what a good afternoon it is.

Thank you all for the great advice.

I took the belt off started it up there was no noise so i washed it in the kitchen sink I remember dropping some fluid on it not sure if it's atf or coolant.

Well I refitted the belt and it's back to Lexus quiet

Again thank you all great knowing there are good people out there.

I did see your post on fitting a radiator it was very helpful

The-Acre · May 22, 2016

2 hours ago, skyway said:

Afternoon guys and what a good afternoon it is.

Thank you all for the great advice.

I took the belt off started it up there was no noise so i washed it in the kitchen sink I remember dropping some fluid on it not sure if it's atf or coolant.

Well I refitted the belt and it's back to Lexus quiet

Again thank you all great knowing there are good people out there.

I did see your post on fitting a radiator it was very helpful

Excellent, that must be a relief!

skyway · May 22, 2016

certainly is.

I was picking up the hammer to smash my wife's piggy bank.

I guess it's time for a timing belt change now as the condition of the radiator shows it hasnt been changed ever, a bad sign in anyones books. Better start looking for a kit I got a free week coming up.

The-Acre · May 22, 2016

1 hour ago, skyway said:

certainly is.

I was picking up the hammer to smash my wife's piggy bank.

I guess it's time for a timing belt change now as the condition of the radiator shows it hasnt been changed ever, a bad sign in anyones books. Better start looking for a kit I got a free week coming up.

Are you doing the timing belt yourself? Some Lexus dealerships do a very good price for older cars.

skyway · May 23, 2016

Yeah I'm gonna do it myself .

I'm sure other people are like me and just need a small excuse to buy new tools.

Have you had it done and how much did it cost you?

The-Acre · May 23, 2016

20 minutes ago, skyway said:

Yeah I'm gonna do it myself .

I'm sure other people are like me and just need a small excuse to buy new tools.

Have you had it done and how much did it cost you?

With all my 4 Lexus cars the cambelt has been done already, including the one I have now so I've managed to avoid it. If I had a decent garage I would do it if needed, although a bit daunting. Let us know how you get on so we can all pass on our admiration!

Tinonline · May 23, 2016

Ok well I bought a Gates kit from the US and the pulleys, with water pump. Comes with all required gaskets and instructions.

I didn't take out the rad but do cover with cardboard.

I bought a few bits: v big torque wrench (second hand) Allen key socket, cheap and cheerful small sockets and extensions. Spent £65

T298 kit and an additional pulley.

My posts cover the gory details with some pictures. The small bits are the hardest and major work easy. Hours over stupid things...obvious when you know how but gets lost in the detail.

Clean the timing pulley grooves with very cheap but good quality cotton buds. Change thermostat.

Very satisfying job.

skyway · June 20, 2016

Hi guys,

Over what was 2 days we (niece and I) fitted a new timing belt, water pump and various pulley wheels, armed with a youtube video on my phone a load of tools (not enough) and bags of can do attitude we started on bank holiday weekend just gone.

Now in hindsight maybe just maybe saturday on a bank holiday weekend might of not been the best idea.

We started taking everything off and were happy enough putting everything into neat little piles, until we hit the main pulley wheel I had thought about buying an air wrench but then I would need a compressor and would need to drive it all up to my mother in laws to do the job (not so nice a job if done roadside in london I thought) so an electric wrench was on the cards. I did a bit of research and the clarkee one looked good so I bought it, bah i'm rambling.

The problem was the body off the wrench is was and always will be too long to fit between the bolt and the aircon rad thingy so I took the radiator off (don't worry there was no gas in there as if it's a ls430 and what kind of self respecting 430 has gas in the aircon and lovely vent holes in the pipes ever so conveniently placed behind the fuel tank) gained a few inches but a few was not enough as there is a metal strut running right slap bang in the middle right at the spot I needed. (small amount of subdued running around screaming happened).

I then started to look about in my in-laws garage and garden so something to use for the bump start method (all the shops being closed, this may have been the moment I used the hindsight thing. very useful that). Luckily I found some scrap garden chair they were not really using at the time, ok my wife may have been sat on it but there was others but I cut that up and used it with my breaker bar eyes closed I turned the key and as if by magic the bolt was loose. (Insert small amount of victory dancing)

Everything kinda went ok until we needed to tighten up that very same bolt (the compressor was looking like a mighty good buy now).

It was late so i left it alone I had to work out some way of holding the pulley still (no i didn't buy the tool and yes i'm an idiot).

Next day I am dragged to a car boot sale where I found a tile breaker for 50 whole penny's which I drilled apart then combined with a stick and 3 bolts to make something to hold the pulley still.

It only bloody worked didn't it. Everything else got put back together and is working like a dream (insert much larger victory dance).

To be honest without this forum I don't think I would have tried it, and ok it was very trying in places but only because I didn't have all the tools I needed so thank you everyone for this forum and all your posts.

cruisermark · June 20, 2016

sounds like you are handy with spanners - the most i have done is brake pads on mine

jpjsavage · June 20, 2016

Congratulations! I can only applaud in appreciation of your efforts. I wouldn't have known where to start with all of this!

Tinonline · June 20, 2016

Great job - there is now nothing you can't do on that car.

Titch LS · June 20, 2016

Great job. Very well done. Having successfully replaced the cambelt etc, should the starter motor ever fail, you'll be able to confidently tackle that horrendous job with no problem. I take my hat off to you.

skyway · June 22, 2016

Thanks guys.

wait wait wheres the starter motor

Titch LS · June 23, 2016

It's nestling out of sight, in the 'V', directly underneath the intake manifold. Lovely. Apparently, it was put there to keep the noise down to a minimum when cranking the engine. Good job it lasts a long time before it ever needs changing.