Has this ever happened to you? I was wondering what would happen (seize, complete bearing failure, causing belt to fall off/snap) I wrote in the Spring that on a cool morning there was a bearing noise coming from the drive belt area, went away after a few minutes. That was the only time I heard it, until a few days ago. It was 40 degrees, the coldest it's been, and the same thing happened - noise for a minute or two.

There have been posts from people describing similar symptoms, and it appears likely it is the tensioner. I don't want to replace it if it isn't broken, and I was wondering what might happen if I just go on as usual. Anyone know the failure modes? TIA Don '95 854T 159K

It's a chance you take....it could go on like this almost indefinitely or it could break tomorrow...and if it does, most likely it will take your TBelt with it...and as you know, that's a very very expensive repair...like the value of your car. I noticed you have almost 160K miles on your car. Was the TBelt changed at 140K? If not, CHANGE IT NOW. If you did, but didn't change out the tensioner and idler pully then, I would bite the bullet and have it done again and do the them this time. It's very cheap insurance if you consider your car being undrivable as the consequence of not doing it. Most posts I've read say that you should change these items and your water pump every other TBelt change...so that would have been at 140K, if you were following the recommended TBelt change interval.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

MIJ - this is my serp belt, I may be wrong but I thought people referred to it as the drive belt. Maybe "accessory belt" would be better. Anyway, my serp and timing belts were changed around 136K. The tensioner(s) and idler(s) have never been replaced, nor has the water pump. From what I have seen, the intermittent squeal is frequently the serp tensioner. I suppose it could be the TB tensioner as well. I was inquiring about the serp area.

I was thinking, given prevailing opinions about replacing the water pump, TB tensioner and TB idler, that I might be well advised to replace serp tensioner and idler, and see if the noise stays away. Then, replace all the stuff on the TB the next time I put on a TB. That's what I was thinking.

Hi Donuts...

MadeInJapan's advice is absolutely correct, whether the noise is from one of the pulleys on the timing belt, or the serpentine (accessory drive) belt.

If it's a t-belt pulley, and it seizes, you lose the engine. If it's a drive belt pulley, you lose the alternator and power steering, but there is no long term damage... you'd be able to drive a reasonable distance to a repair shop or home.

You can open the hood before you start the engine on a cold morning, be prepared with a length of rubber hose or long screwdriver (to use as a listening tool), start it up, and then try to more accurately locate the source of the noise.

Then change whichever is the offending pulley. You'd hate yourself if something goes wrong, and you're either left stranded, or looking for a new car.

Let us know what you find please?


Marty
'96 855T

This sounds like excellent advice. Sorry, but I replied thinking what was being asked was about the TB. The Serp. belt is a cheaper replacment than the TB, so take it off and replace the tensioner or pulley on that belt if that's where the offending noise is coming from. If the sound is from a TB pulley or tensioner, by all means, replace that too, even if it was just done a few thousand miles ago. I've heard of a few people, like Breadboy of Wonder, or whatever his name is on this board, going 400K miles without much of this type of maintenance, but that's really a rare case and he's really lucky if you ask me...going 3 or 4, TB changes before doing the water pump, tensioners and pulleys, was it? Anyway, I'm rambling again, so I'll stop.

Marty has the best advice here yet...and once again, I add to that, to take off whatever belt it is that is attached to the pulley/tensioner that is giving you trouble and replace all of them for that belt while you have it off.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

OK, I was wrong. The water pump was leaking and replaced at 99k miles, which is probably why I wasn't concerned about it being in trouble. However the pulleys and tensioners are all original.

Marty, you have provided the same analysis tools my dad would have recommended, and he sharpened his skills starting out on Model T's. That isn't an insult, mind you. It just reminded me of where I learned to check bearings. I tried this once on my Passat, but I wasn't able to isolate what turned out to be the water pump. I pop those in the car, because as soon as the noise appears it goes away. However, it most certainly will some time soon, and I'll give it a try. Thanks for the advice, Don