timing belt maybe?

With my vx running, I can hear what sounds like the fan rubbing against the plastic shroud. But I inspected it and moved it around and I don't think it's the fan. Sounds like the noise may be coming from inside the timing belt cover, like something (possibly the timing belt) is slapping against the inside of the plastic housing. :(( anyone ever heard of this? I plan on having the belt changed soon. But if it breaks while driving, can any catastrophic damage occur to the engine? How hard is it to reset the timing if this happens?

Also, any way to check/adjust the timing on these engines? I see the timing notches above the harmonic balancer and have a timing light, but I'm used to workin on old school distributor/cap and rotor setups.. Where would I even hook up the timing light clamp that normally clips to the plug wire on the number 1 cylinder?

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Originally Posted by mattferguson14

With my vx running, I can hear what sounds like the fan rubbing against the plastic shroud. But I inspected it and moved it around and I don't think it's the fan. Sounds like the noise may be coming from inside the timing belt cover, like something (possibly the timing belt) is slapping against the inside of the plastic housing. :(( anyone ever heard of this? I plan on having the belt changed soon. But if it breaks while driving, can any catastrophic damage occur to the engine? How hard is it to reset the timing if this happens?

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I guess if the belt is tearing it could be causing the slap. We have a non interference engine so no major catastrophe. However an unexpected breakdown with a tow and delay getting parts and wait for repairs can get pretty pricey on its own

Real weird.. I started it up again and no noise.. If it was the belt coming apart I'd think the nose would be constant.. Ughhhhhhhh.. I hate intermittent problems. I've been thinking about getting a rebuilt engine somewhere. Anyone know where to get a quality rebuilt engine for a vx?

If the tensioner was bad you might get slapping but usually it sounds similar to a rod knock (several have thought they had bad rod bearings when it was a bad tensioner).

yeah, not a knock, definitely a slapping sound. Almost like a lifter sticking or something. But it sounded like it was coming from the front of the engine. Now the noise is gone. It was there for just a sec when i started it up earlier to drive home from work but went away almost immediately and haven't heard it since.

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Originally Posted by mattferguson14

yeah, not a knock, definitely a slapping sound. Almost like a lifter sticking or something. But it sounded like it was coming from the front of the engine. Now the noise is gone. It was there for just a sec when i started it up earlier to drive home from work but went away almost immediately and haven't heard it since.

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Possibly your serpentine belt tensioner or idler. Mine made some seriously bad noise for several days before I finally figured out what it was and replaced both the idler and the tensioner.

I'll keen an "ear" on it and see what happens. Thanks for the input.

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Originally Posted by mattferguson14

I'll keep an "ear" on it and see what happens. Thanks for the input.

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Remove the serpentine belt and start it. If the noise goes away, you have eliminated your timing belt as suspect. That still leaves the tensioner, idler, alternator, A/C compressor, P/S pump... :)

You may have something that's dragging a pulley enough to make the noise. In my case the power steering pump hangs for a fraction of a second when starting and it makes a loud squelching noise - I'll replacing the pump soon. This could be caused by anything on the belt (whether timing or serpentine) - if you have a Harbor Freight near you they have a stethoscope made for locating sounds fairly cheap (bought mine for $3 several years ago but I think retail is about double that). It will help you locate the sound.

I think I just had this problem and I think my timing belt took a crap in a very very very short period. Car starts for a couple of seconds and dies and makes a tapping which sounds also like misfiring. And the noise is also coming from the front of the block which also makes me think timing belt. But before it broke down I noticed when i started it, it had like 2 knocks at the end of the start then ran fine, but if you got above like 2,500 RPM you got a little tapitty sound but if you idle the noise went away. We towed it to a mechanic that all the Central Texas ( Austin Area VX owners ) all suggested that if I needed any work at all done to the vehicle to take it to these guys at Open Road Automotive in Round Rock TX. I really hope this doesn't **** me 9 ways to Sunday.

The 'slapping noise' that I was getting in the Amigo was the serpentine belt. I had just replaced it & when I was setting the belt onto the tensioner I didn't notice that it slipped over a notch on the crank pulley. The crank pulley did a very nice job of slicing off one rib of the brand new belt & that sliced off section was slapping the snot out of the engine compartment. Luckily the only damage done was to a wire bundle (probably not common to the VX since I lost the 4WD, reverse lights, & shift indicator). Mebbe someday I'll actually get in there and fix those broken wires:)

Probably not your problem since it sounds like you've already inspected your serp belt ... just thought I'd share as a warning when you go to put your serp back on.

One thing to check would be the timing belt tensioner. Others here have had a tapping sound when the engine was running and thought that it was something IN the engine only to find out that the timing belt tensioner was bad and was allowing the tensioner pulley to "flop" around causing the tapping. That could also throw your timing off a bit as the belt isn't as tight as it should be.

It's a fairly cheap and easy fix, but you do have to get a lot of stuff out of the way in order to get to the timing belt tensioner.

If your in there anyways and they havent been replaced you might as well do the timing belt and water pump. The parts aren't that much more and it may save you $ in the long run of having to tear it all down again to do it.
If you have tools and a driveway it's a weekend job (taking your time).

The mechanic thinks that by the sound it's making that the engine is ****ed because the motor runs so smooth but has an awful knock. And to replace the motor will cost nearly $6,000 when I paid only $5,500 for the car. And had only driven it like less then 10,000 miles

City Motor Supply my friend Kyle Ottoson works there give him a call. He told me they can get a motor. It is in Dallas TX 972-484-2611 tell him shane remo referred you.

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Originally Posted by TEXAGGIE-VX-01

The mechanic thinks that by the sound it's making that the engine is ****ed because the motor runs so smooth but has an awful knock. And to replace the motor will cost nearly $6,000 when I paid only $5,500 for the car. And had only driven it like less then 10,000 miles

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Do you know the mechanic well? Some mechanics have been known to mistake a timing pulley noise with an engine knock.. just saying.. also, were you keeping a close eye on your oil level? These things drink oil like I drink beer.

Well seeing as all 15 or so Austin Area VX owners take their cars to this one and only shop I would think they know a VX inside and out by now. But without digging into it. The mechanic thinks the engine is a ticking time bomb. Or shall I say a knocking time bomb. But yeah with a new motor in it, I was quoted $5,900 :( So the fate of the VX is looking grim

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Originally Posted by TEXAGGIE-VX-01

Well seeing as all 15 or so Austin Area VX owners take their cars to this one and only shop I would think they know a VX inside and out by now. But without digging into it. The mechanic thinks the engine is a ticking time bomb. Or shall I say a knocking time bomb. But yeah with a new motor in it, I was quoted $5,900 :( So the fate of the VX is looking grim

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Ouch!.. Well worst comes to worse there are plenty of guys on this forum who would love to own your VX as a parts car. Or you could part it out yourself. You should be able to get a bit of your investment back at least. Or you could start selling your other belongings and get your beloved VX back up and running! Sorry to hear about this unfortunate finding. Is she your daily driver also? I don't know what I would do if my engine blew up..

P.S. I'd buy the rear door from you if you ever wanted to part with it..