Gen 2.5 bad tapping noise from belt/timing area VIDEO

[bryAWD]

Hey guys, just trying to get *some* input on this noise my 2000 Montero started making.

It seems to be coming from behind the serpentine belt area, almost right where the timing belt cam sprocket would be, right behind the power steering pump.

The truck still runs, I have not driven it, and as you can see from the video I don't let it idle long. No check engine light.
The truck has had a gates timing belt service done 20k ago and has been fine up to this point. I peeked at the timing belt inspection area last oil change and the belt looked perfect.

Here is the link to the video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6ecKPjkxJc ), sorry about the portrait mode!

I will try to remove the accessory belts and narrow it down to see if it is something serpentine but where I live, we are about to get hammered with a huge snow storm and I was hoping to get some input as of now since the Monte is covered up in snow.

There are lots of expert Monte mechanics on here so maybe you guys have heard this familiar sound before?

Thanks for your time!

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Timing belt tensioner?

John B.

 

[clmrt]

Belt tensioner at a minimum, maybe valves also. Do not drive it - flatbed to the shop or fix it where it sits.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Also could be an exhaust leak. Have fun getting the rest of this storm that hit us yesterday, it was wet and heavy and gave the snowblower a good workout.

 

[BEG]

My 2000 sounded like that when the tensioner failed. The belt slipped, valves made contact and sheared the pin right off the drivers side cam sprocket. Don't run it anymore until you open it up.

 

[bryAWD]

Thanks everyone for the help and quick replies! The sound seems like it is coming right from the area where the tensioner is located.

Before teardown, I am planning on ordering the tensioner, tensioner pulley, and idler pulley from Mitsu. Should I also get the tensioner arm? Would I also be correct to tear down the whole upper intake manifold if I just needed to replace the tensioner? I know I can't get the plugs out so I will be fighting compression if I don't.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

do not run it anymore.

Just replace the tensioner, no need to remove intake manifold, turn the engine over slowly with a 1/2" ratchet and the compression will bleed off, these engines have a great timing cover design that generally keeps the belt on even when the tensioner fails, but never rely on it!

Buy Mitsu tensioner or you'll be sorry. DO NOT for any reason buy any aftermarket brand tensioner. I've done a hundred timing belts on these engines and when someone uses an aftermarket tensioner it comes back to haunt them (and cost them because i end up doing the job twice) more often than not. I'm not saying they have a 100% failure rate, but in my experience they have at least a 75% failure rate.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

I think my genuine Mitsubishi, from-the-dealer timing belt tensioner cost more than all the other parts involved with that job put together (that was the only OEM part except maybe cam seals), but from all the terrible happenings I'd heard about with aftermarket ones, I thought I'd at least give it a fighting chance by buying one from the dealer.

IncX showed me what he's talking about with the timing belt covers helping to keep the belt in place if the tensioner fails. It's really just another thing Mitsubishi thought of...and no one else did, as far as I know.

John B.

 

[bryAWD]

I ordered the OEM Mitsu tensioner and tensioner pulley in from the dealer, $172 for both. I finally got them in, things were a bit delayed with the snow, which is fine because the truck is still quite covered.

I am just waiting on some nicer weather ( next week ) and the Mitsu timing belt tool from Amazon. In the meantime, I made a crank pulley removal tool, complete with BMX handlebar grips. Hope it works!

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

Good work, looks just like the one they sell except without the bike grip so it hurts sometimes, and they punch a square hole in that end for a ratchet.