Belt on car making loud ticking noise?

Question

My car is a 97 malibu and it seems something is always going wrong. I always fix everything when it goes wrong and always get everything done ontime. The past few months it has made a little ticking noise normally when I start it up or if really cold. It sounds like it is comin from the belt. I bought a new one and my friend who was fixing my water pump because it broke said the belt was fine so I returned it. Well the other day a friend of mine told me I needed to clean my engine cause there was a bunch of dirt under the hood. I had him do it cause I was scared I might mess it up. We went to the car wash and he was spraying it and all of a sudden it started making the loud ticking noise. He said it was just cause it was wet. Well the sound has not gone away yet and it has been 4 days. It does it when I start my car and when I push on the gas. Noramally stops when I stop the car or foot on break. (unless just started car) I listened under my hood and it sounds like it around belt.

sidecar0 · Accepted Answer

Small rock or stick stuck in Radiator fins and hitting fan? Loose wire or cable hitting the belt or pulleys as they turn? Make sure all the spark plugs are tight, one loose, just a little, will pop (make a ticking sound) and get faster with engine speed, I've seem it happen.

Kiffin # 1 · Answer

Belts don't "tick"; they ususllay squeal especially when they're glazed, worn or wet.  That ticking noise probably might be a loose  or damaged spark plug wire (test it by listening while the engine is idling, then see if it gets faster when you step on the gas), or it could be indicative of a more serious, internal problem (lifters, valves or any number of things).

The reason I'd say it was "probably" the first problem is that when the engine got wet, the noise "returned", which makes me thing there's either a bad or loose spark cable; it shorted out when it got wet.  Have it checked by a good, competent, reliable and inexpensive mechanic.  Good luck!

mister ss · Answer

Im thinking you have a bad plug wire that when it got wet it really started arcing, Im betting that you got water down in the front spark plug holes and the bad wire is arcing in the water, my buddy had the same problem with his car after he decided to wash his engine at the car wash, I wouldn't recommend washing off these new engines unless you know what your doing as there are too many electrical things under the hood on these newer cars.

dougger · Answer

You may have a nick on one of the pulleys the belt touches.  If it is small t can be filed and sanded off.  If too big yo need to replace the pulley.

Also you may have something sticky on the belt or pulley, chewing gum is a possible candidate.  So is belt tar, often put on slipping belts.

Also possible, you need to tension the belt, when you accelerate the belt may slap until it gets up to speed.

Fordman · Answer

You can try a new belt.  If that doesn't do it, then you have a problem with one of the pulleys on the accessories that the belt drives.

good luck.

Anonymous · Answer

Is it making the noise after you turn the engine off? If so, that is the engine cooling down, and it is perfectly normal.

carnut22288 · Answer

sounds like a bearing going out in either your power steering pump or you alternator

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Belt on car making loud ticking noise?

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