[strummagnet]

Originally Posted by steamship

Before the annual meet in June I had noticed a repetitive squeak coming from the engine. Others noticed at the time as well. After getting back, I investigated the alternator as a possible source, and replaced it as the rear bearing on it was shot. At the time, my squeak disappeared, so assumed that was the culprit.

Well, it's back again. So I took off the timing belt covers to check everything out, and noticed two things. The first is that the timing belt was rubbing on the lower cover. The highlighted section of the photo shows where it has been worn down slightly.

The second is possibly more worrying. With the covers off, I was watching closely and listening for the squeak. There wasn't any squeak, but that may have been because the covers were removed or because the engine had warmed up. I'll start the car tomorrow with the covers off and see if the squeal is still there or not.

However, the visual check resulted in the following short video. As you'll see, the belt is moving in and out on that particular pulley, and also showing the same slight movement on all the pulleys. When I did the front end of the car last April (2023), all the components were replaced and every single nut and bolt was torqued to spec, and the squeak only appeared this year. For those parts of the belt I can reach, it all seems tight. Can't really check the pulleys as they're all under tension from the timing belt.

I had something similar on my old 2.8QS. Found it to be the bearing on the tensioner that was wearing and creating slight play. Didn't notice it until I released the tension on the belt.