It's not like a flock of them or anything but there are a few. It's only at the first start of the morning and goes away after 10 or 15 minutes. I've replaced both belts and am not sure what else to start on. Any suggestions?

 

Explain to me the definition of "pulley". When I first purchased the car I was having some kind of noise and the dealer (under warranty) replaced the "belt/idler pulley". I don't know what that is. However, there are two "tensioners" under the hood and about 5 or 6 "pulleys" (if I'm using the terms correctly). I guess what really confuses me is the word "idler". I don't know what that means so when someone mentions it I don't know if they mean a simple pulley or an actual tensioner.

I will say that the serpentine tensioner (the top one) has 3 notches on it: does anybody know what these notches means? Where does the little level selector sit at on your car? Where is it supposed to sit at?

 

Mine does the same thing. Although I notice it is only when the AC is on. It's been doing it for about 4 months. Now it makes a grinding noise for a few seconds then goes away.

I am going to replace the belt tensioner next week. (along with a dynaspark, some hoses, electric waterpump).

 

There is a pulley on every accessory and on the tensioner. The tensioner unit consists of a spring loaded tensioner and a pulley. If you had the recall done all of that is new. It's probably your alternator bearings. Very common in GM products. Myself, if it goes away quickly then I'd ignore it till it gets worse.

 

Thanks Al, that it explains it.

 

I know this is old, but mine turned out to be the crank shaft balancer... the rubber had torn and seperated.

 

My 2001 T/A does it. Funny thing is that I did a "turkey baster flush" of the power steering fluid, and the noise went away for a few days. But it came back.

 

i'm not usually in ls1 forums but i got bored

heres my two cents
every accessory has a pulley
your crank, waterpump, alternator, a/c and power steering, (and smog pump for me) all have pulleys

on a serpentine belt set up u have some sort of belt tensioner, it does what it says, it puts tension on the belt

the idler is like a pulley, that does not run any accessory, and does not move to adjust the tension on the belt

hence all it does is idle, it is an idler

make sense?

 

It's definitely something on the front of the engine and it's gradually getting worse. I've replaced both belts and when I get back to the states in May, maybe I'll do the a/c tensioner. I hear it when the a/c's on.

Stupid problem to have.