Timing Belt Pulleys

Lornie69 · Post by **Lornie69** » December 9th, 2005, 3:14 pm

Hi Guys

Brand new member and new to owning an mx-3. Appologies if this question has been asked before but....

Recently bought my beatiful MX-3 for £1500. It's done 75k, metallic silver V6 manual. I absolutely love it!! (Just got rid of my 3 seies BMW to get this and really glad I did!!)

Anyway, did the usual servicing - timing belt, oil & filter change, sparks, air filter etc but the car has a rattle when I start it up from cold. The bloke at the garage said it's my cam belt pulleys. Does this sound right? Can I get any lightweight pulleys to replace them and how easy is it to do? Which are the best to buy?

Would be really grateful for ANY help.

Thanks guys.

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » December 9th, 2005, 3:42 pm

I'm assuming your mechanic thinks it's a ball bearing of some sort.

If you're lucky, it'll just be a bearing from an accesory pulley. Those can be pressed out and replaced fairly cheap.

If it's a timing belt pulley, not only would you have to go and redo the timing belt, but those bearings aren't easily servicable, so you'd probably end up buying completely new pulley set. Usually costs $150 for the pulley set in the U.S.

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » December 9th, 2005, 3:50 pm

SOunds to me like the standard HLA ticking.

Does it go away after the car is warmed up?

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 9th, 2005, 5:43 pm

Parry, she said "rattle", not a tick.

How about CAT or header heat shield?

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » December 10th, 2005, 2:14 am

Those bearings usually don't wear out. In fact in the nearly 10 years I've owned my MX-3 I haven't seen anyone replace them.
Cam pullies are non-exhistant since our cams gears mesh together inside the valve train. A lightweight pulley wouldn't do any good because of the meshing.
As mentioned if it is the bearings just have them pressed out and replaced. I'd also consider replacing the timing pullies since you'll have to pull the timing belt to replace the cam pulley bearing anyway. The timing pullies do wear out more commonly and I'd bet it is them ratteling not the cam pullies. You can find the timing pullies on ebay form time to time and I think I saw a set just the other day. Search E-bay for mx-3 or mx(space)3 and you should see them.

Good luck with the MX-3 and welcome to the board

Lornie69 · Post by **Lornie69** » December 10th, 2005, 6:47 pm

Thank you very much for your help, especially Patdiesel and lakersfan 1. I'm going to try the timing pullies first and see if that solves it.

Thanks again for all your help and for the warm welcome to the board. Will keep you guys updated on how I get on.

Ps. atlantamx3 - not sure if the rattling goes away when the engine is warm. Alwaya drving on the motorway so can't really hear the sexy V6 growl at all!! What is the standard HLA ticking? Help!! Useles woman with a fast and fantastic car!!

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » December 11th, 2005, 9:07 am

Lornie69 wrote: I'm going to try the timing pullies first and see if that solves it.

I'd see if was the accesory pulleys first. It's the difference between an hour job, or a two day job. Take off both accesory belts and start the car. If the noise is gone, then it's an accesory pulley. Spin each pulley, including the ones on the accesories themselves. If any sound like it's got sand in it or is clicking, then that's your bad bearing.

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » December 11th, 2005, 7:33 pm

if you need the timing belt tensioner pulley let me know, i got around 2 spare ones.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » December 11th, 2005, 11:59 pm

Lakersfan is right. Take the accessory belt off first and check that. It would be an aweful waste of money to replace the timing pullies if they are not the problem.

Secondly, you can't be too useless. The MX-3 is a great car and only intelligent people seem to know that...

HLA ticking sounds like a flap of metal on a wheel running over something again and again. (if that makes sense) It is not bad, most Mazda V6s do it.

MX3 GSR for dummies · December 12th, 2005, 4:28 pm

Lornie69 wrote:Thank you very much for your help, especially Patdiesel and lakersfan 1. I'm going to try the timing pullies first and see if that solves it.

Thanks again for all your help and for the warm welcome to the board. Will keep you guys updated on how I get on.

Ps. atlantamx3 - not sure if the rattling goes away when the engine is warm. Alwaya drving on the motorway so can't really hear the sexy V6 growl at all!! What is the standard HLA ticking? Help!! Useles woman with a fast and fantastic car!!

WHOA STOP QUICK...My crank pullly just went a week ago LOL, It starts with a slick sqeeking noise and ends up firing like a missle...luckily mine went forward and under front bumper and then accross 3 lanes then impacting the centre curb, flew about 10 feet in air over a honda(damb, I missed) and then accross another three lanes into a field. AWSOME 007 action!!!! anyways it could have caused some serious damage though. Take the front passenger tire off and start car. Get up close to the crank pully...the one where the two excessory belts attach too, and make sure it is coming from there. If it is then replace it. What happens is the rubber seal between the spindle and grooved piece that belt goes on seperate and the metal snaps and shoots out. Hope to see you on the road soon

FlyVFR · Post by **FlyVFR** » December 12th, 2005, 10:47 pm

MX3 GSR for dummies wrote: WHOA STOP QUICK...My crank pullly just went a week ago LOL, It starts with a slick sqeeking noise and ends up firing like a missle...luckily mine went forward and under front bumper and then accross 3 lanes then impacting the centre curb, flew about 10 feet in air over a honda(damb, I missed) and then accross another three lanes into a field. AWSOME 007 action!!!!

The headline would have read: Honda Gets Hit By Flying Mazda Crank Pully.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » December 13th, 2005, 1:34 am

I think the techs that "just replaced" the timing belt would have noticed if the crank pulley was seperating at the harmonic balancer....

I'd go with what was said and maybe ask them to check that the crank pulley is not coming apart. However, you had better trust your mechanic before you start asking if parts are bad. It would be pretty easy to say "yes it is" when it is just fine and make a few dollars off selling you a new one.

MX3 GSR for dummies · December 13th, 2005, 8:47 am

FlyVFR wrote: :lol:The headline would have read: Honda Gets Hit By Flying Mazda Crank Pully.

Even a crank pully can pass a Honda.

FlyVFR · Post by **FlyVFR** » December 13th, 2005, 8:36 pm

MX3 GSR for dummies wrote:Even a crank pully can pass a Honda.

some more.

You mean a "Mazda" crank pully. Right?

MX3 GSR for dummies · December 14th, 2005, 8:33 am

FlyVFR wrote:
MX3 GSR for dummies wrote:Even a crank pully can pass a Honda.
some more.

You mean a "Mazda" crank pully. Right?

A Mazda without a crank pully that is coasting and just ran out of gas.....okay maybe I'm getting carried away here....it might need the crank pully just so you can have your ultinator working so you can blast "fly like an eagle" on your sound system as you pass