e-450 engine rattle - serpentine belt

[L.I.F.E.]

I had thought I was insane when I first heard the "rattle". Got a good Ford tech and went for a test drive and in 30 seconds turned around and went back. Idler pulley and belt. Back again about a year later. All quiet this year until a little chirp this weekend. I wonder if the belt break in and stretches a minute amount that the idler spring cannot compensate.

Did the Ford tech add the missing pulley or just replace the existing one? Read the last few posts (and watch the video in my last post) for what has been generally accepted to be the long term solution to this problem, if you haven't already.

 

[StevoClassC]

What a great video. I am sure it was a new idler and belt. I just sent clip to my ASM at the dealer. Thank you for the guidance!

 

[RPR]

What quality of belt are they using? I replaced ours with a high quality belt.

 

[StevoClassC]

Just to be clear, it was the GoPro video someone else posted is sent. Yours get an Emmy.

 

[Bullitt6283]

What a great video. I am sure it was a new idler and belt. I just sent clip to my ASM at the dealer. Thank you for the guidance!

I'm curious what the dealer says about this.

Adding the missing idler is confirmed by many owners as a long-term fix.


.

 

[Johnynorthland]

I bought the Pully a while back with the Goodyear gator belt. I’ll be damned, I can’t find the friggin thing! I’ll keep searching. Looks like I may have to order it again!

 

[L.I.F.E.]

Just to be clear, it was the GoPro video someone else posted is sent. Yours get an Emmy.

Haha, thank you! I appreciate it!

 

[Camper_bob]

I bought the Pully a while back with the Goodyear gator belt. I’ll be damned, I can’t find the friggin thing! I’ll keep searching. Looks like I may have to order it again!

Soon as it ships, you'll find the first one.

BTDT.

 

[Johnynorthland]

Soon as it ships, you'll find the first one.

BTDT.

LMAO! Yup, isn’t that always the case!

 

[nobodyhome]

Thanks to all.. I just replaced the idler pulley on my 2017 Jayco MV29 V10 and the noise is gone.

 

[Renae Taylor]

Bought Pulley and Bolt spent 10 minutes, NO NOISY RATTLE

Following this post Husband and I decided to give it a try, we ordered the Parts from www.fordgenuineautoparts.com, parts arrived in 3 days, $33.00, it took all of 10 minutes for Mark to put the Pulley on. Years of Rattling noise Gone in 10 minutes. Thank you for the Post

 

[Rerwater]

Serpentine belt

I have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk, built on a 2017 chassis, E450 series. I have been reading about trouble with the serpentine belts, I am looking to pick up a couple to keep for spares, and would like some recommendations on the best to get, my understanding is the ford belts aren’t the best, any input would be appreciated.

 

[rndsommer4]

I have a 2018 Jayco RedHawk, built on a 2017 chassis, E450 series. I have been reading about trouble with the serpentine belts, I am looking to pick up a couple to keep for spares, and would like some recommendations on the best to get, my understanding is the ford belts aren’t the best, any input would be appreciated.

There's nothing wrong with the belts. It's a design flaw in some where an extra pulley is needed to take up a little more slack in the belt. I drove mine squeaking for two summers before it was addressed properly and the belt looked fine but since it was under warranty I hot them to change it. All good since.

 

[Johnynorthland]

Installing it next month, along with the extra/missing pully, when it goes in for service.

 

[Scoutmaster253]

Only the missing pulley is needed to solve the noise problem. FORD belts are fine. Maybe not the most expensive, but they work fine with the missing pulley.

 

[mini4mw]

I meant to reply and kept forgetting. Motorcraft one is most likely the original I replaced but kept as a spare and the Continental is the one I installed (with the new pulley.

The pulley is the ultimate resolution though.

 

[THenne1713]

One owner was able to video his belt and found that it setup a serpentine vibration ONLY at certain RPM range that coincided w/ the noise. That video maybe on youtube, not sure where I saw it?

I did finally install my driver side idler on my 1999; first purchase gave me the TORX bolt w/ wrong thread, Next correct HEX bolt w/ slightly smaller idler pulley, but I noted they BOTH use the same BEARING, so larger would just give a little extra tension? (1/8"-1/4" radius difference?)

FOLLOWUP: Shortly after installing my 2nd idler bearing, during monthly runs of main engine, developed a squeal, which turned out to be WATER PUMP. Pump was pretty sloppy and pretty evident, once belt tension removed and fan clutch/ blade assembly lift was attempted from top of engine.

 

[Johnynorthland]

FOLLOWUP: Shortly after installing my 2nd idler bearing, during monthly runs of main engine, developed a squeal, which turned out to be WATER PUMP. Pump was pretty sloppy and pretty evident, once belt tension removed and fan clutch/ blade assembly lift was attempted from top of engine.

So you saying the extra pully added too much tension to your belt and caused the water pump to fail?

If this happens to be the case, I’m guessing that the water pump was on its way out and your extra tension just made it happen sooner. After all, you stated your chassis is a 1999, that about 25 years old. I would suspect the water pumps life span was well lived!

Has anyone else experienced this? I’d like to know ASAP because I’m about to add the extra pully this week on my 2019!

 

[JaytheDJ]

Has anyone else experienced this? I’d like to know ASAP because I’m about to add the extra pully this week on my 2019!

Johny - I added the pulley to my 2018 unit back in 2021 thanks to this post. Driven 20K miles since then with no more rattling and no other issues popping up.

 

[Bullitt6283]

So you saying the extra pully added too much tension to your belt and caused the water pump to fail?
Has anyone else experienced this? I’d like to know ASAP because I’m about to add the extra pully this week on my 2019!

Installing the 'missing' pulley does not significantly affect the belt tension. In fact, when I installed my pulley, it was quite easy to deflect the belt by hand enough to get the pulley into place.
.