e-450 engine rattle - serpentine belt

[Johnynorthland]

Thanks guys! That’s what I figured. I’m actually taking my rig in for service this morning. I already have the pully and a new GY gator belt. I have 50K miles on the old belt, I might as well change it and keep the old as an emergency spare.

 

[Camper_bob]

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.
.

+1

This pulley does not create enough "extra" tension on the belt to cause or accelerate damage to any other component when the proper pulley is installed correctly.

If you're installing the pulley and you can't just push slightly on it, so it's just barely pushing on the belt, then you likely need to adjust your belt tension anyway.

I don't have as many miles as several of the others here, but however long it's been, I've observed no issues, and the rattle has not returned.

 

[THenne1713]

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!

Actually, NOT saying too much tension, Engine rattle though engine old, had only 42,000 miles. and while some 6+ months later, no mileage, just weekly/ monthly driveway runs. I am saying the belt rattle maybe a SYMPTOM of the pump (or other bearing) problem, and if a big trip planned, MAYBE WORTH pulling belt and checking fan clutch/ water pump slop by lifting from the top? MIGHT SAVE YOU A ROADSIDE DOWNTIME. CLUTCH/BLADE is a HEAVY piece, and I did NOT detect pushing up from below, did not find it until 3rd disassembly. also of note: Despite the huge slack/ wobble in pump shaft that I found, I had barely any antifreeze loss noted from reservoir prior.

 

[Johnynorthland]

Actually, NOT saying too much tension, Engine rattle though engine old, had only 42,000 miles. and while some 6+ months later, no mileage, just weekly/ monthly driveway runs. I am saying the belt rattle maybe a SYMPTOM of the pump (or other bearing) problem, and if a big trip planned, MAYBE WORTH pulling belt and checking fan clutch/ water pump slop by lifting from the top? MIGHT SAVE YOU A ROADSIDE DOWNTIME. CLUTCH/BLADE is a HEAVY piece, and I did NOT detect pushing up from below, did not find it until 3rd disassembly. also of note: Despite the huge slack/ wobble in pump shaft that I found, I had barely any antifreeze loss noted from reservoir prior.

Gotcha!

Thanks

 

[Johnynorthland]

Just heard from my mechanic today about the progress but n my RV. He’s telling me he had to change the belt to a larger belt because it did not fit around the new additional pulley he just put on. From this photos and form what everybody’s telling me on this forum all they did was add the extra pulley, correct?

 

[Camper_bob]

Just heard from my mechanic today about the progress but n my RV. He’s telling me he had to change the belt to a larger belt because it did not fit around the new additional pulley he just put on. From this photos and form what everybody’s telling me on this forum all they did was add the extra pulley, correct?

I think the key might be "around". The belt should not go "outside" the new pulley (really it's old, should be called "re-added" but anyway). The pulley should just be putting the ever-so-slightest bend "inward" on the belt.

Take a look at post #25 in this thread. That shows how the belt should be routed, which is to say there is no change in the belt's routing.

ETA: The tech should have put on the new belt, properly routed, THEN installed the pulley. That's the way I would've done it anyway...

 

[Johnynorthland]

I picked up the RV this afternoon. I confirmed the belt is NOT on top of the new pulley, it’s resting, with slight pressure on top of the belt like everyone else has stated. My RV mechanic said the new pulley will not fit on with the OEM belt, but the new GY gator belt, (I listed above), fit perfectly with the new pulley.
However, I do have a ticking noise which the the tech said seems to be coming from the printed label on the outside of the belt, as it touches the new pulley. We confirmed this with a flashlight. After a 25 min ride back to storage it does seem to have disappeared. Anybody else experienced this?

 

[JFlightRisk]

The printing on your belt runs over three other pulleys, so only ticking on the one wouldn't make sense to me anyway. I can't make a guess long distance, but it should make noise on the water pump, tensioner, and passenger side idler pulleys as well.

 

[Johnynorthland]

The printing on your belt runs over three other pulleys, so only ticking on the one wouldn't make sense to me anyway. I can't make a guess long distance, but it should make noise on the water pump, tensioner, and passenger side idler pulleys as well.

Thanks, I thought the same thing, however, the new pulley is shiny. I think that’s the difference. When you hold a pen light on it, you can hear the ticking and visually see the print on the belt touch the pulley at the exact same time as the sound. As I stated it seems to be dissipating like the mechanic said, so I’ll give it a little time. The place I bring my rig to is excellent. They work on cars, trucks, buses, and RVs. I’ve going there for about 4-5 years now. They always do excellent work! I don’t doubt what they’re telling and showing me.

 

[berninbush]

Hey y'all, thanks for this thread. It is very enlightening. I live full time in my 2017 Jayco Redhawk 31XL on a Ford E-450 chassis. I bought it last February and noticed the serpentine belt rattle immediately while I was test-driving it. I am NOT mechanically inclined at all, but I recognized that noise from having driven old cars before! The dealer I bought from doesn't do any kind of chassis work, so I bought it with the intention of getting it fixed later. Google led me to this thread, and I concluded it wasn't an "emergency" repair, so I drove all over the western US this past summer. However, I do want to get this taken care of now before I travel again next summer.

I found a Ford dealership that will do the work for me (since I don't have the knowledge/confidence to do it myself), but they want me to order the parts in advance and bring them with me. I will need the idler pulley and bolt, as well as a new serpentine belt. I don't know what shape my existing belt is in, but I'd rather just replace it preemptively while I've got somebody working on it anyway. Can you guys please tell me exactly which part numbers to order? I want to make sure I get the right thing, as I'll have to stay with relatives while my rig is in the shop and I don't want to have a delay from wrong parts. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[L.I.F.E.]

Hey y'all, thanks for this thread. It is very enlightening. I live full time in my 2017 Jayco Redhawk 31XL on a Ford E-450 chassis. I bought it last February and noticed the serpentine belt rattle immediately while I was test-driving it. I am NOT mechanically inclined at all, but I recognized that noise from having driven old cars before! The dealer I bought from doesn't do any kind of chassis work, so I bought it with the intention of getting it fixed later. Google led me to this thread, and I concluded it wasn't an "emergency" repair, so I drove all over the western US this past summer. However, I do want to get this taken care of now before I travel again next summer.

I found a Ford dealership that will do the work for me (since I don't have the knowledge/confidence to do it myself), but they want me to order the parts in advance and bring them with me. I will need the idler pulley and bolt, as well as a new serpentine belt. I don't know what shape my existing belt is in, but I'd rather just replace it preemptively while I've got somebody working on it anyway. Can you guys please tell me exactly which part numbers to order? I want to make sure I get the right thing, as I'll have to stay with relatives while my rig is in the shop and I don't want to have a delay from wrong parts. Thanks for any help you can give me.

This video has all the info and part numbers you need in it:

 

[berninbush]

This video has all the info and part numbers you need in it:

Thank you very much!

 

[Mannixchar]

We'd all like to hear if it worked for you. I bet it does.

I also added the pulley and problem resolved, my issues would be as soon as I hit 57-60 miles an hour took foot off the accelerator the pinging would start. I have posted the pictures before and after, this was an easy install parts from ford around $60. Showing parts numbers from an earlier post.

 

[Johnynorthland]

As I posted earlier, I installed the pulley, and a new gator belt, the major noise that I had went away. However, I had a slight ticking noise when I picked it up for my mechanic shop. We determined it to be the print on the belt. Every time it hits the pulley it makes a noise. And my mechanic was correct, because it’s just about gone, it’s getting less and less, you can barely hear it. And this noise was only at idle.

The mechanic didn’t like the idea of adding another failure point to the engine/fan belt system, but I beg to differ, I couldn’t take that chattering noise, the old belt made without the addition of the extra, pully. Drove me crazy!

 

[Ramorton]

Ever since it was new, the RV would have a fast rattle in the engine compartment when accelerating between 1800-2400 RPM, mostly 2nd gear, 30-45MPH. Sometimes it would happen for a second or two, other times for several seconds. Seems since it has got colder it doesn't happen as often. It wouldn't happen throughout the entire RPM distance, but it would almost always be there, usually ~2100RPM. Let go of the throttle or when it shifts and the rattle goes away. After 12k miles I finally decided to start trying to figure out what it was. Engine runs fine, no power loss, no mis-fires. Its not bad gas as I've gone through plenty of tanks. I stuck a gopro off the radiator and captured the below.

You can hear the rattle start at :15 and then watch the belt vibrate erratically until you don't even see it for a few seconds. Rattle slows down and belt goes back to normal.

What is the cause of this? Bad belt? Bad tensioner? Pulley out of alignment? Something else? I'd think worst case is premature belt failure, right?

thanks-

I had the same problem and did some research and found it's pretty typical. The fix is replacing the stock belt with a heavier one. I went to Ford and they installed a Continental belt part number 4060998 and rattle is gone. If you can do it yourself do so, I got hit with a $300 bill for replacing a $12 belt.

 

[Johnynorthland]

I was a mechanic back in the 80s. To me, it’s just too long of a run for that belt going from that one pulley to the next. It definitely should’ve had another tensioner pulley. The omission of the pulley, (which was present in earlier years of the V 10), is just another typical bean counting situation by ford administration!

 

[THenne1713]

Ever since it was new, the RV would have a fast rattle in the engine compartment when accelerating between 1800-2400 RPM, mostly 2nd gear, 30-45MPH. Sometimes it would happen for a second or two, other times for several seconds. Seems since it has got colder it doesn't happen as often. It wouldn't happen throughout the entire RPM distance, but it would almost always be there, usually ~2100RPM. Let go of the throttle or when it shifts and the rattle goes away. After 12k miles I finally decided to start trying to figure out what it was. Engine runs fine, no power loss, no mis-fires. Its not bad gas as I've gone through plenty of tanks. I stuck a gopro off the radiator and captured the below.

You can hear the rattle start at :15 and then watch the belt vibrate erratically until you don't even see it for a few seconds. Rattle slows down and belt goes back to normal.

What is the cause of this? Bad belt? Bad tensioner? Pulley out of alignment? Something else? I'd think worst case is premature belt failure, right?

thanks-

I added the pulley, but no trips, but during monthly run, developed squeal which turned into water pump; and since all apart and 23yo/ 48k miles at the time, also got new alternator, tensioner, idler, fan clutch and belt, hoses and antifeeze.

 

[Hippie-JAY]

Ever since it was new, the RV would have a fast rattle in the engine compartment when accelerating between 1800-2400 RPM, mostly 2nd gear, 30-45MPH. Sometimes it would happen for a second or two, other times for several seconds. Seems since it has got colder it doesn't happen as often. It wouldn't happen throughout the entire RPM distance, but it would almost always be there, usually ~2100RPM. Let go of the throttle or when it shifts and the rattle goes away. After 12k miles I finally decided to start trying to figure out what it was. Engine runs fine, no power loss, no mis-fires. Its not bad gas as I've gone through plenty of tanks. I stuck a gopro off the radiator and captured the below.

You can hear the rattle start at :15 and then watch the belt vibrate erratically until you don't even see it for a few seconds. Rattle slows down and belt goes back to normal.

What is the cause of this? Bad belt? Bad tensioner? Pulley out of alignment? Something else? I'd think worst case is premature belt failure,

Ever since it was new, the RV would have a fast rattle in the engine compartment when accelerating between 1800-2400 RPM, mostly 2nd gear, 30-45MPH. Sometimes it would happen for a second or two, other times for several seconds. Seems since it has got colder it doesn't happen as often. It wouldn't happen throughout the entire RPM distance, but it would almost always be there, usually ~2100RPM. Let go of the throttle or when it shifts and the rattle goes away. After 12k miles I finally decided to start trying to figure out what it was. Engine runs fine, no power loss, no mis-fires. Its not bad gas as I've gone through plenty of tanks. I stuck a gopro off the radiator and captured the below.

You can hear the rattle start at :15 and then watch the belt vibrate erratically until you don't even see it for a few seconds. Rattle slows down and belt goes back to normal.

What is the cause of this? Bad belt? Bad tensioner? Pulley out of alignment? Something else? I'd think worst case is premature belt failure, right?

thanks-

I had the same problem and fixed it. To lengthy to post. If you haven't fixed it,

Ever since it was new, the RV would have a fast rattle in the engine compartment when accelerating between 1800-2400 RPM, mostly 2nd gear, 30-45MPH. Sometimes it would happen for a second or two, other times for several seconds. Seems since it has got colder it doesn't happen as often. It wouldn't happen throughout the entire RPM distance, but it would almost always be there, usually ~2100RPM. Let go of the throttle or when it shifts and the rattle goes away. After 12k miles I finally decided to start trying to figure out what it was. Engine runs fine, no power loss, no mis-fires. Its not bad gas as I've gone through plenty of tanks. I stuck a gopro off the radiator and captured the below.

You can hear the rattle start at :15 and then watch the belt vibrate erratically until you don't even see it for a few seconds. Rattle slows down and belt goes back to normal.

What is the cause of this? Bad belt? Bad tensioner? Pulley out of alignment? Something else? I'd think worst case is premature belt failure, right?

thanks-

I had the same problem but fixed it. To complicated to write in words, but easier to do. If you haven’t fixed it, pm me ..provide phone number and I will call you.

 

[Johnynorthland]

Replaced the OEM belt with a Goodyear gator belt and added the missing idler pully, noise is gone!

 

[Camper_bob]

I had the same problem and fixed it. To lengthy to post. If you haven't fixed it,

I had the same problem but fixed it. To complicated to write in words, but easier to do. If you haven’t fixed it, pm me ..provide phone number and I will call you.

The fix is well documented throughout this thread, with text explanation, part numbers, and even a video.

Curious what you're trying to do?