I'll try to describe this as best as possible, and I have a video that explains it a bit better.

So, last week, I noticed a horrific clicking noise in the belt drive somewhere. It wasn't there at cold startup, but after I drove a block or two away, I noticed it at idle. If I held the revs around 2100 or so, the noise seemed to go away. It came back a bit at higher revs, but not quite the same.

I got the car partially torn apart and while using my trusty stethoscope, I narrowed down the noise to either the serpentine belt tensioner or the supercharger area. While wearing the scope, it almost sounded like a hammer on metal in fast repetition. The idler pulley was the one of the quieter areas of the belt drive.

I took the serp belt off, and noticed if I moved the charger pulley back and forth I had some clicking (noise in the video). I thought my charger was f'd, so I took it off to inspect and change the oil if everything looked good. Low and behold, the charger is MINT. the oil may have been low on the PTO side, and it definitely was discolored, but it was there. The coupler & the gears all appear to be in great shape.

Fast forward to tonight. I got the oil freshened up in the charger, but when I attach the waterpump, I hear this clicking again if I rotate the pulley back and forth. If I am continuously moving the pulley one direction, no nose. Is this noise normal? I'd like to find out before I re-assemble the whole car and have fresh coolant in it. FWIW, the charger feels nice and tight, no play, and the same the waterpump. Just where they join I have this noise. I don't see any abnormal wear on the joining location, so I'm not sure if this is a normal noise or not.

Here's a link to the video that describes what I'm talking about:


Thanks for your help everyone!

Pete

 

bumping this back up, interested to hear opinions...

 

 

My guess is what you hear is the clearance in the drive coupling to the water pump.you say it clicks when you go from forward to reverse correct?just backlash if so.that would be normal since the rotation never changes. Don't know what you were hearing with car running tho.

 

I have a back-up charger/waterpump and just gave it a few twists for you.
It does click at the joint when turning charger back and forth. Not sure if
the noise is pronounced as yours but it does click. Hope that helps.....
Just an idea...have you checked your fuel tank vent valve? I have had mine
click loudly at idle esp. after a long storage period. Just something you may want
to check! Good luck..

 

Noticed this in mine too. But like mentioned above... the direction never changes while running it'll never happen while running!

 

To verify take a piece of tape and tape each ear on pump.just a wrap.then try it. I would think there is enough clearance to try. This will pad the metal faces and should quiet it for testing elimination.