A new one by me: "Elphie" has, over the last 36 hours or so, developed a ringing noise while running:

> Sounds almost like a non-cast steel pulley with something metallic lightly scraping on it - was thinking that something was rubbing on the alternator pulley, but nothing seen and no wear marks found
> Does not seem to change in intensity, pitch or volume as rpm's change - present at idle
> Audible from driver's seat with windows down (seems to be coming from passenger's side) (which means pedestrians and neighboring drivers can hear it, which is completely unacceptable ) - not really loud, but is an unwanted part of the mechanical symphony of this special little car
> Seems to be getting louder; may just me becoming more sensitive to the noise, but (?)
> NOT the brakes
> 'new' used alternator (~16k on it) this past April
> New belt ~ 200 miles ago (Gates, K060535/6PK1364, 1375mm)
> Unable to locate w/ the ol' pipe from ear to part thing - but can't do that with a moving pulley - but s'charger sounds normal
> 78,500 miles
> (Scratches head)

Posting to see if anyone else has run into this - going out to continue troubleshooting (belt removal, spin the pulleys, etc), but maybe somebody can save me (and future readers) some time.
(and, yes, I checked through the search function, only one question about this, nobody answered...)

 

Crankshaft vibration damper. Take tension off the belt, grasp the crankshaft pulley and rock, if it moves and touches the timing chain cover (ding), you've found the source.

 

As it turns out, it's the idler pulley - failing bearing creating a 'harmonic' noise amplified by the metal pulley itself. Installed a fiber-plastic generic replacement from chain parts store - that to my eyes has the identical bearing...
(Priced the OEM - glad I was sitting down )

 

Think my 2002 S has the same noise coming along.
Could you point me to the generic pulley store / part# / link and advise on how easy it is to remove and refit (once wheel well cover and belt are removed).

Thanks.

 

im getting a weird nose too sounds like a jet turbine spooling up! only at high rpms tho. but a weird metal on metal sound when i cruise in 2nd or 3rd at low rpms

just had the clutch replaced too