i''m new here and i looked around in other topics and cant seem to find exactly whats going on with my car. i have a 97 sl2 1.9 DOHC. the belt tensioner is rattling. i replaced the belt and the tensioner but it is still rattling. it does it while idling in drive or reverse or when i firstpull out. i had my g/f put it in gearwith the break onso it wouldmake the noise while i was under the hood.i reached down to the tensioner with along screw driver andputslight pressure on the tensioner closest to the pulleyand the noise stops.does anyone know what could be causing the tensioner to rattle?

is it a new tensioner or rebuilt? either way, i''d take it back and get it replaced. sounds like the spring inside wasn''t adjusted properly at build time. i know it''s a lot of trouble, but it''s worth it.

the tensioner is new. not rebuilt


what are the chances of the new part being bad also and not something else causing the tensioner to make the noise? im not trying to be smart or anything im just wondering if its possible something else is causing it

I don''t know what it could be unless I heard it.

ok thanks. anyone with any other ideas??

Yep, sounds like you got a bad tensioner. It happens. More so with the aftermarket ones.

ok thanks. i guess i will try changing the belt tensioner again.luckily ican dothis myself and didnt have to pay a labor charge. haha


ill apreciate any other input... thanks

so i just exchanged the tensioner and changed it. the noise is still there!!!! i checked all the other pulleys while i had the belt offand they seem to be fine. what could be causing the noise??

Is it the correct sized belt?

the belt is the one the parts store is listing for it.

is it the one saturn recommends for your car? sometimes they can be different...see if you can find a way to duplicate the noise without turning the engine on (turning the tensioner pulley, testing the tension, etc.) ie, taking the part back off the car and troubleshooting that specific part.

Edited by: quipin55

i checked the sizes. the belt i got aftermarket is the same length as what the saturn dealership shows.


i checked all the pulleys and all are fine....

Are you replacing the tensioner assembly or just the tensioner pulley?

the whole assembly

Then I''d start by seeing how freely the other pullys spin and every bolt that attaches the tensioner, A/C compressor, water pump, idler pulley, power steering pump and alternator.

all the pullys spin fine. ill check to make sure all the bolts and brackets are tight.

all the pulleys are fine. all the bolts and brackets are tight. the second new tensioner assembly is still making the noise. tried a second new belt just in case the first new one was bad andthis did nothelp. i seriously dont understand what is causing the tensioner to make the noise. anyone with any other ideas i will greatly appreciate it.