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98 Escort clicking (Ford)

Hi, We have a 98 Escort with 43k miles on it. Just replaced the timing belt. Before that however, there was and still is a distinct clicking coming from the accessory belt area (pulley ?). It occurs on startup, in Park and drive, disappears in neutral.

With the car running in Park, when I use a ratchet to take the automatic tensioner out of tensioning the accessory belt, the sound disappears.

I'm somewhat short of cash right now and have to fix this myself. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much in advance for any ideas!!!!!

Reply to
Diarmud387
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The problem with your description is that park and neutral should behave exactly the same as far as the engine is concerned. The only difference between the two is that park engages a parking pawl to keep the car from moving. Other than that, (and the position of the transmission lever) the two positions are both neutral.

Since the noise goes away when you remove the belt tension, one would suspect that the noise is coming from either the alternator, a/c compressor, power steering pump, or one of the idler pulleys. Or, one of these pulleys is brushing up against something when the engine is rotated slightly when not in gear.

You can either live with the noise, or take off the belt and spin each accessory by hand to see which one clicks. Or use a length of heater hose as a stethoscope to try to pinpoint the problem.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Bailin

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll live with it until it gets worse. Thanks again.

Reply to
Diarmud387

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