Unusual noise. Possible P/S pump?

[Grizzly]

A couple of months ago I started getting a faint plasticky rattling noise that rose and fell with rpm, at the flywheel (passenger side) area.

J30 V6, btw.

I removed plastic engine trim and checked the motor mount, no change. It seems to center at the PS pump pulley but it's hard to pin down.

Today I changed both drive belts and flushed the PS. The noise has changed in a difficult to describe way, more hollow I guess, and perhaps a little louder.

I should note that I have no power steering whine or other PS problems.

Really it almost sounds like a valve knock, but it's specific to that area, and changed with new belts soooo...

Opinions: is my power steering pump / pulley taking a ****?

 

[RichBinAZ]

How is the timing belt? It's hidden under those other covers that are hard to get off, but probably worth taking the front one off and turning the engine over by hand thru that hole in the right wheel well. Perhaps it's starting to shred???

 

[Grizzly]

How is the timing belt? It's hidden under those other covers that are hard to get off, but probably worth taking the front one off and turning the engine over by hand thru that hole in the right wheel well. Perhaps it's starting to shred???

This is where I'm looking this afternoon. I ran the car with the PS pump belt removed and the sound remained. It seems to be right under the auto-tensioner cover.

The timing belt was replaced at 105K, I'm at 175K now. I suppose I should return the PS pump I purchased and start thinking about ordering a timing kit / water pump / idler / tensioner etc.

That job is at the far end of my mechanical ability but I'm pretty sure I can hack it. In the meantime I'm about to pull that plastic cover off and see if something's just loose.

 

[RkHonda]

Grizzly,

Have you have any experience changing the auto tensioner pulley for the drive belt/ps and alternator belt. I had this loud whining noise coming from my hood and the other day and then suddenly the pulley just froze and melted the belt off. I have read elsewhere that I would have to remove the engine mount and move the engine but that is far beyond my mechanical abilities. Any thoughts?

 

[Grizzly]

Rk,

I haven't done it before but it shouldn't be as difficult as some guides make it sound. It does involve popping the left and right motor motor mounts loose and essentially lifting the body off of the motor to get clearance.

Given the thousand dollar difference between parts and labor, I'm definitely going to take a whack at it.