Noisy Below The Bonnet!

July 22, 2010

I have had my Yaris verso for two years and only recently noticed a 'gurgling noise' when pulling off in low gears. When I queried this with Toyota they said the drive belt may need changing.

When I lift the bonnet there are two drive belts one horizontal and one vertical. I changed the vertical one and the noise remains?

I have also noticed that when I lift the bonnet when engine is idling , it changes momentum and there is a noise like loose change in a washing machine?

The car otherwise is great and drives well on open road.

It is a 1.3 automatic.53 plate and 50000 miles.

Any ideas?

July 22, 2010

Sounds like the cam chain rattling to me. Has it been serviced recently? I ask as last year after I changed the oil in my sr (Castrol edge), my engine sounded a bit rattly and I put it down to the new oil being thinner. 3,000 miles on, it does not rattle anymore. However, if your worried about the sound, I would be having the cam chain checked as it's a critical engine component!

July 25, 2010

Sounds like the cam chain rattling to me. Has it been serviced recently? I ask as last year after I changed the oil in my sr (castrol edge), my engine sounded a bit rattly and I put it down to the new oil being thinner. 3,000 miles on, it does not rattle anymore. However, if your worried about the sound, I would be having the cam chain checked as it's a critical engine component!

July 25, 2010

Thanks for coming back.

The noise was there before the service which I just received. They said that it was the drive belt and quoted me for it . The bloke on reception discounted the chain saying that that was not required yet? I have since discovered that there are two drive belts one horizontal and one vertical? I have had the vertical one replaced by a garage other than Toyota and the noise persists. Of course I suppose you dont achieve anything by going cheaper because I dont know if this lot fitted the belt according to the book?

The sound is lie a slipping chain I suppose and occurs when I am pulling off or in low gear going up a gradient.

I just think this lovely car has got noisier. When I start it up from cold there are all sorts of noises under the bonnet ? It sounds like a deisel!

I have noted what you say about the chain but just for my own curiosity , are the two leather belts drive belts ?

July 25, 2010

Some of the symptoms you describe sound like you have 2 faults, (1) low idle revs, this would explain the engine sounding like a diesel due to 'piston slap', to verify this try increasing the revs a little whilst the bonnet is lifted, if it sounds like a normal petrol engine then that is the area to look at. (2)The drive belts could also be the cause for a noisey engine especially at low revs, are the belts tensioned correctly? Check the pulley grooves if they are rusty/dirty then that could be your problem, to elliminate the belts try spraying the pulley grooves with silicone spray, again if the noise goes away then the belts are at fault.

I have just had another thought, if the engine at idle is very erratic then you may have a problem with the engine management system e.g. a sensor fault MAF,Lambda or crankshaft position sensor etc but these faults tend to illuminate the MIL lamp.

Hope that you get it sorted.

July 25, 2010

Thanks for coming back.
The noise was there before the service which I just received. They said that it was the drive belt and quoted me for it . The bloke on reception discounted the chain saying that that was not required yet? I have since discovered that there are two drive belts one horizontal and one vertical? I have had the vertical one replaced by a garage other than Toyota and the noise persists. Of course I suppose you dont achieve anything by going cheaper because I dont know if this lot fitted the belt according to the book?
The sound is lie a slipping chain I suppose and occurs when I am pulling off or in low gear going up a gradient.
I just think this lovely car has got noisier. When I start it up from cold there are all sorts of noises under the bonnet ? It sounds like a deisel!
I have noted what you say about the chain but just for my own curiosity , are the two leather belts drive belts ?

There is 2 belts as you say, they are both on the left side of the engine (looking from in front of the car with bonnet raised). This is on the 1.3 (2NZ-FE) engine btw.

One is the Alternator belt which when loose will make the car squeel high when you put the fans or air-con on. Mine was like this last winter but i adjusted it and its fine now.

The other belt, lower down (according to my owners manual) comes from the crankshaft pulley and drives the power steering pump.

I've never had reason to touch this belt on mine though and it's just aswell as it looks a right pain to get to!

Maybe this belt is loose on yours and the noise it's making is the p/s pump not working properly? Then again you would notice a difference with the steering surely?

I would get a 2nd opinion if i was you. Take the car to Toyota and ask them, it may cost you more but it's likely they will know the cause and save you further grief especially if it does need work on the cam-chain! They could save you a new engine! :)