[Swivelhip]

I have a 94 SE and it has a rubbing noise that I thought I was going find when I took off the timing belt cover. Nope. It will go away around 3000rpm and when you back off the throttle. It really sounds like it is the timing belt rubbing on the plastic guard but there is not a guard anymore. Is there anything on top of the engine that could make this noise?
Thanks,
Swivelhip

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

First, welcome to the GWOF from Pennsylvania. I'm not a wrench guy, but let me ask some questions which may help. I assume the sound is there when you rev the engine at a standstill in neutral and goes faster and slower as you increase and decrease the throttle. If that's so, then it sure sounds like a belt problem. Do you know when the belt was changed? Could it be stretched? Don't know, but is there a tension mechanism that could be failing..

 

[Cantankerous]

When you say a 'rubbing sound', is it a rubber on metal or metal on metal or a plastic on plastic sound? There are several things it could be, but without actually hearing it, it is difficult to diagnose.

 

[Swivelhip]

noise description

It only has 60,000 miles on it and I got it 1000 miles ago and the guy said it had new belts at 50,000 so that is one reason that I leaned toward that. It runs great. The noise sounds like a dry rub. Like a pulley on the plastic guard.(wishful thinking) It is fairly loud but around 3000rpms it stops suddenly and if you have your head down by the radiator on the r. side it is almost like a belt jumps in place. It just stops. It also stops on deceleration. It is not affected by the clutch or gears. It seems to be in the engine and now that the guard is off the timing belt, I can watch the left belt vibrating a little and that seems to stop the same time the noise does, but that is really Looken' for something.

 

[Ron Robertson]

Something that might help you locate the noise is a Mechanic's Stethoscope. I bought mine at the local NAPA auto parts for less then $10.00. I used it to locate a water pump that was going out on my buddies 95 S.E. It sounded like a a fan belt slipping, it would come and go intermittently.
Looks like a Doctors Stethoscope only the end is in two sections about 1/8" x12".
From the Northwest Corner
Ron

 

[Cantankerous]

It could be the timing belt tensioner going bad. I have also heard a similar sound when a belt was too tight.

 

[Swivelhip]

Took both belts off, tensioners ok, belt tension ok. I have looked at this for a couple of days and am done. It runs fine, it just has a noise till 3000rpm and then you can almost hear a gate close and it is gone. I am down to the carbs on the top and all the plastic off all the way around the sides and front including the belt cover. I am done. I am putting it back together. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Ron Robertson]

Are you sure it isn't the water pump going bad ??
From the Northwest Corner
Ron

 

[Swivelhip]

Engine noise

I did not change it, but I listened to it and the noise is not even close.

 

[Cantankerous]

OK, silly question time. Is it a steady sound or more of a pulse?

 

[Lockheed T-33]

I have a 94 SE and it has a rubbing noise that I thought I was going find when I took off the timing belt cover. Nope. It will go away around 3000rpm and when you back off the throttle. It really sounds like it is the timing belt rubbing on the plastic guard but there is not a guard anymore. Is there anything on top of the engine that could make this noise?
Thanks,
Swivelhip

I know this is an old topic but I think my Wing may do this also. It's a buzzing noise like an air system that occurs at low rpms and suddenly goes silent past a certain rpm. The wing has a complicated air intake system to make driveability better and I assumed it was stuff going on in the airbox.

 

[robandmag]

Try using a piece of garden house for sound it's cheap and you can cut it as long as you like

 

[Swivelhip]

Engine noise

I never did track the noise down and I have a friend that has the exact same noise in his wing now. I have forgotten the exact rpm but it is clear as a bell when it hits this rpm, it just stops, same rpm every time. It doesn't seem to affect anything and his has not got any worse. I have since sold my wing and have a different one.

 

[Lockheed T-33]

Yeah it's like a on/off switch as you rev through 3000. The motor goes silent. It's a buzz noise. Like a check valve that is directing vacuum or intake air. Almost like a flap opening and closing. I had the guy check it that works on my jet engines and he says the same thing. And I was driving my Shelby to work today when my exact Wing pulls up to me at the light. Same two tone green SE like mine even. I rolled my passenger window down to talk to the guy but the light changed. I swear I heard the same noise as mine.