One for the Mazda MX5 owners

DXP55 · 11 Jun 2014 at 20:00

My neighbour asked me today to listen to the engine of his 2008 MX5 2.0ltr with 26k on clock- he is clueless on engines and said it's tapping - so had a listen - got neighbour over road to listen to and we reckon it sounds as if the serpentine belt tensioner bearing is going - This MX5 has battery between rad and engine if it helps - Now after a load of phone calls it seems he can only buy the whole tensioner not just pulley with bearing in - Now is this right ?? - he has been quoted £165 for it but if it was mine I would take pulley off and go to Industrial Bearings and match bearing and wack it in.,(sort of)

So question is can you buy just the pulley or has he got to buy whole lot?

Felt sorry for this car - he took me out in it and he is a clutch dumper - as soon as he is in next gear he just dump clutch and each gear change you get a neck jerk.

Dave

Darryn · 11 Jun 2014 at 20:09

Is this it?

I used MX5-Parts when i had mine and they were always very good with prices and quick delivery.

Flibster · 11 Jun 2014 at 20:13

www.mx5parts.co.uk may well have the part if it exists. I've had a few things from them for the RX8.

DXP55 · 11 Jun 2014 at 20:37

Darryn said:
Is this it?

I used MX5-Parts when i had mine and they were always very good with prices and quick delivery.

Unfortunately no - his has A/C so has ribbed belt.

Thanks for both links to MX5 part - will look through

Dave

lemonade · 11 Jun 2014 at 22:03

Do you know for sure or just guessing? Might be waste of time, effort and money if it's something else. a 6 year old 26k engine should not be tapping.

Cyber-Mav · 11 Jun 2014 at 22:12

eurocarparts do the pully alone for like under 40 quid all in. SKF branded.

Will · 11 Jun 2014 at 22:32

I'd get it to a garage, these engines (mazda mzr/ford duratec) do sound very noisy at idle, lots of injector noise and generally a bit rattly sounding even by modern petrol standards. You need to make sure the oil is kept around the maximum mark too, low oil can kill the bottom end quite quickly on these (giving more of a knock than a ticking noise) and some cars will use a bit of oil. The aux belt tensioner can start to fail, but I'd want to make sure there are no issues with the timing chain too, or any of the other pulleys. Unless one is clearly very rattly I wouldn't be confident of identifying the exact source myself...and its pointless to start randomly replacing bits unless you're certain.

DXP55 · 12 Jun 2014 at 08:59

Thanks for the replies.

It sounds like a sort of add on to engine -not tapping to rev's but best I can decribe it is a split on belt tapping each 4 the revolution of engine - We are going to take pulley out first to check obviously as it's a reasonably easy job - but we did need to source a part first in case it is what we think.

All this now depends on neighbour - whether he want's two guys who know a bit about cars or take it to local Ford/Mazda dealer who I think are ***p - I take my Focus there for free breakdown if you have their service.

Dave

Thanks

DXP55 · 12 Jun 2014 at 13:45

Sorted almost

Took tensioner off and there is play in bearing - also bit more play in idler - Mazda want £165 for tensioner but ordered both tensioner and idler from Motor Factor for £100 - if it was mine I would have pressed bearing out of idler and replaced bearing for a tenner as it's steel but pulley on tensioner is plastic.

So comes tomorrow when parts get here it's back together - hardest bit was getting cable clip out of battery tray

We did reconnect battery and start car and was quiet as mouse.

Dave