My 09 Camry is generating a rattling noise in the timing belt area.

Here's what it looks and sounds like: Camry timing belt noise - YouTube

The car has about 60,000 miles on it.

My guess is alternator bearing or water pump bearing.

Any ideas?

 

Is the car still under warranty, if so take it to the dealer.

The engine has a chain, not belt. The chain can make noise.

Guessing a water pump but just a guess. Apparently they are tending to fail prematurely.

Suggest you obtain a section of plastic tubing, say 1 inch ID to use as a stethoscope in narrowing down the area of the noise such as chain, water pump, alt, etc.

The water pump is on the upper firewall side of engine above the oil filter. You should see the pulley.

The chain is behind a cover in the typical location where a belt would be. Also listen for chain noise at passengers side of the valve cover where the cam sprockets would be.

Unlike a timing belt the chain does not snake around various pulleys and items such as the water pump. It runs from the crank sprocket to the one of the cam sprockets, over to the other sprocket then down to the crank. Keep this in mind when listening for chain noise.

Also listen for alt bearing noise which would typically be the bearing nearest the belt.

Using the hose method you should be able to narrow down the noise.

 

Thanks toyomoho!

I meant serpentine belt not timing belt. My bad.

The noise is coming from the serpentine belt area on the left hand of the engine compartment.

36K basic warranty. 60K limited to drive train etc. So I'm out warranty.

I did take a plastic pipe and listened to the accessible parts of the serpentine belt components and it sounds like the noise is coming from the alternator or the water pump.

What's the down side if the serpentine belt snaps or the bearings go out with one of the serpentine belt components?

 

If a bad alt bearing, after a drive might be able to stop the engine and feel the temp of the front and back of the alt housing where the bearings are. Should not be any hotter then the rest of the alt housing. But doubt if this test would tell much unless the bearing was very bad.

If the belt breaks the water pump and alt will not be working. The battery can handle the electrical load for a time, the engine would over heat rapidly.

As to bearing failure. Depends on what happens. If the bearing freezes, so will the pulley it is attaches to and the belt will be slipping over the pulley and making a loud squeal.

If the bearings fell out of their housing this would result in a lot of rattling around of the shaft that is still being driving and accompanying noise.

You or a shop can remove the belt then turn the water pump and alt pulleys by hand to feel for a rough or tight bearing or excess play in the shaft (a loose drive shaft). If the belt is off the engine can be started and run for a brief time (less then a minute is OK if engine was cold at start up). Just long enough to determine if the noise is now gone. If gone the problem must be something driven by the belt.

 

ok, let me put it this way. alternator and water pump are so much apart, that it should be differentiated, which one of them does the noise. I have listened to my engined with stethoscope and garden hose, countless times, even with a regular wooden stick, and I can always pinpoint location. you looking at many hundreds of $$ difference in repair costs.
alternators always make some noise. I have never ever seen one that will not make at least some.
if it's undetermined, diffused noise, coming from the area between alternator and water pump, then source is inside the engine. rockers. valves.
yes, it is also known, that on after 2007 Camries, water pump goes bad at around 50 000 miles. mine was replaced under warranty also.

 

Camry 2009,

What was the problem? My 2007 4 cylinder makes the same noise and I am about to dive into it.

Ian

 

I have the same exact sound/problem. My wife came home complaining of the sound. I checked and its coming from the water pump pulley. Doing some research it seems that the water pumps do indeed go out around 50-60K miles. I didnt see any noticeable signs of leaking, but the pulley itself is definitely rattling/wobbling. I tried tightening the bolts on it with zero difference in the rattling.

Im going to go pick up a water pump, new sealant and some new antifreeze....then pull off the belt and water pump pulley.

Looking at how the pulley really is just a plate that mounts on the water pump for the belt to tension on.....I figure its got to be the water pump.

Ive never replaced a water pump but.....seems fairly doable.

2008 Camry XLE