I just did a complete top end removal and installation along with removing the SMOG equipment and I'm getting this strange noise from the belt tensioner I believe. The belt is now rerouted per the AIR pump delete directions.

 

Take the belt off and spin the tensioner pulley by hand. How does it feel?

 

It feels and sounds perfect. The sound is coming from the actual tensioner. It didnt do this when the AIR pump was installed. Im wondering if the tensioner is now in a slightly different position. There is a big spring inside of it so Im thinking I can lube it up slightly and see if that helps.

 

On a different note, the A/C compressor clutch clicks on and off a lot louder now when the selector mode is moved from Off to any position . Its strange

 

OK. So, correct me if I am wrong but, that tensioner seems to be moving (or at least vibrating back and forth). Not the tensioner itself, but the pulley seems to be bouncing around. Just because a bearing "feels" ok with no pressure on it, doesn't mean it's ok. Remove the belt and check the tensioner pulley bearing for excessive play or rough feel when turning the pulley. JM2C!

 

Have you tried a shorter belt? Guessing there is not enough tension after removing the air pump.

 

I used the belt that was speced out in the tech article here. I just went to see what the part number was on the belt but it's not printed on it.

Here is the pulley. There is no play in it. I will remove the pulley and check the bearing in a bit.

 

If the pulley bearing is OK, this is the next place to look. Regardless of the belt specified in the tech article, you may need a shorter belt as someone else mentioned. The tensioner may not be providing enough force to keep the belt tight. The belt then sends harmonic vibes back to the tensioner assy (bouncy-bouncy).

Just from outward appearances, it appears that the belt is too long = there's not enough tension provided by the tensioner assy.

There's a pointer and a "scale" on the tensioner assy that's supposed to be a wear indicator of sorts. Is the pointer within the scale when the belt is installed?

 

Engine off.

 

GM has offered two different idler pulleys that bolt in place of the smog pump when it's deleted. Can you think of a logical reason they'd bother if simply running a different belt and routing accomplishes the same thing?

 

I totally understand where you're coming from but I've done this "mod" on 4
Different TPI engines and have never had this issue. Tomorrow, I will look for the part number for the delete pulley and bracket and order it and see what happens. Yes, technically, I should have just did that when I knew I was deleting the smog pump.