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96 Legacy Outback rattle


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Title is the short end of it, but the long in.

 

Recently picked up a 96 Legacy outback Auto w/ 185k. Runs and drives fine. Shifts fine and when you would expect. It has new tires, new brakes, calipers, rotors, front bearings, head gaskets.

All in all seems pretty decently maintained mechanically.

 

But, there is a rattling noise(sounds similar to a heat shield or bad cat), hard to pin point but sounds like its coming from the front-center of the engine, almost below the alternator.

It goes in time with the engine, generally noticable under stress, not cruise or idle.

I am assuming it could be the timing belt tensioner or something of the sort?

Any one deal with something similar?

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Subarus are known to rattle so not uncommon. The heatshields around the exhaust are usually the cause so I'd either look to tighten them up or remove them entirely.

 

That's what I thought, but where the sound is coming from doesn't seem right.

Of course it wouldn't hurt to get back down there.

 

But the sound is always under load, not cruise, idle, or slowing down.

 

Ill poke around today, record a bit of the sound too and share back when I can.

Thanks for the answer.

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Removed the serp belts and it became immediately obvious.

Alternator pulley wobbled and made weird clicking noises by hand.

Started without the belt, noise was gone.

 

Problem solved. Figured someone might find this useful in the future...

Mechanic/friend did agree with the tensioner pulley initially until we did that.

 

However new problems require a new post i think, so this one will end here.

:)

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