HELP: Engine Noise (grinding)

[318iS]

1st post in a long while and its a bad one...


anyway there is a noise that sounds like it coming from the front of the valve cover... its like an intermittent grinding and scraping... doesnt get louder as its revved but its always there...

any suggestions welcome as to what it could be...

will try to get a sound clip up tommorrow...


thanks

[alex318ti1996]

did you ever fix your noise??? i have the same thing

[bmvw]

Could be the idler pulley? There are two, one of mine developed a similar noise, annoying but nothing critical, I changed it out when it came time to change the belt.

[jnande4176]

yeah, check your pulleys. they tend to make horrid noises when they fail, ranging from grinding to whining, to outright demonish. I would suspect a pulley...and if you replace one, you might as well replace both. and replace them soon, cause you definately DONT want a failure while the car is running, WILL THROW THE BELT!!!