FAQ: Supercharger Noise (Bad Coupler)

If the engine is running the timing chain is too, otherwise the engine won't run.

I guess I don't understand the question.????

The external belts do not drive anything internal. The timing chain is driven by the crankshaft and in turn drives the cam and the balance shaft. These are the parts I would like to listen to, if I were there. Need to know if the Timing chain, tensioner or balance shaft were experiencing a problem, a bad problem, how much noise would it make and would it sound like what your experiencing.

did you watch the most recent video?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f7S_XipwXM

this video is with the engine off, only the blower pulley is moving. (well, the idler/tensioner are moving too but they are both new, and the HB cannot move just by turning the belt.)
i really think its the gears/rotor pack or the bearings

97 park ave wrote:

did you watch the most recent video?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f7S_XipwXM

this video is with the engine off, only the blower pulley is moving. (well, the idler/tensioner are moving too but they are both new, and the HB cannot move just by turning the belt.)
i really think its the gears/rotor pack or the bearings

No, I hadn't seen that video. Sorry, I was on the wrong page I guess.

When you de-tension the SC belt and rotate just the SC snout shaft, do you get a similar noise.?

Rickw wrote:

97 park ave wrote:

did you watch the most recent video?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f7S_XipwXM

this video is with the engine off, only the blower pulley is moving. (well, the idler/tensioner are moving too but they are both new, and the HB cannot move just by turning the belt.)
i really think its the gears/rotor pack or the bearings

No, I hadn't seen that video. Sorry, I was on the wrong page I guess.

When you de-tension the SC belt and rotate just the SC snout shaft, do you get a similar noise.?

no see thats the funny thing, it only happens under tension of the supercharger belt. i even tried pulling on the pulley towards the front of the car to simulate the tension the belt has on it while turning it and nothing. the only noise i can get is the bad-coupler-sounding noise while shaking the pulley back and forth without the belt on.

Kinda at this point sounds like maybe the SC ran dry and you toasted a bearing or 2 in there. A couple of them are needle bearings, have to remove the SC and use a puller to get the one out. Not tough for a machine shop.

Albertj

im going to try swapping the coupler from my blower and the rotor pack (if its needed) from the spare blower into the regals blower. hopefully its not the bearings, i guess ill decide whether to pull the rest of the blower off after i see whats going on in that snout.

Hi all, as you know from previous posts I changed my s/c snout for a recond one. Recently in the cold weather on start up there is a clatter from the s/c which does not appear to come from the snout. This noise goes away in a few seconds. Any ideas what it could be?
Len
Very happy Div driver

You're probably referring to the exact same "roar/grumble" noise that most of us in cold weather experience. I honestly don't know what it is, but I know it's on this website somewhere. My noise went away after I installed the N* TB and the MAF.

As far as I know, the noise is harmless......

I believe it's "normal" and simply a loose fit of (something - rotors? gears?) that snugs up as things warm up (and metal expands). To my knowledge everyone who removes the stock intake for an FWI or open cone notices this immediately. It was masked by the muffler inside the stock air intake duct.

Hi Scott, interesting reply, however indulge me a little and explain N* TB and MAF. And for Dereck what is an FWI and open cone. I ask because I am not a mechanic or technocrat just a little old guy who really loves his Riv and wants it to be perfect in every way.
Len

lol sorry about that Len.

N* = NorthStar Throtlle body upgrade (75mm)
MAF = Mass Air Flow Sensor (LQ4 MAF upgrade in my case)
FWI = Fender Well Intake
Open Cone is the filter style that is required for an FWI

I have no idea why the noise went away, but it did. It sounded like a "hollow" grumble during cold start-up. Once it ran for a few minutes it would go away. Again, I have no idea why.

I'm was actually getting the same howling noise, but it 100% my power steering. I fixed it by putting a better power steering fluid in, that is rated for low temps and haven't heard it since.
I've heard the same noise before on my Z28 Camaro since i live in a place where the windchill is -23 today and that's not uncommon.

where can I get info on how to change the coupler and the bearings or pulley? Mine is making a crackiling noise. My idle is also messed up in gear.

ejeraser wrote:

where can I get info on how to change the coupler and the bearings or pulley? Mine is making a crackiling noise. My idle is also messed up in gear.

do a search for "Coupler" here.The pics are of a series 2 S/C, but mostly the same procedure for the series 1.

ejeraser wrote:

where can I get info on how to change the coupler and the bearings or pulley? Mine is making a crackiling noise. My idle is also messed up in gear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD-DvN7HO8M

ejeraser wrote:

where can I get info on how to change the coupler and the bearings or pulley? Mine is making a crackiling noise. My idle is also messed up in gear.

fixing the SC coupler won't fix your idle. The coupler, it's noisy when worn and will make other troubleshooting somewhat difficult.

Fix the SC coupler then search this site about fixing idle problems. My guess is you have a lot of maintenance to catch up on. My guess is including removing and cleaning the throttle body and what you can reach of the air intake path, the EGR gas paths, and the IAC (idle air control) is probly either gummed up or worn out and needs to be cleaned or replaced. .

I hear in order to change the bearings you need to have it done with a hydrolic press is this true? Since I want to change the coupler and the pully I was thinking of doing the bearings as well just for safe keep purpose. Is this a good idea? also is it true about the hydrolic press being needed.

Usually the coupler fails and needs replaced (easy), but the bearings last a long, long time as long as you keep oil in the SC. I don't see any reason to replace the bearings if they aren't bad. I have 236,000 miles on my original SC bearings, but had to replace the coupler before 100k miles.

ejeraser wrote:

I hear in order to change the bearings you need to have it done with a hydrolic press is this true? Since I want to change the coupler and the pully I was thinking of doing the bearings as well just for safe keep purpose. Is this a good idea? also is it true about the hydrolic press being needed.

yes you need a press to change the bearings

and

yes as long as they are lubed they will spin a very, very long time...

so

you probably can leave the bearings alone.

Hey guys i have a few questions regarding my SuperCharged Series II Riviera.. The other day i started hearing a noise like a Grinding/Sqealing noise. I checked all the diffrent pulleys and it seems to be coming from the snout area of the S/C.. I used the screw driver to the ear theory and it was very loud there by ear. Anyways i removed the belt and i could turn the Pulley left to right but there was Play in it.. A decent amount i might add.. So im leaning towards the Coupler from other posts ive read and the research ive done.. Is this a Correct and good start for me? Please help me.. [b]

GEAREDUP wrote:

Hey guys i have a few questions regarding my SuperCharged Series II Riviera.. The other day i started hearing a noise like a Grinding/Sqealing noise. I checked all the diffrent pulleys and it seems to be coming from the snout area of the S/C.. I used the screw driver to the ear theory and it was very loud there by ear. Anyways i removed the belt and i could turn the Pulley left to right but there was Play in it.. A decent amount i might add.. So im leaning towards the Coupler from other posts ive read and the research ive done.. Is this a Correct and good start for me? Please help me.. [b]

likely. It won't hurt to replace it in any event. And you should slip the belt off again and turn ALL the pulleys - when an idler finally fails it fails catastrophically, so it is mad cheaper to replace them early when they start to squeak.

Albertj

A bad couple would make a rattle/clattering noise, not a squeal. That sounds more like a bearing. Take the belts off and spin all the pulleys by hand.

Thank you. I will do this for sure after work and let you guys know my updates.. Im also leaking oil but its hitting and burning on the Back Exhaust Manifold on the bottom side.. Any ideas? I know i need to replace the Intake gaskets as i know for sure they are leaking.. I was going to replace the valve cover gaskets while i was there.. Could it just be oil from either one of thoughs gaskets leaking down? Thanks for your help guys.
[b]

GEAREDUP wrote:

Thank you. I will do this for sure after work and let you guys know my updates.. Im also leaking oil but its hitting and burning on the Back Exhaust Manifold on the bottom side.. Any ideas? I know i need to replace the Intake gaskets as i know for sure they are leaking.. I was going to replace the valve cover gaskets while i was there.. Could it just be oil from either one of thoughs gaskets leaking down? Thanks for your help guys.
[b]

yes it could be a leak like you say, and you need to fix it *quick* or eventually you'll get a fire. In case you are wondering, one Scenario is the leak worsens over time... one day, you drive a short run and park, leak drips a lot, then you hit the highway for a short run, enough to warm up car, and you stop again (say, to buy gas at the next hiway exit). Hot manifold flames up the drippings, and so your car catches fire at the gas station while you are inside paying for the fuel...

The above scenario brought to you by experience - some years ago I put out such a fire -- granted it was on a Plymouth Horizon that had a close-coupled catalytic converter. But think about it, there's no scenario where the fire costs you less than the repair don't you think?

That can only been heard with everything off, at idle, while in drive? It's almost non-existent in N. It's been around for a good 20k miles but seems to be getting progressively louder. Can't seem to isolate the noise but the car runs great.

Almost sounds like the engine is shaking. Anyone else experience something like this with a bad motor mount?