things are breaking as fast as i can fix them on this car. there is a strange sound coming from the front of the engine. i hope is something connected to the belt. it sounds something like a paint rattle can but also a bit like bearings rolling against each other. i can't find the exact source of the sound. anyone got a idea on how i can trouble shoot this problem. ps. i think its only during idle.

 

Have you taken the belt off and spun each pulley to see if one of them is loose? You could use a stethoscope to listen to the water pump to see if it is the one making the noise. Have you observed any pulley wobbling?

 

Sounds like a belt tensioner or water pump. Ditto on removing the belt and spinning the pullies.

 

thanks for the advice, the bottom pulley, the one connected to the crank seems to be turning wobblily. latter today i'll pull off the belt and grab ahold of the different pulleys and see if one of them has any play. i don't have a stethoscope so if all else fails i'll try that lastly.

 

If you have a Harbor Freights near by they have automotive stethoscopes super cheap. Goog luck.