ok you all,
i really need help with my womans car, its a 2002 1.8 a4.
i have this crazy noise for the last few months which i finally traced to the serpintinebelt tensioner. my mechanics replaced it twice and the noise still exsists.

only happens when car is in gear- just as clutch is released, a sort of rattle humming sound.
Like i said only happens under load not at idle.
you can actually see the tensioner flutter as the clutch is released and engine comes underload,if i hold the tensioner with a visegrips the noise goes away,it only last for the innitial few seconds as the car goes into gear but the car almost dies out then disappears. it is slowly getting worse and makes driving the car a misery
below is a video and under the profile on you tube you can see another.
im begainig to think the mechanic whom ive delt with for years and trust has messed up, he also does all my timing jobs, perhaps this time he missed something. there is no way an audi should drive/sound or feel like this

 

if you click on "more info" tab in upper right corner, then click carli4685, it will lead you to second video which better illustrates the noise and engine vibration.
thanks again guys and sorry for long first post/rant

 

bump, please anyone

 

That sounds like you have a loose motor mount, and also replace that tensioner if that makes a difference. It could be it's just loose by the looks of it.

 

Hi

I recently got the same car with 80k miles on it and it has the exact same problem. Audi is telling me that its the alternator pulley. Don't want to replace unless that's the exact cause.

Have you found the solution? It would really help me out.

Thanks

 

Hi all:

Bumping this up...

New to the forum last night due to helping a friend with this exact problem. It's definitely the belt tensioner but looking to see what the best solution is. Emailed the OP last night and haven't heard back. Anyone else have a solution?

Thanks a lot.


.

 

Got a reply from the OP re the solution to his problem:

This is the message that was sent:
***************
Yes sorry for late response,
Turns out my problem was the alternator pulley.
It has a clutch inside that fails and when it does it causes the tension to go hay-wire!!
If you remove belt and spin the tensioner and see how it moves- it should only spin one direction, and when you spin it hold it an see if you can feel the shaft inside spinning, if it locks up you have a faulty one, likewise if the pulley does not spin at all or if it spins both directions you have a faulty one.
***************

Thank you!