Bad noise from front of engine

[camarokiddave]

I just picked up a Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for the winter so I haven't started my 98 Z for a couple of weeks until last night and now I have a metallic grating sound from the front of the LS1. I think she's mad at me from lack of attention. It sounds like it's coming from the drive belt tensioner. Has anyone had one of these start squeeking? or could it be the water pump?

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

It's possible it's the tensioner or pump...but they usually make more of a squeak/sqealing sound. Is the metallic sound kind of like a rattle?

[camarokiddave]

No -it's not a rattle, nor a high pitched squeal but more of a fast grinding that comes and goes rapidly but not in a predictable way.

[bigrondownhiller]

pull the belt and start it to see if it goes away. if so then it is probably the tensioner.

[camarokiddave]

Makes sense---good idea----I'll try it tmmrw.

[OneFastZ]

what did u find out?
My trans am is doing the same thing but I think it was the water pump starting to go.

[DaddySS]

Bad tensioners are fairly common. Pull the belt and see if it is gone. If so, then see how how the tensioner, pump, etc. feels and sounds.

[camarokiddave]

It went away on its own. No more noise, so if it starts doing it again I'll pull the belt.