Wife complains that marble noise is coming from the '88 TB 3.8 engine. I investigate with my ear and it seems to be on both sides. Today, I removed the belt and found squeaks on the smog pump---it's original with 120K on it. As for the alternator and maybe belt tensioner, could not hear anything strange other than the tensioner pulley had a little side play in it. The alt is newer ...So I figure it's the smog pump with an echo for both sides---does this make sense?
I then drive the car and find the temp gauge needle running higher than I like to see it in this weather. I assume it represents a sticking thermostat--is that a reasonable theory? There have been 3 thermostats on this TB and now I think #3 is kaput (4 years old).
John R
Sounds like a water pump problem.
I didn't really think of the water pump--but admit it's old--I last did that one in 1995. The hub seemed to turn ok but that leaves little with clues. There's no leaks from the pump--but now with the temp gauge in mind, I'll look again this weekend. Thanks. I hate to throw parts at a repair but did order the smog pump---the cheap one was not the right one to fit, so naturally I had to fork over another $15 to order one with the right hose mountings. We had to leave the bird out a few times in the cold in February (0 degrees) and I think it didn't like that being the senior citizen it is.
The temperature gauge problem could be the IVR (Instrument Voltage Regulator) on the back side of the cluster. Is your oil pressure also reading higher? I chased high temperature problems that didn't exist on my '86 for a long time. A dealer fried my cluster for me, and I found one from an '87 to replace. Suddenly, after installing the replacement cluster, my temperature problems went away.
Hmm, temp guage high, marble like sound coming from the engine.
Sounds like a possible head gasket to me.
Check the oil to see if it's milky and check the compression.
When my head gasket blew on my 5.0, I had a nasty marble sound coming from the motor and it would blow some black smoke out of the pipes. It never overheated though and the oil looked fine. BUT, a friend of mine had a 3.8 that over heated, had a milkshake for oil and sure enough it was the gasket.
Hey,
Put a new smog pump on last week and the marbles are gone. Seems like there is still a ticking sound somewhere, but that is less disturbing. For now, the problem is over. Apparently there are 2 kinds of smog pumps listed for this Tbird. The more expensive one has both external hose fittings fixed onto it and that's the one I needed. Good thing I checked the first one given me by comparing it to the existing one in the store parking lot--had to go back in and reorder the other and wait several days. If I had taken this for granted--bringing the old in first to pick up new--I would have had to reinstall the old and wait--as the one I needed was not in stock.