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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ORVietVet" data-source="post: 20948" data-attributes="member: 9438"><p>Neighbor, 1 block over, has a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with the 5.7 gas engine. Calls me today and he is with his daughter at her gym class and wanted to know if I could listen at a rattle/tapping noise he had on his engine. He said he would drive by after the daughter's class. All good. Noise at front of engine and would change with engine speed. Pinpointed, with my mechanic's stethoscope to the top idler pulley for the serpentine belt and a chatter coming from the tensioner. I reached in with a long reach 3/8" drive ratchet and while was at idle, after restarting, I applied more tension. The idler came apart. Removed both. Idler was easily the noise source and the tensioner was chirping when spin pulley by hand and had side to side play. I sent him to AZ after I looked up the parts and verified they were in stock. I called and they set him up for my military discount when he went and bought parts. He came back and 10 minutes later, restart and smooth as silk and no abnormal noises. I charged him a stipend and sent him on his way. When I took the old idler off, there was just 3 ball bearing left in the races. He does a lot of outside work for my landlord.</p></blockquote><p></p>