Is this idle noise normal?

[robo_robb]

I'm not familiar with boxer engines; I hear they can be quite noisy, but I'm not sure if this is normal. Here is a video I took of the noise. It is only audible during idle and seems to be coming from what I think is the crankshaft pulley.

Also, this can be unrelated, but there is a pulley that is shaking in the video. I marked it with a caption.

Anyone with boxer experience have any insight?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csYmda3dGVY"]FR-S Engine Noise - YouTube[/ame]

Update:
I took the car into the Toyota Dealer today (6/15), I asked for a mechanic to come and listen. About 7 people show up, about 3 or 4 of which are mechanics. Even the Foreman was there. One of them has a WRX so he was familiar with how noisy boxers can be. He was positive the cricket noise was coming from the Direct Injection system (primarily from the drivers side). He said the tension pulley was behaving normally; the shaking was normal.

Both he and the Foreman suggested I hold off on leaving it at the shop until they do some research with their corporate contact, primarily because they have no other FR-S or BRZ to compare it to. They said they would contact me next week.

Update 2:

The Foreman from the Toyota dealer just called me. He did some research and is 95% sure the noise we are hearing is the DI system, which switches modes depending on temperature and other factors.

[denkigrve]

You've got a warranty still, have the dealer inspect it. Mine doesn't squeak like that. I only have the injector noise, but I only have 200 miles on mine.

[ahausheer]

Some of those sounds are normal but the chirping/squealing is not. Get it to a dealer to be safe and if there is something wrong you can also help others by relaying your experience here. Thanks

Good luck.

[spiller]

definitely sounds like a slipping serpentine belt to me.

[fenton]

I notice mine chips a bit too. rev it up just a bit and it stops but at idle you can hear it.

[blu_]

Mine does it and there is a thread, or at least comments in a thread, about it on the forum somewhere.

Video is good representation of the "issue".

I have never heard this on my other subarus and have kind of shrugged it off for now as something to do with the DI.

[fenton]

Actually just went and checked mine again and no chirping but i have heard it multiple times before when it idles.

[Jayde]

Mine just started to chirp too. Quite odd. I noticed it at a friends house but when I got home it was much less noisy. I'll check again tomorrow and see what happens. Also, that pulley shouldn't be moving like that. I'm going to check that too and see if mine is doing that as well. (Well, that could be an idler/tensioner pulley, but I doubt they are spring tensioned.)

Originally Posted by blu_

I have never heard this on my other subarus and have kind of shrugged it off for now as something to do with the DI.

That's what I was thinking too.

[Tradewind]

Thats a spring tensioned idler, doing exactly what it is meant to do. Chirping can happen if the tension spring is too soft for the job it is supposed to do. Normally they dont move quite that much on a factory stock motor ......

[Don@Accelerated]

I don't believe I hear a belt chirping. Not alteast in the video. All I can hear is the high pressure direct injection pump and nozzles.

-Don

[MANDALAY]

The noise is just injectors but the belt pulley Tensioner does seam a bit weak. A bit to much bounce.

Saw the new BMW's on a dyno day and 3 of them had the belts fly off

[Jayde]

When I got to work this morning it wasn't chirping. All I heard was the usual tick at an idle. I did check that pulley that the OP was stating seemed loose, and mine does the same thing. The pulley moves back and forth a small amount, along with the bolt, so yes, it is spring tensioned, as others have said.

[robo_robb]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll have the dealer look at it.

I'll keep you guys posted.

[ahausheer]

Keep in mind most belts that slip a little will make noise but this should not happen on a new car. Once the belt is heated up and or has dried any condensation on the pulleys the noise goes away. That pulley should not be moving like that at idle. Maybe at high load/rpm but at idle? Whats going to happen when you rev it hard, that thing is going to shake it self apart.