Howdy
First post here, been lurking the last few years since I got my 2005 Vibe AWD 1.8L.
The last couple months I've had an engine chugging noise which has progressively worsened. I don't drive much so have been slow to handle it. The noise is present when idling but increases in pitch when the engine is revving. Haven't really examined how AC affects it, but I did get in there with a metal broom handle to see where the vibration is:
https://youtu.be/W_a6fCpjHwk
My sense from this test is it is the crankshaft pulley. Would you agree? (also crankshaft pulley = harmonic balancer?)
The water pump pulley made a little bit of noise but wasn't too loud, relatively. The AC pulley I couldn't actually touch with the pole since it has a plate covering it.
Any opinions on replacing this part at home? Angles look tricky and I hear it can be hard to get adequate torque. I don't have a torque gun (does Parts Source loan those?)
Also, is it worth looking at used parts from a junker?
Similar process on the Vibe? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zAueVBHbI
Cheers!