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maybe try quizzing him some more about what has been done to the car - swapped engines/heads/cams/etc. Even a broken tab on the rear of the crank sprocket can cause ignition problems. or maybe a swapped ECU from an incompatible model??? I dunno, but the fact it was purchased in this condition makes it very unlikely it was running 'correctly' when it was parked.....Or, maybe God is trying to tell you to buy a Tesla.

A slow leak will slowly introduce air into the system, and the smaller the bubble, the smaller the symptoms. So it's possible. I'd definitely pressurize the system and look for other leaks.

The ring isn't just too loose..It's off the pulley completely. When I had it all apart, I moved it around and settled on leaving it against the block after wondering what it was. Since I didn't know much about this engine, I thought it was like a little guard for the seal or some kind of shim or weird type of spring. I think it stayed there for a few drives, and it worked itself loose again so it can make noise and make me think my new tensioners were going bad already . At this point, it's the noise that's the nuisance more than anything. As I said earlier, I've heard the noise before, but it was muffled enough for me to think it was wearing pulleys or a noisy P/S pump. I took the Dremel to the covers and now the sprocket on the passenger side has the same clearance the driver does. As a matter of fact, the idler pulley was an area where the belt was also rubbing the covers to no real harm. It was a failed water pump gasket leak that did my belt in, plus years of crud with new belts being installed in all that muck by prior jobs. I CLEANED it all. I'll be keeping any eye out for spare parts online and around the area. Maybe something will pop up. DaveT, lucky for me the belt is tracking more toward the front of the pulley than the rear of it. They're both tracking pretty nice IMHO. I checked this a few times after the initial start and now a few times after driving it.

There are no guides on the cam sprockets. That guide is the only one on the engine side (vs radiator side) for that belt. The other belt has the crank pulley, and the one in between the belts. But if your belt happens to track well, you can get away without it.

Yep just snip snip it. it’s been awhile since I’ve seen one like this - if I remember right is the ring way too loose to provide any guidance or guardrail for the belt right? Or does it still have the ability to limit out and keep the belt on track? I seem to think that’s not the case and it’s basically doing nothing. If the belt walks off line, it’ll still have guides at the cam sprockets that keep it from going very far, I can’t imagine it wandering if all else is good. If so, then it’s probably worth removing to avoid the risk of getting drawn into the belt path or deformed and rubbing the belt. Belts rubbing through covers is common. I’ve probably seen it 10 times.no big deal as long as it’s not because something is imminently wrong. You could post here for a pulley in the parts wanted forum. Someone will have one. But sounds like it’s not needed, snip snip..!