Ding ding noise from fan area

Hi Everyone, thanks in advance, awesome site.
So I have a noise from the fan area that sounds like steel being hit each rotation of the fan.
Ding ding ding, gets faster or slower at same rate as the fan. No the fan is not hitting anything.
-the upper idler pulley right of power steering pump has play
-water pump and fan clutch I just replaced 6 months ago.
-water pump has a small leak out of bearing weep hole already(no I didn't flush coolant)hoping it was just debris in the seal

Can an idler that has play possibly create this ding ding sound? the idler itself or the belt hitting something metal? Maybe I'll try running it with the belt off after I replace the idler.