Starting about 2 days ago i noticed a rattling-type noise coming from the engine bay. Sounds almost as if two parts were rubbing together or there was something lose inside.
I popped the hood open and definitely comes from the engine itself or at least somewhere in the driver's side of the engine bay. It's not the serpentine belts or anything on the passengers side.
It happens (or at least i hear it) only at idle and only after the car has warmed up. It wont do it in the morning or after it's been parked for a while but as of 2 days ago once it has warmed up, and I'm idle i hear the rattling noise. The car drives great other than that, there's no noise when i accelerate and it does not sputter or act up while driving, drives great..also no check engine light. I notice the idle sometimes a bit higher than usual @ 1000rpm (normal for my car is 500 or so)but its steady it does not really fluctuate at idle. The engine does not shake so I'm guessing not a mount..
I initially thought might be spark plugs/cables but i guess if that was the case the car would ride like shit, misfire etc... but this is a noise more than quality of ride issue.
I checked oil and it was very low, but i know i have a leak and I usually put a quart in every 1500-2000 miles. This time i messed up and forgot and let it go almost 3000 miles. I checked yesterday and there was no oil on the dipstick, put in quart and a half and now it's almost full.
My car has 163000 miles, timing belt was changed at 60 and again 120k, just got new radiator about a month ago for overheating issue which is fixed, the only one thing other than that was a CEL i got about 2 months ago that was diagnosed as Catalytic converter failure, however the CEL went off by itself after about 3 days (and yes the bulb still lights up when the key is in so it's not like the bulb burned off).
I am a bit afraid about this being close to the "end of life" for my car. I am far from being mechanically inclined enough to do a rebuild, etc..not to mention that its my only car so i can't afford the downtime so if my car was to crap out i'd have to replace it..
I might have to take it to Satan soon to see if they find something, (i know satan has a bad rep but from experience believe it or not I've had worse experiences here with small shops charging me sometimes even more for labor than satan does) but just to get an idea...if it was some sort of internal failure wouldn't the CEL come on....? maybe wishful thinking that since the CEL hasnt come on maybe its not something toooo bad. Could i have fucked something up by letting it run low in oil (although oil lamp never came on so guess it never got tooo low). Any other clues so i know I'm not getting bullshitted if i take it to satan?
Thanx!!

Oil usually helps, but I hear ya. Hey, thats good milage on that engine IMO. Mine made 187k before it imploded.

How about exaust manifold/shields? anything loose around there?
Any recent work that may have losened anything?

I would hope its not a timing pulley? someone else would have to help decide that. Not me.

A rattle, like a random tick.tick....tick..tick.tick... or a constant smooth rattle? If that makes any sense.

Travis
95 GS

It doesn't seem to come from the heat shield area, no work has been done on the engine. The noise (from what i can tell) comes more from inside the block cover itself on the drivers side. The rattle is as it there were pieces rubbing against each other or something lose inside ratling around but does not increase when i rev, only at idle i can hear it and so far after the car has warmed up, when it's cold the engine barely makes a noise.... never heard that noise in all 10 years I've had her...

Originally posted by Louis
The noise (from what i can tell) comes more from inside the block cover itself on the drivers side.

'block cover' - you mean block or valve cover.

can you hear it better, louder if you take off the oil cap and listen inside?


im sure i dont know what it is. but curious.

GL

Yeah meant valve cover i guess (black one with the DOHC writing on it). I haven't heard it with the oil cap off but I'll give it a shot tonite when i get off work to make sure its coming from there!

Listen with a mechanic's stethoscope and see if you can pinpoint the location of the noise. You could also use a couple or extensions together, or a long screwdriver. It makes it much easier to figure out exactly where a noise is in the motor.

Hey guys,
The noise seems to actually be coming from the condenser fan motor. Apparently it is about to die on me. It's also making the car shake when Idle. I guess that's why i do not feel the noise when the car is cold.
I guess I dodged a bullet since it's not the engine itself...

Originally posted by Louis
ratling around but does not increase when i rev, only at idle i can hear it and so far after the car has warmed up, when it's cold the engine barely makes a noise.... never heard that noise in all 10 years I've had her...

you said it.
.:cheers
Good job. We wish all our problems were that easy.
That was a good fan, 10 years!