How many miles on this car? Ever had engine work done like the head gasket or lower bearing work?
You'll have to open the hood and try to listen to where the noise is coming from.
Do you still have A/C? When the clutch and bearing assembly wears out it will make a whirling/grinding sound
Serpentine belt tensioner bearings also make a ton of racket when they go bad. Its the pulley tensioner located right up front.
And also whats been said previously - timing belt tensioner bearing, alternator, power steering, maybe the water pump? I'm just throwing out ideas on noises. I do this all day at work. Lol
Could also be the trans making noise and you hear it as though its the engine. Manual or auto trans? My manual trans had a bad input shaft bearing and it made a metal on metal noise that drove me absolutely crazy trying to find. *Hope thats not the case*
