should i be worried

[4bangstangvert]

As some of you may remember, I had trouble about a month ago with my ignition module and when I finally got the car running again it sounded like a lifter was sticking. I put in some lucas oil along with an oil change, cleaned out the AIC, adjusted the idle and the sound went away. Well I made the hour and half trip up here to school today and everything was great. Then, I took about 10 minutes to get my stuff out of the car and left to make a quick Wal-Mart run. Right before I went to shift from first to second, I started hearing a weird rattling noise. It was pretty faint so I wasn't sure if it was even my car but sure enough it did it again before the shift to third. I've noticed it was only doing it at higher rpm's and this is the first time there has been any noise since last month. I'm hoping this was just from the long drive through all of the steep hills up here. Unfortunately, I don't have anywhere with light to check under the hood tonight so I'm hoping you guys can give me some input and ideas so I can sleep tonight until I can take a look tomorrow.

Also, I didn't notice any kind of loss in power, vibration, or jerking. My gauges show good oil pressure and normal running temperature. I tried checking the oil tonight and from what I could see, it was fine too.

 

[4bangstangvert]

Checked the oil and did a visual inspection after class today and could not find a single thing wrong. I'm gonna go for a ride in a little and see if it still makes the noise,

 

[Twilight Blue]

I think mine's doing the same thing

I've got the automatic tranny but mine sounds like what you're describing. I was out hotdoging one night chasing CRX's and I was taching it up around 5,000 then it started to make that rattle sound. It had never done that before. That was maybe 4 or 5 months ago but I have had no problems since then. My oil consumption hasn't changed or anything. Everything's the same exept for the noise. It only has the noise at high rpm, but even that doesn't happen every time. I guess it's alright, but what do I know? Maybe i'll be sorry later.

 

[RustBucket]

I think I'd check the torque converter bolts and inspect the flexplate for cracks.

 

[4bangstangvert]

Mine's an 89 with manual transmission so those wouldn't apply to me would they? (I know I probably should know this, but I'm still learning). I went for a quick drive and it's still making the noise. :damnit: It seems to start at about 3,000 rpm in second gear and its definitely a rattling like something is loose. Pleeeease help, I'm screwed if this car dies up here on me.

 

[RustBucket]

No it wouldn't. I missed the fact that you had a 5spd somewhere.

 

[4bangstangvert]

I'm hoping its just a loose bolt somewhere because I've been messing with it a bit out in the parking lot outside of my apartment and it sounds fine sitting still. I've been revving it up and everything and no noise but as soon as i get rolling at shift to second the noise comes back. I did notice that the oil level was a little higher than the full line on the dipstick which I saw in another post can cause problems with the lifters but wouldn't it still make the noise just revving it then?

The only thing I'm coming up with is the change in the vibrations from the engine rolling along at 3000 in second in comparison to sitting in neutral just revving it up.
I've got to figure this out so I actually do some of my homework tonight

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

check the heat shield on the Cat- converter, they rust, then rattle like crazy. If you still have the shield.. i bet thats what it is.

Dr.

 

[4bangstangvert]

I'm hoping you're right. That sounds really reasonable given the situation. I know a piece fell off before and I never really thought to check if there was anything left. I'll have to take a look tomorrow but I'm already feeling better. Thanks!

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

I'm hoping you're right. That sounds really reasonable given the situation. I know a piece fell off before and I never really thought to check if there was anything left. I'll have to take a look tomorrow but I'm already feeling better. Thanks!

if the bottom half fell off, and not the top half, it will rattle bad.. just yank it out of there.

Dr.

 

[Twilight Blue]

must be a different rattle

mine will only rattle at 5,000 rpm or higher. Maybe mine's octain related.

 

[4bangstangvert]

Took a look at the entire exhaust and it looked fine to me. I checked the cat and both halves of the heat shield are looong gone but the car is still making the noise. I swear its just something loose because you can tell it only happens when there is one particular vibration ( at least I think so) any more ideas?

I really don't think its lifters or anything motor related because, as I said before, it's only when I'm moving. At a stand still the car is absolutely fine. Possibly something in the tranny ( I really really hope not), but then again why would it only happen at certain points ?

 

[Twilight Blue]

sorry

Sorry I should have put a quote in there but the rattling I was meaning was the engine one. I had a cat go bad, but it took a while for me to figure out what the source was. I had my auto shop teacher use an automotive stethascope (instrument doctors use to listen to your heart beat) and found it wasn't the motor like I feared but the cat. My teach says bad piston rings make a similar sound. My cat would rattle anytime throttle was applied, even in park. If you need to replace your cat, I strongly recomend getting one of those free flowing cats. Why? Because it's like having a flowmaster for a cat, it sounds better, and you can now use a header. You can't use headers with a regular cat because it will burn it up. Now I need a header. But anyway, I was talking about the engine rattle in my last post so I appologize. If I use a higher octain, it is reduced and sometimes goes away. If it ain't your cat, try 92 super. Maybe when gas gets cheaper though huh?

 

[ssjmaverick23]

i dont mean to hijack your thread but i was reading your cardomain site and saw that you had the white gages how hard were they to put on? ive been looking at those for a couple weeks now but ive never really looked into how hard they are to put on thanx

 

[evintho]

Sometimes the honeycomb stuff inside the cat deteriorates and breaks loose, rattling around in there. Crawl underneath and bang the cat with your fist. That'll tell you if that's the problem or not.

 

[4bangstangvert]

no noise when i bang on the cats