engine idle noise...

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by Chrisp

2. Loose heat shield - give them a wobble to see if they've worked free.

Note that there are two kinds of heat shields around that area. The first is the shiny aluminum stuff that is easy to bend and can easily cut you if you graze it just right. If the edge of some of this stuff is touching part of your exhaust, it may buzz or make noise.

The other heat shield is steel, which loosens with age and heat expansion/shrinking. It's found ahead and behind your cats. I had a vexing, tinny rattle at certain low rpm's that turned out to be one of these heat shields. I put the back of the car on ramps, started the engine, asked the wife to rev it a bit, slid under the car, found it, and whacked it real good with a hammer a few times to bend it and make it fit tightly against the piping after the cat. Problem solved.

And whacking the crap out it with a hammer after six months of listening to it was very satisfying indeed

[pbanders]

In general, I've found that any engine noise I really need to worry about makes itself known to me quickly and loudly. Make sure your oil level is correct and belts tensioned properly. Beyond that, any minor taps and clicks are best ignored, it's easy to get obsessed about them.

[carguy]

Thanks for info guys...I'm taking it to my mechanic tomorrow am to let him have a look/listen. I am wondering if it's maybe something to do with the clutch mechanism..just a gut feel. It seems my clutch is rather grabby lately, and I also notice that I hear the same type of rattling type of noise at a certain point as I engage it.

[carguy]

Just to update the thread, my mechanic found out it was the alternator! So getting that replaced with a Bosch refurbished one. As usual, not cheap, $700 for the whole job including the part.

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by carguy

Just to update the thread, my mechanic found out it was the alternator! So getting that replaced with a Bosch refurbished one. As usual, not cheap, $700 for the whole job including the part.

Man that is a lot of money for a rebuilt unit.

Glad you found out what the issue was.

[carguy]

He had to spend some time figuring out what exactly the problem was, so for that, and the part, and installing the new part, I am ok with it.