pfitzsim

Any thoughts as to what a rattling noise (sounds like 2 pieces of metal together) when engine is warm. Noise disappears around 3k RPM. Thanks....

Macster

Time to get the car to a qualified shop and have the noise diagnosed.

Usually I end with this, but this time I'll start with it: The noise might be something relatively minor, some exhaust heat shield rattling, an exhaust system hanger, or a converter rattling.

Or it could be the early warning signs (noise) of impending engine doom, worst case.

The longer you solicit web opinions, the more often you start and run the engine, the less time the engine has before that noise turns from just a noise to a serious, very serious problem. Now this is worst case of course provided the noise is not something relatively minor.

But you don't know or you wouldn't be asking. I don't know. No one can say. Many -- me included - can offer ideas on what it could be, what to check, etc., but all the time the enigine could be racing towards the edge and a very big fall.

My advice is to if the noise sounds serious, like it is coming from inside the engine and not from an area outside - which would be a heat shield or exhaust rattle (converter perhaps) -- to arrange to flat bed the car to a qualified shop and have the noise id'd and corrected.

No Boxster engine making noises ever got well again being run more and many have gotten worse.

You can put the car in the air and bang around on the exhaust shields, converters, etc., to see if you can locate the source of the noise.

But if you don't then the engine has to be run and an expert listen -- with a stethescope -- to pinpoint the location of the noise. From the location of the noise then the cause of the noise becomes a bit easier to guess. At least it makes the knowing the next step clearer.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Shark Attack

what he said

Marc Gelefsky

Could be a bad cat, when mine went it sounded like metel rattling. It seemed worse when warm but it was there when cold.

Macster

In re-reading my post it reads like I'm not sympathetic to your situation. I am believe it or not.

But I still believe you should seek out someone qualified for working on the car and let him diagnose the noise. This is doubly important if the car covered by some warranty or extended service contract.

Even if you are able to identify the source of the noise this is not going to make the noise go away. It will still require someone wrenching on the car to fix.

So, you spend time diagnosing the noise and then what? All you can do is give the car to the tech and let him diagnose the noise.

A caveat: In answering any questions I expect you to answer from memory, not take the car out for a spin. My position is that you should avoid driving the car, even starting the engine and letting it idle until *after* the noise has been id'd and its source fixed.

But if you want to see if you can closer to knowing the source of the noise...

What is the year and mileage on car? Manual? Tip? What kind of driving do you do? Is the car stock?

Does the noise appear to be tied to engine speed or wheel/drivetrain speed or road speed?

Is the oil level ok? Not too high, but not too low either. Is coolant level ok?

Is the oil fresh? How many miles on the oil?

What brand of oil has been used? What viscosity?

Not asking you to run the engine, but does the engine feel the same as always? No rough idle. No flat spot anywhere in its rpm range? Gas mileage ok? Oil consumption ok?

Does the car feel the same? Shifting? Stopping? Steering? No extra effort needed to turn steering wheel? Brakes still feel good?

Now the noise... Is it a lighter ticking noise, or more clanking noise? Or a deeper more bass noise ?

Does the noise stay in time with engine speed? Distinctly in time? Or does the noise seem to match engine speed and then not match engine speed?

Is the noise affected by the A/C being on or off?

What work, services, were last done to car? When were they done?

A noise tied to engine speed that appears when engine warm and remains until 3K rpms is a bit scary. At operating temperature the oil is hot and fluid. That the noise is present when warm suggests oil pressure playing a role. As engine speed increases oil pressure increases and the noise going away suggests even more strongly to me the noise is tied to oil pressure. Anytime oil pressure, too low an oil pressure is the source of an engine noise the outcome is usually not good.

If you want to, if you're up to it, arrange to remove the oil filter housing and in a handy and *clean* oil drain pan dump the contents of the oil filter housing into this drain pan. Report what you find. BTW, do not discard this oil.

Clean out the housing making sure you get as much of the oil and whatever it contains (if anyting) into the clean drain pan. Borrow the wife's rubber spatula but replace it with a new one and send her a dozen roses.

Install new filter and rubber o-ring and I like to add clean oil to the housing before installing the housing. Of course you must reinstall this filter and housing correctly.

If you suspect the oil is the cause drain the engine oil into a clean pan and look through that oi for any signs of stuff.

Sincerely,

Macster.