Intermittent metallic flutter/rattle at low idle

[Getloworgohome]

. I'll just deal with it and have people assume that Will Ferrell is underneath my car playing cowbell.

haha, im so using that the next time someone askes what all the racket my truck makes is.....

 

[ThePhoenix]

LMAO - probably the best skit ever on newer SNL.... next to short term memory guy

 

[Woodbutcher]

I see this is an old thread, but I have this noise on my 98 5.0L. I thought I'd post since I also found a P0430 code (catalyst) that would possibly relate it back to some posts where it was speculated that the noise might be from a catalyst. It's only when idling in gear, not at speed, and it sounds like a metal shroud vibrating against another part - I first thought it might be a loose exhaust clamp, but it seems tight. I'm taking it to the mechanic later this week on another issue (big oil leak) and see if they can identify the noise too.

 

[charlesthetank]

Just joined and was looking for posts about the P0430 code.

I had a 95 Cherokee that was making the sound everyone is describing. Sounds like theres a monkey underneath your car, beating a coffee can with a wooden spoon. Well what it is, is a piece of the honeycomb structure has broken off in your cat, and its moving around when the exhaust is being forced through the cat. Normally the gases go straight through long honey comb holes, looks like a ton of those tiny red drink straws bundled up. So when a piece breaks off, the air can't decide which way to go, and it rattles around.

 

[eternalkernal]

i had this problem as well i dont know what engine you have but on my 4.0 ohv it was a rocker arm was slightly loose and tapping on the rod.

 

[drdoom]

Mine was the idler pulley.

 

[delexploder]

Lmao I've had that noise so long I get nervous if I dont hear it. My sohc sport has over 260000 miles so what ever it is cant be very important like an internal engine part. I think its the cats as well but I also have so much noise from the timing chains worn tensioners and wobbling balance shaft I cant hardly tell what im hearing any more

 

[Taddmansilla]

I had the same noise rattle problem in drive, ac on. Since it happened at 500 rpm, sitting there in drive, while stopped, and disappeared when put in park or neutral as the rpm increased, I increased the rpm by adjusting the screw behind the pulley the acceleration cable is attached to that opens up the throttle and revs up the engine. I tightened the screw in so that the throttle increases the rpms. Now when the ac is on and I'm in drive, but stopped, the engine is at 900 rpm instead of 500 rpm and no more mysterious rattle or monkey playing the spoons underneath noise anymore.

In park, and in neutral, the rpms are also higher by 500 rpms, but I would rather have it idle at 900 rpms and have no rattle than keep it at 500 rpms and have my kid embarrassed at the loud rattling going on as I'm picking her up from school.

When my wife first noticed it, she was at the car wash and she thought there was an auto garage next to the car wash that was using power tools or something because the noise was so loud. Then she realized the noise was coming from the explorer.

 

[Tormann14]

timing chain tensioners

I have an Sohc with 115k on it. It rattles on start up and the when warm purrs like a kitten. A mechanic said it was the timing chain of which there are two. I am thinking my tensioners needs to be replaced. Any thoughts out there?[