My car has a mileage of approximately 130,000 miles. The car is well maintained. However, there is this rattling noise that is noticeable half the time I drive the car and happens sporadically. The rattling is similar to the sound of the exhaust manifold. It happens only around 5500 RPM during idling or driving, but it disappears in neutral, park as well as with the increase of RPM. What should I check first? Thanks.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Rust and corrosion also cause the deterioration of the exhaust system itself, which can cause rattles. In instances like this, the muffler or tailpipe probably needs to be replaced. Sometimes, an exhaust system clamp gets loose, creating a rattle. Another cause of rattles under the car is a failing catalytic converter.
If your engine has low oil pressure, engine rattling at idle might be present when the engine gets hot. It`s because the oil is thinner and doesn`t coat parts as well. Low oil pressure usually means a complete engine job. Either a replacement engine or an engine rebuild – either way, it`s going to cost you big money.
Once you notice extra noise in neutral, you could have low transmission fluid or worn-out bearings or gear teeth. While you can take a look at your transmission fluid to see if that could be the culprit, it`s best to have a mechanic diagnose the underlying problem and carry out any necessary repairs.
The diesel engine ticking noise could be a sign of low oil level that causes the valvetrain components to not get proper lubrication. Check your oil level immediately and if it`s low, you must service your car. Another culprit causing this noise could be a faulty lifter or a bad connecting rod.
Loud idling is usually caused by issues with cylinder compression. When there are problems with cylinder compression, you get an uneven fuel-air ratio. As a result, combustion becomes unusual. Having higher pressure inside the cylinder will result in loud idling noise.
A car can make a rattling noise when accelerating because of a loose exhaust system, worn-out suspension, a poorly lubricated transmission, loose engine or transmission mounts, and worn-out heat sinks. Fixes include replacing faulty parts, tightening loose ones, and topping up the concerned fluids.
What does a bad catalytic converter sound like? Often, a clogged catalytic converter sounds like a rattling noise is coming from under your vehicle and engine when you`re starting, idling or driving. Excess heat or damage in the converter can break apart the honeycomb materials, resulting in the rattling noise.
The torque converter housing is mechanically attached to the engine`s crankshaft causing the pump to operate whenever the engine is running. It`s why a worn or faulty pump makes a whining noise in all gears, including park and neutral.
It sounds like a light knocking or growling sound. Gear rattle is an audible noise transmitted from the impacts between the transmission gear teeth. A vehicle engine`s torsional vibrations (momentary angular acceleration) pass through a transmission causing the separation and resulting impact of the gear teeth.
Because of the extremely fine tolerances and super-high temperatures in these systems, the injectors often stick because of inherently low lubricity of the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel. This condition causes “Injector Rattle”.
When your engine is lubricated properly with fresh oil, it should run fairly quietly. As the oil ages and it loses its ability to lubricate the components, the parts will start to move harder against one another causing friction and grinding. These rattling, rumbling, and knocking noises will be hard to miss.
Knocking occurs when fuel burns unevenly in your engine`s cylinders. When cylinders have the correct balance of air and fuel, fuel will burn in small, regulated pockets instead of all at once. (Think sparklers, not fireworks.)
You usually hear this noise when accelerating the vehicle. Most people call this a pinging or rattling sound. This noise is caused by an air/fuel mixture in the engine cylinder being ignited prematurely by the heat of compression as the piston is moving up on the compression stroke.
If the heat shield becomes loose due to poor hardware or rust damage, it will cause the heat shield to vibrate and produce a rattling sound. The sound will be most prominent at lower engine speeds and may change in pitch or tone as your speed changes.
How to fix it? Cleaning or replacing the fuel filter and adding a fuel injector cleaning treatment to the fuel tank should take care of clogged fuel injectors. If the rough idle persists, it`s time to take your car to an auto repair shop.
An engine has a lot of moving parts, and a car making loud noise when accelerating could indicate engine problems. For instance, worn valves can make a clicking noise that`s more noticeable the faster a vehicle moves. Bearings, which let the cam and crankshaft spin, can also be noisy when they start to fail.
A loud noise coming from your vehicle when you accelerate, particularly one that sounds similar to a lawn mower is most likely due to an exhaust system leak.
If a car vibrates it can mean a lot of different things, but one of the most common causes is an exhaust leak. You will often feel a small constant vibration while driving that will get worse as you accelerate. A vibration due to a small exhaust leak can often be felt in the steering wheel or the gas pedal.
Driving with A Failed Catalytic Converter
If you`re noticing slow powertrain performance, reduced acceleration, a smell of rotten eggs or sulfur from the exhaust, dark exhaust smoke, or extreme heat from under the vehicle, these are symptoms of a clogged Catalytic Converter, and it should be replaced quickly.
Odd sounds are a symptom of a bad torque converter
Rattling is one sound you want to be aware of. If you hear odd rattling sounds when you accelerate, this might be a symptom of a bad torque converter. The same can be true of whirring noises.
This noise sounds like a rattle or whine coming from the gear box, and it`s commonly referred to as “gear rollover noise” or “gear rattle.” While it may seem counter-intuitive, this noise is not a symptom of a problem. The noise is a natural consequence of the vehicle design.
Typically, a car delivers a subtle rumble when at idle. If you notice that the sound has gone from low to a rough and unpleasant noise, it may be a sign of bad fuel injectors. That occurs when particles build up on the injector nozzles, thus affecting the amount of spray and atomization of fuel.
Dirty fuel injectors can lead to a ticking noise in the engine because they can lead to misfires producing a ticking noise.
