Weird rattle

My car has a strange rattle I can't figure out. It happens at idle in and out of gear and when moving... and it always sounds the same. It starts around 1200 rpm and keeps on until around 2000.

At first I thought it was a loose catalytic converter bolt but they're all tight... it sounds like a bolt rattling around on a piece of metal.

I can't seem to find it, but it sounds like it's close to center underneath the engine.

Any ideas?

Take a small rubber mallet and thump the various heat shields on the exhaust under the car. One of them will be loose.

Put pressure on the front of the hood to see if it stops. If so, then it's your hood latch. Just add some silicone to the top of the rubber hood stops.

Try a blob of grease on your hood latch first.

Sell the car to some unsuspecting dupe...












....I'll give you two fitty for it.

Stand on one foot and hop 3 times.

Try a little eye-of-newt around the exhaust tip.

Try wrapping something tightly around your head and over your ears.

Thanks for the suggestions (most of them). I'll dig around and see what I come up with ;)

Sure it isn't in your head? I mean literally something loose in your head? ;)

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Originally Posted by Majik

Sure it isn't in your head? I mean literally something loose in your head? ;)

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Marbles, definitely losing his marbles.

http://anuvuestudio.files.wordpress....024marbles.jpg

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Originally Posted by channelmaniac

Take a small rubber mallet and thump the various heat shields on the exhaust under the car. One of them will be loose.

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While you're there with the mallet, LIGHTLY thump the cat... Mine made noise at roughly the same RPM's after it died (I was also hoping for a loose heat shield or the like).

If it is the cat, I've purchased 2 of the FM cats (one for the '91, the other for the '94m) and have been pleased with both.

could be the thermocatalaculasnexion nut. I used a little silly putty on it.
sorry couldn t resist.
How about the oil in the trans. Mine made a similar noise till I went to the Ford Synthetic gear lube.

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Originally Posted by Swiftracing

How about the oil in the trans. Mine made a similar noise till I went to the Ford Synthetic gear lube.

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You know, I didn't even think about that.

I need to run the thing up to Rogue for a once-over.

The tip of my tailpipe makes a similar noise. Try just putting your foot on it lightly (wear a real shoe).

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Originally Posted by onething

The tip of my tailpipe makes a similar noise. Try just putting your foot on it lightly (wear a real shoe).

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Now that I've replaced the cat, I have this issue on mine... I know there's still a piece of catalyst floating in the last section of pipe between the cat and muffler... I just haven't pulled the back end of the exhaust off to shake it out.