i have a 2k with 70k and it just started making this noise. For lack of a better term it's like a rattling or tapping while at idle or in gear and driving slowly enough to hear it. it's not a steady knocking or tapping but a sparatic non constant sound. again sorry for term but almost like a moris code lol.

i took it to my mechanic but he said he did'nt know.And was hopeing maybe one of you guys might know.


just for some back ground: at around 20k it made a sqeeking noise all the way up to 50k. i took it to 3 mechanics then just decided to live with it until my alternator went. alternator fixed and noise was gone, car totally silent. i'm wondering if something is about to go again and i hope if it is, it's something inexpensive like an alternator.

anyway let me know any ideas you may have. thanks greatly appreciated

 

Where is it comming from?

or does the whole car do it?

 

inside engine bay from where the belts are spining.....i think, at least thats where i can kind of pin point it too.

 

How many miles on your car? and are we taling 3.0 or 3.5L?

 

i'm guessing if it were something like a rod or major engine knocking my mechanic would know and have told me. he just simply said he did'nt know but not to worry just as he said with my alternator. but my alternator noise was so embarrassing for so long! i want the car to sound like it looks if possible.

again how embarassing, i have a 2k but with 2k3 front bumper, 2k3 hids 6k, fog 6k hids,2k3 tails, entire 2k3 stillen kit with hard to match pearl white paint, h&r's 18" rims etc etc ...i love my max but first the alternator noise for 30k, which was like 2 yrs. now this tapping knock thing going on wtf please help before i run her off a bridge lol

 

i have 70k and it's the 3.0

 

Sorry I can't help you with the noise, but if your mechanic can not find out the cause of the problem, you should probably find someone else...

Did he say that he doesn't know what's wrong after you described him the problem, or he actually looked at the car and made an attempt to fix it?

 

I am guessing it is the timing chain...

Have it checked out, could be the tension on the chain or the guides...

 

As it's a fairly common problem, but if the noise is down by the belts............ water pump? Going to be hard to determine with a verbal description.

 

Mine has the timing chain rattle problem thingy too. Its not very loud, and it doesn't do it all the time, just when it feels like it. Its normal I assume? Easy fix? I have the 3.5 btw

 

The water pump is usually a higher pitch whine... Not really a rattle.

 

I think it is more of a problem on the 3.5 and it usually has to do with the oil consumption problems with the 3.5.

 

Please someone tell me hes kidding.....

 

Nope, usually the oil gets burned off, lowering the oil level... The lower oil level does not leave quite enough oil to lubricate the chain properly.

 

What oil (viscosity) are you using. Does the low oil pressure light ever flicker at idle? The camshaft timing chains are lubed by pressure oil and the timing chain(s) tensioners use pressure oil as well.

 

stick a long screwdriver by those parts and put your ear on the other end. see if the sound follows up, then you'll know where it's coming from.
you from AC? i've never seen a pearl white max hooked up around here. not that i have time to go looking w/ 2 jobs.
i live in galloway; hopefully i catch ur ride in the streets sometime

 

when I first start it up the oil light flickers, but very rarely, usually only when I park on a hill...And it does this rattle when I start it sometimes too, I've posted about it before, it sounds like someone farting..it does it right as the RPMs drop(when I first start it, they go up to 4 or 5, then fall back down to idle). And I believe Im usin 5w30

 

I know you said the tapping isn't consistent, but does this happen when you have the A/C on or when on AUTO? i have notice that my car will rattle a bit when the A/C compressor is active. It's done this since day one and I dont think it is a problem, just annoying.

 

Try doing an oil change, drain the old oil and pour it into a container that you can see how much you have bet you are down at least a quart or two maybe even more. When you add the new oil the light flicker on a hill will go away and most likely your rattle too, if so it's the common chain rattle from lack of oil.

 

True!

 

sorry so long to respond but i've been at work. well it makes the noise with or without the ac on and my oil level is always constant. i use mobil 1 syn. and change every 3000 ( and yes i know i can go longer on it but i do the change every 3k anyway). i have the irish oil blow by on and even with that it usally is just slightly low when oil is changed at 3k. also my mechanic physically checked it out.

the only thing that i can maybe think is to have him specifically check out the chain as you guys are describing......thank you all guys. at least i have kind of a place to start to look.

 

is yours the merlot colored one with mesh front grille or the silver with the mili miglias? lol yes i always notice hooked up maxima's and my parents live in galloway so i'm there quite often but i live in mays landing.

 

Odd thing is I just changed my oil like 1 - 2 weeks ago....:-(

 

This is old stuff but the Gen. 5.5 people know about TB 03060? This TB addresses a rattle noise from the top of the front cover area on a cold startup. The rattle could be from the camshaft sprocket(s) and if the rattle lasts more than about 1 sec. and for certain vehicles, the TB could apply.

 

Maybe its yours belts? Whens the last time you changed those? Also it could be your power steering pump as mine makes some what of a similar described sound. And/or it could be the timeing chain being loose