I have a 2003 SE 6spd w/ 73k miles and whenever I start it it makes a wierd rattling noise for a split second however the other day after work i drove to the store, went in for about 30 min came out and started the car and it started to make a clanking noise that sounds as if something is dangling and bouncing in and out of the fan (this is not happening but its the best way i can describe the sound) I pulled out onto the street and it continued to make the sound. At the stop light it idled really rough and died. I started it and had to keep the rpms above 2k to keep it running I drove home (about 1/4 mile) pulled into the driveway and left it running so i could get out and inpect but it wasnt making the noise anymore and it was running fine. I took it to the dealership the next day and they checked it out and said everything looked fine and there were no stored codes. It has not made the noise since and it has been 4 days. Has this happened to anybody else? What's going on?

 

Sounds like someone dropped a bolt, sprocket, or small tool somewhere in the engine bay and could not find it. Then it finally rattled itself out of there.

 

That doesnt explain the rough idle tho... but its funny you say that because when i bought the car i had the guy replace the xenon bulb and he put the old bulb in the box and shut it under the hood and i found it a few days later lol.

I let my aunt borrow the car the day before this happened and i watched out the window as she tried to shift into reverse... she kept hitting 6th and it would not back up so she would rev it way up and let up on the clutch. I had to run out and teach her how to shift into reverse. I hope she didnt do anything to cause this.

 

you mean like this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzwiMWC_9EQ
focus on the noise at 9 seconds.

 

timing chain rattle

 

That sound right at the beginning is what i get with every start. The sound the other day lasted 2 minutes and I don't even know if the two sounds are related. The sound has gone away and I havent had a problem since. should I be worried? I plan to drive it from utah to california (800 miles each way) at the end of june.

 

go check the oil level and let us know...i bet its low

 

The oil level is fine.

 

there is a bullitin about this issue, but I wouldn't worry about it.

 

How hard do you run your car? What kinda oil are you using? Is the sound heavy tapping or light ticking? You may have got air in your lifters!

 

our cars aren't pushrod v6 motors fyi

 

No they're not pushrod V-6's! They're DOHC V-6 with lifters which apparently are solid instead of being hyraulic such as those in the VG30-33 sohc engines but bubbles or a foaming oil film instead of a solid oil film can cause ticking, tapping! Those lifters are sometimes called buckets, followers, etc. But the 5th Gen Nissan Maxima FSM calls them lifters...any questions?

 

I have a 2000 maxima se and i pulled in my back yard tonight and it is making some weird noise like there is something knocking in the engine it sounds close to the headers but who knows

 

Could be an exhaust leak at the header flange.

 

i just got the exhaust checked there were no leaks im going to get a oil change and see what happens because my maxima burns oil like no tomorrow cause of the high miles i believe

 

It is more of a heavy tapping noise. It has been 2 weeks now and it hasnt made the sound again. I will be driving to cali soon (700 miles) so I hope this is nothing major.