I have a 97 GXE automatic and I get a pretty loud vibrating noise when I start my car up and usually lasts around 10 minutes then goes away. The car runs great and everything I just hear this noise sometimes. It doesnt do it all the time its probably about every third time I start my car. The reason why I ask if its the timing chain is because I thought I remembered Daniel Martin say that it makes a loud vibrating noise when it is going bad. Its hard to describe the noise, its kind of like furniture sliding across the floor or something like that. It is sort of high pitched but it vibrates pretty loud, from the drivers seat it sounds like it is coming from the left side of the engine. When I get out of the car and listen to the engine from the outside I cant hear the noise anymore but when I get back in I can hear it again. Any ideas? Thanks

 

If you can't hear it outside of the car, I wouldn't think that its the timing chain. The chain will make a loud ticking/vibrating sound when its on its way out.

Maybe its an exhaust rattle? Dead cat (converter, not a real car!)?

 

Yeah, okay, I meant real cat.

Geez. Anyone else having problems editing messages?

 

maybe its one or both of the belts? my car makes weird belt-type noises every cool or cold morning. in the winter, one of the belts slips each time i start it after it sits for the night. i cant hear the belt noises under the hood since there are too many other noises under there, but can clearly hear it while inside the car. I have to get around to changing my belts...dont know if i could even be able to do that myself...