My car, under load between 1100 RPMs and 1300 RPMs makes this weird sound. I placed my car into drive and while holding down the brake pedal I slowly accelerated. These are the sound clips from the passenger side and driver side of the engine.

Engine Noise from a 1998 Maxima (Passenger Side).mp3

Engine Noise from a 1998 Maxima (Driver Side).mp3

Can anyone tell by the sound, what exactly it is? My guess would be it is coming from the passenger side.


Fixed (Oct. 09, 2009):
The source of the problem was a broken idler pulley tensioner. I replaced the entire idler pulley assembly and now it is running like new.

 

Sounds like something in the engine bay resonating at a certain frequency. Try to locate the source of the sound and see if it's a loose bolt or something that's vibrating.

 

I will have to take a look around the engine for something loose when I have a chance.

 

sounds like an exhaust shield... but i gotta give it to you... that is a nice sounding clip, most of the crap that people post are though the cell phone and sounds like its under water..

 

does this noise only occur on cold start? does it stop when engine gets warm?

 

No difference if it is warmed up or cold.

 

I've been around long enough not to look like a noob... all the time

 

Well its definetely metal rattle, but it doesn't sound like chain rattle, so I would say check around the belt area for anything loose, since the noise is the loudest on the passenger side.

 

exhaust flange, either upper intake or near the cat, possibly tensioner for belts

 

AFAIK, I found the source. How do I stop the bolt from rattling in the bracket? I tried loosening and tightening the bolt a little bit, it made a slight difference but you can still hear it. When you hold it down and accelerate, you don't hear the sound any more.

 

do not turn that bolt unless you loosen the nut on the pulley first.

 

I turned it each way about 1/8th of a turn to see if it would stop the rattling.

 

thats your tensioner dude, mess with it too much and your going to mess up your belts or your idler pulley. be careful/

 

maxride 41 is right! just take a zip tie and strap it down

 

+1

Hell i wouldnt even be suprised if that nut is actually loose causing the sound

 

Who want's to scan me some pages on adjusting the tensioner and pulley?...

I had the belt replaced a while back at a shop up the road. I might give them a call tomorrow and ask them to readjust the tension in the belt and see if they can get that thing to stop rattling.

 

you loosen the bolt on the pulley, then you tighten the vertical nut. retighten pulley when done

 

Another win for the org!!!

 

Update:

Belt Pulley Tensioner snapped about 1/4 inch into the bolt. Shop that I took it to charged me 85 bucks to find that out.

Now they want me to spend another 220 to put in a new one.


What do you all think I should do about this one?

The part, online is about 63 bucks + shipping. Or possibly I could call around to see if there are any used ones?

 

wtf??? they charged you 85 to find that out??? did'nt they replace the belt awhile back??? they're probably the ones that broke it in the first place when they replaced the belt. ask them if they like law suits....****s!!!

 

um no, he broke it. He said it himself he turned it 1/8th of a turn up there somewhere without loosening the pulley nut first.

 

It was already broken and loose before I turned it. It had been vibrating for a while, no?

Anyways, how difficult would it be to install the pulley and tensioner from above the engine?

Edit: I found an old thread showing the assembly. Going to stop by the nissan dealer tomorrow to pick up the idler pulley assembly and have fun tomorrow or saturday. Save myself about 150 dollars more in labor.

 

I purchased the idler pulley this morning and put it in this afternoon.

Saved myself $150 in labor and only spent 10 minutes clotting the 1/4 inch slice on the knuckle on my ring finger with Celox granules...

For next time, I learned why you should wear gloves when working with seized bolts and to have a handle extension/metal tube for the socket wrench...