Marbles in my engine!?!?!

mud4feet · #1 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 06:25 PM

My little '03 2.4 4Banger has developed a problem. When I shut it off, it makes a REAL nasty noise.....sounds like a bunch of "steely" marbles rattling around. Just started yesterday when we got home from church.
I've done absolutely no research on this, just thought I'd throw it out for opinions.
When I popped the hood, it sounds like it's coming from under the valve cover (

). I watched the crank pulley as mudwoman shut it off, and it appears to continue after the crank has quit moving. I was initally thinking some sort of bearing (water pump, alternator, etc) but the noise tapers off after the serpentine has quit moving...And 2 or 3 times it made no noise at all!??!? It's got me worried bad! She's got around 115K on 'er and has been no trouble at all. I makes no unusual noises when running - gauges all read normal and she runs just fine down the road. What's going on??????

yjmudder90 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 07:08 PM

mine is doing the same thing and i would also like to get a direction to go in.

mud4feet · #3 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yjmudder90

mine is doing the same thing and i would also like to get a direction to go in.

Well, yjmudder90, I guess we're on our own......2 days, 32 views and no response

redrooster · #4 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 08:15 PM

Does it sound like valves rattling...like dieseling after you shut it off? It's pretty uncommon with fuel injected vehicles, but I suppose it's possible. Dump some Octane booster of high grade gas in it and see if it quits.
Have you ever put in new plugs or done a tune up?

mud4feet · #5 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrooster

Does it sound like valves rattling...like dieseling after you shut it off? It's pretty uncommon with fuel injected vehicles, but I suppose it's possible. Dump some Octane booster of high grade gas in it and see if it quits.
Have you ever put in new plugs or done a tune up?

Doesn't sound like valves, though I've had a lifter tickin' for quite a while, and it's definitely not dieseling. The sound has lessened a bit the last couple of days, but it's still there. Plugs were changed a little while back, probably need some new ones and wires in about 10K or so. It almost sounds like the sound a starter makes when it doesn't quite engage, only a little rattling added in.......or a chain running on a sprocket (loudly)......kinda trails off after I shut it off. All the things I've been trying to think of......timing chain, spun gear on a cam, bad cam, bad valve/lifter,.............would cause it to miss a little, at least, right??!?!?! And she runs fine??? Got me stumped.

currupt4130 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 09:23 PM

Pull the valve cover and check your lifter bolts and make sure nothing is rattling around up there.. Not hard to do, not expensive.

LauraBoston · #7 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 09:49 PM

standard or automatic transmissions?

jeepin916 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 10:02 PM

hey i got an idea... hehe if the noise seems to go away when the belt slows down, take off the belt and see if the noise is still there. it kind of sounds like it may be a belt tensioner or a pully somewhere rattling. i know it may not sound like a common problem but i have seen several tensioners rattle and i have also seen alternators rattle. i know in my 4 banger i had cam bearings that knocked when the engine was shut off and some thicker oil got rid of that noise.

mud4feet · #9 (**permalink**) 01-23-2008, 11:24 PM

Laura: - standard, 5 speed

Jeepin916: noise occurs after belt is motionless (read above). Cam bearings? Hmmmm............might be somethin' there

currupt: good advice - cheap, quick, and relatively easy. As soon as it quits raining and I get home before dark, that was on my agenda.

Thanx all...........this is really puzzling............she still runs great???

redrooster · #10 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 03:05 PM

Bearings of any nature will not make a sound after the engine stops turning. You're saying you can hear it for a brief time after the engine completely stops turning, right? That would lead me to believe that you have some back pressure in the exhaust (bad cat) that might be rattling a valve.
This is a hard one to diagnose without hearing it.

mud4feet · #11 (**permalink**) 01-24-2008, 03:57 PM

Yeah, I hear ya' Red. It's hard to describe sounds.........you really gotta hear 'em. I'm leaning toward some sort of valve problem rearing it's ugly head (a "heads-up"

) since, like I said, I've had a lifter rattling for quite some time (goes away once it's warm). And that's what's truly baffled me.......I watched all the pulleys while mudwoman shut it off and the engine was STOPPED!!! and then this noise continued??????? She took it to town today and said she didn't notice any noise in 3 shut-offs.......

........so I guess I'll change the oil/filter (it's due), keep my ears open, and keep on Jeepin' on. I appreciate your input.......I'm sure you're as baffled as I am. Makes no sense whatsoever........and it was really a nasty sound. I was originally thinking it would be clutch-related (115,000 on the factory clutch), but the sounds were definitely coming from the engine compartment.?.?.?

Hopefully, it's just gremlins.......................................... .......................

but I know better - it's a machine - there's a reason for every noise. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanx again, Red.