ok been a while since i have posted but i have a problem i just cant figure out. about a week a go my engine started "rattling" like there was a loose bolt in the motor bouncing around not like a tick tick tick it is sporadic. i pulled the valve cover and everything looked ok so i dropped the oil pan and same there it all looked ok sounds like it is coming out of the bottom of the motor or transmission any ideas. no loss of power car still drives great about 5000 on the motor since the motor was rebuilt.

no cat on the truck

Auto or manual trans? Did you happen to pull the rod and or main caps when
you had the pan off? If not you should have, there is really no other reason
to drop the pan.

I had a rod bearing that got so loose that the piston was hitting the head, but
it also had a huge rod knock, so I don't think that's your problem.

Check your oil pressure with a gauge and if it's an auto trans, it could be a torque
converter bolt that has come loose, just some thoughts

Wild

no its a manual and i was just checking to see if there was a nut in the oil pan that maybe came off a rod i did check the bearings by putting pressure on them but usaully a rod or main bearing is a consistent noise

thinking maybe a finger broke off the pressure plate but i removed the  plate at the bottom of the transmission and i cant see anything. 87 sammy with 1,3 motor as well

Last week, I took the '02 Tracker in to have the tailpipe fixed.

The guy pointed out that the spring-loaded bolts that connect the downpipe to the exhaust system were rusted and loose.

After the fix, she ran a lot quieter!

Oddly enough, a weird rattle that had also recently developed - it sounded like something rattling in the engine compartment or behind the dash - disappeared too!


Check it out....


I hope that this helps!

You might want to check for any loose tin covers on the bell housing

going out to check the manifold bolts now

 nope all tight but i may have blown the seal wont be able to check till the am need to reinstall the oil pan

When you have the pan off again, do a visual check of rod bearings.  I bought an engine that had a "small intermittent rattle in the bottom".  It had a spun rod bearing, and felt as tight as the others.  The rest of the motor had parts I needed.

will do i just put the pan back on wish i had of read that first. it did sound like it was coming out of the exhaust so i wanted to check that seal i know when i installed it i put a gouge in it. so thought it might of got worse if it is a rod bearing can i replace just the bearing or is that a new rod as well.

thank you everyone it was my donut seal or the new oil helped either way it lives again

MMMMMMMMMMMM    Doughnuts