Car running good = BOOM!?

[DubbDesigns 10+ year member]

My car has been making a rattling noise for a few weeks, I thought it was a loose timing chain, I took it to my mechanic and he said he was pretty sure that was what it was.

So instead of driving my car home after school, I have been leaving it in town and riding in with someone, and driving it from their to school (about 1 mile there and back)

Well, yesterday, I drive to school, and it has a bad rattle, but after school the car did not rattle one bit. My car has not rattled since and has been driving the best it has in a long time. No noises, just the sound of a engine running smoothly.

I was wanting to go ahead and start driving the car back to my house (8 miles from town) but my dad said that his truck ran the best if ever ran right before it blew up.

Just wondering if a car that seems to be running perfectly is a symptom of an engine about to blow up? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

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[lamont1 10+ year member]

My car has been making a rattling noise for a few weeks, I thought it was a loose timing chain, I took it to my mechanic and he said he was pretty sure that was what it was. So instead of driving my car home after school, I have been leaving it in town and riding in with someone, and driving it from their to school (about 1 mile there and back)

Well, yesterday, I drive to school, and it has a bad rattle, but after school the car did not rattle one bit. My car has not rattled since and has been driving the best it has in a long time. No noises, just the sound of a engine running smoothly.

I was wanting to go ahead and start driving the car back to my house (8 miles from town) but my dad said that his truck ran the best if ever ran right before it blew up.

Just wondering if a car that seems to be running perfectly is a symptom of an engine about to blow up? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

when dealing with something internal like that you really have to break the engine down to see what it is.

 

[Lunchbocks 10+ year member]

A car's engine running perfectly is also a symptom of a properly maintained vehicle.

Rattles, sqeeks and vibrations shouldn't be ignored whether they stick around, get louder or seem to randomly vanish.

 

[DubbDesigns 10+ year member]

Yeah, as soon as I get some cash, imma go to the mechanic and have him look everything over real good. He is a pretty honest and good mechanic

 

[15nissen 10+ year member]

if the motor is locked up most likely something with ur valve train let lose. timing chain would do that with some motors, some have enough valve clearence to still rotate freely. sounds like ur doesnt. lets hope that when it locked up no rods were bent, pushrods etc.....if thats the case your going to need head work as well. sounds like a big mess. GL:crap:

 

[mike75356 10+ year member]

I was wanting to go ahead and start driving the car back to my house (8 miles from town) but my dad said that his truck ran the best if ever ran right before it blew up.

He is exactly right. I had an old 350 in my chevelle when i first got it that ran like shit and one day it decided to run like all hell it was great for the 20 minutes that it lasted. I knew it was going to lock up but i had another motor anyway so why not. But what kind of noise exactly i know u said rattling, but theres like not any kind of knocking noise?

 

[DubbDesigns 10+ year member]

no knocking. The noise it was making was like metal vibrating against metal. It was at the top of the valve cover, like right where the timing chain is. That is why I thought it was the timing chain. My mechanic said he was 99% positive that was what it was.

A year or so ago, it made that noise for a day or two and then quit. Never thought anything of it.

The car has gone about 50 miles with out that rattling noise so far and has been running great. I don't mash the gas, or anything. I drive it pretty carefully now.

 

[DubbDesigns 10+ year member]

Took it by a mechanic today, told him the situation. He said the rattling noise I was hearing could have been a stuck lifter or something that finally became unstuck. He said it should be fine, but I dunno.

 

[phantom240 5,000+ posts]

what kinda vehicle? a nissan, then yes timing chain, otherwise most cars use timing belts. Most likely a lifter or tensioner that was stickin

 

[bumpin focus 10+ year member]

Sticky lifters come and go they will make noise when engine is cold and then go away. How many miles are on the engine also change oil sluge build up will help them stick.

 

[DaveDSMer 10+ year member]

sounds like just lifter tick... very common in the 4g63t engines and nothing to worry about.. but.. what kind of car do you have.

 

[DubbDesigns 10+ year member]

I got a 95 nissan altima. It has been a mother ****ing great car!

almost has 300K miles on it, didnt do nothing to it but put a new ****** in it.

Between my mom and me, we have been pretty rough on it. My mom ran it out of oil completely and I heard it knocking as she pulled in, she was like I think something is wrong with the car . LOL! She drove it like that for 10 miles. Put oil in it, stopped knocking.

Then I ran it dry on oil I dunno how many times, and the car is still holdin strong... KNOCK ON WOOD! I redlined it dunno how many times as well.

It has been driving great for like a week so far over 100 miles. Keepin a close eye on that oil level now lol.

My dad just had to sell his 82 nissan pickup because they really needed the money. Nothing wrong with that truck mechanical wise, the front end needed to be aligned. He drove that truck from florida to indiana no tellin how many times. The only thing he did to that was rebuild the head after having problems with a drunk mechanic messing with the timing chain.

Nissans FTMFW! me= Nissan 4 life