Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior HELP! Rattling Engine...engine sounds like this...mp3 file here

Hi Guys, I found an MP3 sound wave after doing a search on a rattling noisy engine (courtesy of immo) and am posting it here, because it is the EXACT noise my engine has been making.

Can anyone tell me if it is normal? I drive a 2000 Celica GT, 39K miles. Just bought it from a used car dealer and didn't notice it a month ago. No Mods at all. I get this sound from under the hood (with additional squeaking from the belt tensioner on cold days, which isn't heard in this audio file). It is excessively loud on cold start ups, but even after warming up it continues especially while waiting at a red light. It is starting to bother me and I am worried. Is it just the engine for this car? or do I have a problem?

Engine noise [members.home.nl]

that sounds like a diesel...

my car does the same thing, only a high pitch. Just valve chatter. I don't have the $$$ to get them adjusted.

The squeaky belt can be fixed for $4 just buy some belt dressing, or replace the belt for like $40

Hi Diablo,

Doesn't that chatter drive you absolutely nuts? I understand the celi is a bit on the noisy side, but come on, that noise sounds like it has 90K miles on it. You made me feel better though that it isn't just me.

thanks

yeah, its annoying.

A local shop wanted a few hundred dollars to readjust them, but I just don't have the cash laying around to fix something that isn't broken (my gts is in the shop for a broken shift linkage as we speak)

You can also buy an engine additive that is supposed to quiet valve chatter.

That's like a $6 fix

Thanks for educating, did you ever try solutions to quiet valve chatter for your car? I wonder if it has any negative effects.

Anyone else can verfiy their celi sounds like this?

not as loud, but mine sounds like that too at idle, bought it last march its preety much new so i dunno i guess its normal. i just learned to block it out i dont really hear it unless iam trying 2

try listening to a 03' corolla or matrix (not the xrs)...but these cars with the vvti engines like ours have that same tick,tick,tick sound at idle...it's normal. yes it's loud especially when you are in a closed area ie garage or parkin lot, but it goes away when you are cruising along. my chatter got a little quiter when i swithed motor oils from royal purple to redline but you can still hear it. all celi engines are like this and the volume of the chatter usually has to do with thier mods (ie intake/exhaust) or where they are (in or out of a closed area). hope this helps.

thanks for the replies.

mine sounds like that and its an 03 gts that i got in may..

Can a better grade of gasoline reduce the chatter a little? Worked in my old car to some extent, but maybe just because it was a dirty fuel injector or something other than the valves.

hmm...my car does that too...especially at stops...annoying isn't it? i just turn up the radio to drown it out hehe

Yes it is annoying. I've tried 87 octane gas and it was at its loudest with the GT. Now I put 93 Octane Amoco gas and it still makes that noise. I dunno what it means, but supposedly a lot of people have this same sound so maybe it's nothing to worry about

mine does it too, pisses me off a bit, but ill live

That happened to my Ford. I realized that the engine mounts were worn out and they weren't holding the engine steady. I replaced them and it runs a lot better.

Other possibilities could be timing off, fuel injectors are dirty or bad, maybe sparks and cables or timing chain or belt defective.

Have you ever mis-shifted? Once I mis-shifted my engine noise got louder.

Possible lamda sensor probs maybe