rattling noise

[max1]

I have a 94 1.9lt sohc that has 177,000 on it. I just started hearing a rattle sound coming from around the water pump area. It is not leaking any fluids., could it still be the pump? Is the changing of the pump the same as the dohc, that's all I could find in the posts.

[Lucas1]

very possible. and yes its the same.

[sierrap615]

check the heater return pipe, it may hit the firewall(if so i have the repair info)

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/sho...p/photo/15888/

[sps SOHC]

Check your tensioner pulley. Mine sounded like the water pump area but it had just been replaced. It turned out that the tensioner pulley was bad.

[rapidnet_rick]

So, what does it sound like?

I have a strange sound that from inside of the car you would almost swear is a valve tap. However it is not, it seems loudest over by the power steering pump, and the alternator. (Interesting is that it is harder to hear outside of the car, even with the hood up, and listening in the engine compartment.)

However, the idler, and tensioner pulleys are both in the same general area. Mine sounds like a tapping, or clicking coming from the passanger side of the car. If you rev the engine it starts making the noise arounf 1200-1500 RPMs. It does NOT seem to be comming from the engine. Not sure about the water pump area, but I'll check.

[94sl2guy]

I have a '94 SL2 and I'm having the exact same problem. Still not convinced it is not the yalves but when I remove the oil cap, they volume does not increase as I would have thought it would. The noise sometimes comes and goes but when it is not rattling and I put load on the alternator, the noise seems to re-appear so I'm thinking it may be alternator related. But the load could also make one of the other belt-related items get noisy as well. I'm going to pull the belt off tomorrow and run the car to see if the noise disappears. I'm also going to pull the valve cover and check the cams, lifters and oil supply to those parts.

How loud is your rattling? Mine is very loud, almost deafening but my car also has 452,000 kms so it could be anything. I'll post a reply with what I find.

[Nowhere Man]

Originally posted by sps SOHC
Check your tensioner pulley. Mine sounded like the water pump area but it had just been replaced. It turned out that the tensioner pulley was bad.

I think you're on to something here. When my belt tensioner went out, I thought my car was pininging but the noise appeared to be comming from around the belt area. I took a flashlight and shone it on the belt tensioner. Sure enough it was vibrating with the noise, so that was it.

[my99sl1]

it could be also a cracked rod

[rapidnet_rick]

Originally posted by Nowhere Man
I think you're on to something here. When my belt tensioner went out, I thought my car was pininging but the noise appeared to be comming from around the belt area. I took a flashlight and shone it on the belt tensioner. Sure enough it was vibrating with the noise, so that was it.

UPDATE:

I just replaced the tensioner pulley and the idler pulley, and that cured my problem.


I would have never guessed/ Sounded almost like a valve tap to me at first... Until I poked under the hood...then seemed to come from PowerSteering pump...


BTW... on my 95 SC2, it was a royal pain in the *****.... I am not new to working on cars...there was zero room to work. I spent about 30 minutes just getting the bolt back in/on the idler pulley!


If access to the parts wasn't an issue, this would have taken perhaps 10 minutes. It tool almost 2 hours!

Next time I am taking the upper motor mount off to get room. BTW, I did jack vehicle up, removed tire and wheel well....still no room to work.

[94sl2guy]

Pulled the valve cover gasket and the timing chain is pretty much shot - it appears to have stretched and the upper chain guide (top of the motor on the left hand side (looking from the front)) has had the teflon runner (I think it's teflon or some plastic material) worn away. The chain sags down about 1/2" between the two gears. The upper guide is $45.00 Cdn but to do it properly I believe I should replace the chain and the tensioners as well. Not sure if it is worth it as the engine has 453,000 km and is also using a liter (1 quart approx. for those south of the border) every 250 km - that's why Ive been looking for a nice SC2 in around the 2001 vintage. Other than the engine, CV joints and clutch, the rest of the car is in great shape so I may sell her to someone who needs a good body and has a motor to put in. CRAP! Hate to see her go!

[Lucas1]

if you do decide to go through with changing the timing chain, get the timing chain set from saturn. it comes with a chain, guides, sprockets, and tensioner. if your going to do it, you should do it right. you will also need a tube of the saturn silicone, or its aftermarket equivelant, i think the saturn stuff is made by permatex, but im not 100% on that.

as far as you oil consumption goes, you should do a search for saturn internal cleaning TSB. it is a thread i posted that has a cleaning procedure that ive had great success with. i would recommend giving it a shot if you decide to keep the car.

[FrozenPilot]

Sounds like I'm not the only one who's had a rattling tensioner after having bad luck with the NAPA/Gates tensioner went with Dayco and have had no problems since.

Another rattling belt tensioner problem solved!!!

[dwp]

My rattling noise started a couple of weeks ago. It seems to do it only in the morning when the engine is cold. And then after ideling for 5 mins. it's quite. Sounds like a Mercedes deisel, when it's making the noise. It seems to be coming from under the rocker arm cover but when I pull the oil filler cap off there is no extra noise coming from the opening.
It's a 98 SL2 with 103,000 miles on it.

[sierrap615]

Originally posted by dwp
My rattling noise started a couple of weeks ago. It seems to do it only in the morning when the engine is cold. And then after ideling for 5 mins. it's quite. Sounds like a Mercedes deisel, when it's making the noise. It seems to be coming from under the rocker arm cover but when I pull the oil filler cap off there is no extra noise coming from the opening.
It's a 98 SL2 with 103,000 miles on it.

sounds like a timing chain starting to go. i would say use thicker oil, but winter is coming.

[dwp]

Originally posted by sierrap615
sounds like a timing chain starting to go. i would say use thicker oil, but winter is coming.

Thanks sierrap615. I've always used Castol GTX 20-50 in it since it was new. And changed the oil every 3000 miles religiously for the last 7 years.

[sierrap615]

20-50 may be a little to thick, i ran 10w-40 this summer with my bad chain(spec is 5W-30 or 10W-30)

[emptypockets]

I was hearing a clicking/grinding sound in my 99 SC1. It turns out that the plastic cover over my AC clutch was ripped almost all the way off.

[Lucas1]

Originally posted by sierrap615
sounds like a timing chain starting to go. i would say use thicker oil, but winter is coming.

thinner oil is actually better for the timing chain because the tensioner has a very small passage that operates the hydraulic tensioner and adjusts it. using thicker oil can actually cause the tensioner to allow excess slack in the chain causing premature wear. saturn recommends 5w-30 or 10w-30 depending on climate. you should NEVER use 20w-50 in a newer car that is not designed for it.