SPONSORED LINKS

Engine noise

Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 SATURN SL2
  • 140,000 MILES
My car makes a clicking sound when it is in gear. It is loudest when it is in reverse. It doesn't usually make the sound in neutral or park, but I can occasionally hear it. It is only making the sound at a slow rate of speed, atleast that's when I can hear it, almost like something is loose. It seems to be burning oil as well. If the car is lifted of jack stands then I can see white smoke coming out the back, not sure if that has anything to do with it, but maybe.
SPONSORED LINKS
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 AT 10:21 PM

15 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
So when you put it in gear it makes a buzzing noise from the transmission?If so that is normal that would be the actuators that send fluid pressure to engage the different gears As far as the smoking only when jack stands you are tilting the engine and sloshing the oil into different places so anything is possible there. So how much oil do you burn in 3,000 miles?
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 AT 12:30 AM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
No, it makes a loud clicking noise, not a high pitch noise but a lower souinding click. I thought it might be the timing chain, because it's coming from that area. But it doesn't seem to get louder as I drive. My buddy told me it might be the piston rings, but I don't think so cause why would it be clicking so loud at times. I maybe have to put in around 3-4 quarts of oil between changes, thanks for your help
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, January 20th, 2012 AT 2:33 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
You said it makes the clicking noise when in gear thats why I asked if it was coming from the transmission. So the noise is coming from under the valve cover?Your burning a lot of oil saturn spec is 1qt per 2,000 miles. Have you replaced your pcv yet?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, January 20th, 2012 AT 2:39 AM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Yes I have replaced the pvc, it sounds like something from under the valve cover area
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Saturday, January 21st, 2012 AT 10:00 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If the noise is under the valve cover its ethier lifters or the timing chain. If you pop off the valve cover you can see if its the chain. Look for slack in the chain at the top guide and also the side timing chain guides.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 AT 5:25 PM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
What if i'm wrong with the location of the noise and it's coming from behind the engine block. You were mentioning the noise coming from the transmission, and recently I have been driving the car alot more trying to figure out the noise and I have realized that the car has a hard time switching gears, at like 35 mphs it will be in 2nd wanting to shift into 3rd but it wont. The rpms will stay high at it will sit in 2nd. Unless I bring the speed up to like 4o or more and then let off the gas it will finally switch into 3rd and then I can bring my speed down again but while in 3rd gear. I'm just kind of curious if that might be where my noise is coming from cause it is extremely noises in reverse. And the car idoles really rough, it shakes all over the place and it is really rough and noisy on the start up. I will check the timing chain though as well, thanks
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 AT 7:34 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Is the engine actual running rough rpms bouncing all over the place?Or is there just vibration?Also when putting it in reverse you will get a loud cluncking noise that is the reverse servo piston moving the reverse servo fork and and sleeve. Also the noise iam talking about from the transmission would only be in gear and its a buzzing noise. It would be below the battery.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 AT 9:41 PM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
There is just alot of vibration. There isn't much a clunk noise as there is a rattle when I go in reverse. No the noise isn't from under the battery at all, the opposite side of the engine. I'm still going to check the timing chain and see if it's loose. It's strange though cause sometimes the noise will go away. Like over the weekend the car wasn't makeing the noise much just vibrating alot. I feel like when the car has plenty of oil it seems to run rough like that, but when it gets low on oil it starts to make the clicking noise.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Monday, January 23rd, 2012 AT 10:10 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The clicking from being low on oil is caused by the lifters not having the oil to keep them pumped up. So does the vibration get a lot worse when its in drive?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 3:20 AM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Yes the vibration is alot worse when in drive
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 3:54 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Inspect the lower transmission mount its the one on the bottom of the transmission see if its colasped or torn loose it should be pretty thick. Compare it to a new one at the auto parts store. Look at it from the engine side.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 5:58 PM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Okay so I changed the upper and lower motor mounts, they were in bad condition and the vibrations went away. So now I still have the clicking sound. It went away a little but now I can definatly pinpoint it to the valve cover area where the timing belt is at. So my question to you is what should I do about a loose timing belt. And is there a way to adjust the timing or do I need a special tool? I kind of just need to know what to do when I take the valve cover off and discover that the timing belt is loose. Anything I should change, ect. Thanks for your help
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Thursday, January 26th, 2012 AT 4:22 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
You dont have a timing belt its a timing chain you have to remove the valve cover and check it like I told you. If its loose you will have to get a timing chain kit that has sprockets chain tensioner guides and replace it.I would also replace the valve cover gasket.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, January 26th, 2012 AT 7:28 AM
Tiny
JOSH ROPCHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Okay so I checked the timing chain and it is actually in really good condition. Then I checked everything else under there and when I took out the spark plugs to check them, the first spark plug I took out was completly soaked in oil. So it looks like I have a bad piston. Now my question for you is how bad will it get? And maybe how long do I have to fix it untill it messes up the engine completly?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Monday, January 30th, 2012 AT 9:58 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
All you have to do is replace the valve cover gasket keep the oil oil out of the spark plug wire area. Just make sure you put a bead of silicon across where the front timing cover meets the head on boh sides or you will have a bad oil leak.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 AT 12:46 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Engine Noise Content

Engine Noises
GUIDE
Engine Noises
Today's car engines are designed with more complexity and moving parts than ever before. When you hear abnormal noises there is something wrong. Some high output engines...
VIEW MORE

Sponsored links