One of the problems that seems to have gotten more pronounced of late is a rattle that makes my wagon sound like a pinball machine .

 

I've uploaded a video in hopes that someone here might know this noise...

 

About four mechanics over the last six year have told me that it's just a heat shield. "Oh yeah, we should have just removed it while doing the work on it" they always say. Every time I work on it myself, I check for loose heat shields if possible and haven't found any.

 

At this point, it's not really sounding like a heat shield to me. It seems to be coming from the back of the engine/clutch/transmission area. You can really hear it rattle in the beginning of the video when I let off the gas.

 

Thanks in advance for any help. I could really use it .

It sounds like you may have something in the bell housing.

Get under the car and see if the inspection plate has been removed.

You might be able to see if theres something stuck in there.

I seem to recall one of the mechanics having done that a while back and not finding anything. Wouldn't hurt to try again though. Now I just have to find that inspection plate under there .

When I Read This:

 

... when I let off the gas. ...

 

I Imagine that it Could be Something Related to the Exhaust Pipe Hitting the Underbody, or a Failing Gearbox -or Engine- Support.

I Suggest you to Check around those Posibilities First, but it also Might be due to a Bad Strut when the Whole Car Moves... so I Kindly Suggest you to Shake your Subie While Parked and Try to Find the Noise`s Source then...

Good Luck!

Kind Regards.

Thank you for your input, I appreciate it! I'll see if I can check those things out .

As I was driving the car this morning I noticed a few other details I forgot to mention.

1. This noise doesn't happen when the engine's cold. So when I first start it in the morning it sounds fine, and only after the engine's warmed up does it start to make that noise.

 

2. It only makes this noise while the clutch is NOT engaged. Usually while idling it's most pronounced, but also when I'm letting off the gas (as mentioned before) with the clutch pedal in and letting the engine wind down to idle rpms.

Edited August 2, 200916 yr by mentis

so with the transmission in gear it never makes the noise?

I believe that's correct...

 

Edit: Let me clarify that. While driving this does not happen. You only hear it while coming to a stop (therefore low rpms) with the clutch pedal in, or while idling. As long as the clutch is not engaged, it doesn't matter what gear you're in. So the answer is yes, I just wanted to be clear .

Edited August 2, 200916 yr by mentis

Well... it Sounds to me Like Something Related to Exhaust Pipes... but also that Pipes might be Hittin` Somewhere underbody due to Excess Shakin` from Worn Engine Supports as I Said... So I Kindly Suggest you to Check those Carefully, and the Pipes for Body Hittin` Marks.

Kind Regards & Good Luck.

Thanks again . I will look for those... and you're right it does sound like that might be it.

 

Couldn't see an inspection panel for the bell housing either... is it the one on the top above the flywheel? Or is there another...?

 

-------------

 

I got another issue which I thought about starting a separate thread for, but I'll just ask in here for now. As you might have noticed in the video it's having some trouble starting up as well, which is why I was having to give it some gas at first. This is another problem that only happens after it's warmed up. It has no trouble starting cold, just warm. Doesn't seem to be electrical, and the starter is doing it's job. It seems not to be getting enough fuel when starting warm. Could this be a simple as a fuel pump, or would this be an issue with the fuel injection system?

Edited August 3, 200916 yr by mentis

Tons of different reasons ofr possibly that.

 

For your rattling ditch the midpipe and the cat unless you need it. If you need it then you know replace it. Im having the rattle and i cant determine if mines from the midpipe or the cat.

 

Ben

this might help, dunno' I had a squeak/rattle that drove me insane at an idle or when I lugged the engine taking off in 1st... I just found it by accident recently

 

I'll go crawl underneath and take a crappy cell pic

 

the mid pipe bolts to the pipe hanger, but my weld on the pipe broke

 

I'm trying to highlight the piece that's supposed to be against the pipe, I just loosened the bolt and swung it out of the way until I could weld it back to the pipe later

 

and like magic, all my rattles and squeaks went away

Wow, thanks for going to all that trouble! I really appreciate it . I will do some more poking around today and check this are out. Again, thank you so much .

 

On another note, after doing additional reading I came a across some info that says fuel pressure regulator valves often cause fuel delivery problems before the pump does. If this is the case, perhaps that's what I need to check out for my starting problem. Would that be a part that works better when it's cold?

Edited August 3, 200916 yr by mentis

that almost sounds like a fresh thread

 

I was going to add that my weld looked ok, but it was because the bead stayed with the piece of metal and was cracked off of the pipe - I didn't see it was broken until I pushed the pipe away from me and saw the weld was in two pieces - the majority of it riding along on the hanger tab

Rattle is probably a fubared throw out bearing. Since it only happens with the clutch disengaged (pedal depressed)

 

Hard starting is likely the CTS

Yeah, I might start a new thread for that, we'll see how it goes. I did another little test on the rattle issue...

 

I thought that maybe I just can't hear the rattle when at higher speeds, etc. so I put it in 1st and let it coast. Sure enough, the rattle was audible then. So now I'm not sure if it's present in other gears or not, but my whole idea of it only making noise with the clutch disengaged is out the window. Might still very well be the throwout bearing though. I know the clutch is getting worn out and in need of replacement...

 

And the CTS would be... Coolant Temp Sensor? Sorry for my ignorance ... but why would that cause a fuel delivery issue?

Edited August 3, 200916 yr by mentis

i'm interested in the temperature difference. could be that your motor and/or trans mounts are soft and become more so when the engine warms them up.. they might be letting something rub somewhere.

Thanks barracuda... I know the engine mounts were replaced a few years ago but the trans mount was not. So I do know that the trans mount certainly is due for a replacement is is probably the cause of another issue (an engine shudder). Could be the culprit of the rattle... maybe.

 

Here's what I discovered just now... I inspected the exhaust pipes while letting the car idle. Again, at first while engine's cold no noise. Slowly, the rattle starting coming in at a very low frequency (once or twice per minute maybe). Then it increased as the engine warmed up and got louder. I checked for broken welds as suggested above but found none, and checked for clearance etc. There seem to be no external parts coming into contact or shaking to make any such noise.

 

When listening closely, the noise does seem to be coming from the bell housing or the maybe the top of the exhaust pipe that attached to the engine/turbo. Sorry I don't know my terms well, but when I touched the top of that exhaust pipe I could actually feel the rattle the most. Don't know if that's transfer from elsewhere but it feels like it's coming from the inside of that... hope that sheds a little more light on this.

 

And thanks to all of you for your willingness to help! I'm very grateful .

Might be the cat's coming apart.

If you need exhaust pieces, I have them.

Cool... I'll keep that in mind. Not sure if it's the cat making the noise though. I got under the car while it was doing that, and listening in the vicinity of the cat, and I must say that the noise was not as audible in that area as it was directly above the engine.

 

Would there be any point to removing the exhaust from where it goes into the engine to inspect it? Or is that not a good idea ...?

 

I'm attaching a photo of where it sounds like this might be coming from...

Btw, I finally started a another thread for the starting/fuel issue here... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=102014

In your last picture, thats the turbo.

It could be some of the heat shields that surround it. Check to see if they are loose.

If the shields are tight and if your sure thats where the noise is coming from, you obviously need to replace the turbo.

I would remove the downpipe (the piece coming off the back that goes to the exhaust) and reach into the turbo and grab the little fan and see if you can wiggle it.

If it does, put up a ad in the Wanted Forum.

I think I just might do that... thanks for the insight! If it is the turbo, that might explain why the wagon's not as quick as it used to be. What's that turbo run for these days?

It depends from whom you buy it from.

I've sold a good used one for $50 before.

I might have another one laying around.

I'll see if I can find one tomorrow.

No rush on that turbo. I better check and see if that's even the problem... I suppose I could just pull the fan out of it and keep driving . LOL...