lig

I'm not sure what it is (hence this post ) I usually only notice it when the car is cold and at very light throttle - essentially gentle driving right after a cold start. I did notice the sound yesterday at light throttle when the car was warm however.

The sound is kind of like the sound a worn fan belt makes but slightly more "metallic" in nature. Very transient in nature - it only makes the sound for a moment right around 2500-3000 RPM.

The car is an '02 - only 12,500 miles. idi Spoon Copy intake. Stock header/cat/resonator Magnaflow mufflers.

Any of you all experience this?

TIA

lig

Octane-Girl

Just a guess...it could be resonant noise.

Your engine makes different sounds at different rates. It sounds to me like at a particular rate, your engine noise is at a pitch equal to the resonant frequency of something metallic on your car...and that metallic object on your car is amplifying the noise at that particular frequency.

If it is the resonantion of a metal object, that should go away by your RPMs dipping just below or rising just above the point where you notice the sound (once your engine moves off the resonant frequency, the object can't resonate anymore).

lig

Sounds logical to me - I've had previous cars that had heat shields resonate at particular RPMs... but this isn't a buzz like a heat shield - definitely more of a "ring"

Thanks for the input.

modifry

I have had three such noises in my car at various times.

First - there is something inside the top latches that sometimes "tinkles" over certain road surfaces. It was pretty bad at about 20 k miles but has eased up over time and almost never does it now.

Second - there is something inside the shifter that sometimes makes the sound you describe and at the same rpm's too. I've read here that there is a spring inside the mechanism that needs lubrication but I don't know for sure. It's not bad enough to make me pull the shifter out, but maybe when I change the clutch next time I'll look at it.

Third - the worst one was a loose airbag nut or washer under the dash (assumption). This was awful, made little ringing, tinkling sounds at any reasonable cruising speed. I could simulate it with the car stopped by thumping the dash with my closed fist just left of the passenger airbag, but could never reach into that area from under the dash. After a few thousand miserable miles it went away - either vibrated itself tight again or completely fell off and went somewhere quiet. I don't really care either way, as long as it stopped.

.

tritium_pie

after a recent 1000 mile tour of Nor-Cal I have some kind of strange metal vibration sound coming from the rear of the car. it's not speed-dependent but does happen at a particular RPM range, so I'm sure it's nothing on the drivetrain. I suspect it's something in the muffler. kinda annoying, considering how my car never made that sound before. I'll have to get under there sometime and see what I find.

lig

Sorry in a way to see I'm not alone. I'm kind of leaning towards towards the exhaust. Doesn't seem like it's coming from the shifter or the latches... I'll get underneath the car and check for loose welds...

Thanks for chiming in all... keep 'em coming.

adam_gipson

Wow. I JUST noticed the same thing on my car a few days ago. Like you said, it only happens at a certain RPM, regardless of speed. If anyone figures out what it is, please let us know. It's pretty annoying.

hoof

Once source of ringing on my car is the gear shifter. On my car it happens at 4,100rpm and at 8,200rpm (approximately). When you hear it, try to hold rpm (to keep it ringing), then apply firm sideways pressure on the gearshift knob. If the ringing goes away then it's the gearshift.

I do not know how to make it go away. However, I do know it isn't something to worry about, and I consider it just a characteristic of my car.

The newer cars with the leather gearshift knobs may not make this ringing sound, or may do it at a different RPM. And I suspect the 2.2l engines would also affect the RPM that it occurs at.

wannabuy

Mine makes weird sounds all the time. Seems like something different each time I drive. Someof what you describe. I just figur if it isn't tp loud and not broken why bother. Frustrating though.

dreamgetter1

I have a ringing vibration sound that hits at around 4000-4500 rpm. I found that it was my Invidia exhaust hanger hitting my differential mount, I wired both rear canisters to the diffuser and this has seemed to alleviate the problem. Only happens rarely now.