I'm driving a lawnmower!!!!!

[rno240]

HELP!

I don't know what's wrong with my car, but it sounds like I'm riding in a lawnmower . The sond comes from the engine compartment. It gets worse when I start my AC. Someone told me it's a bad injector or a bad piston. Does this sound right? I have as much mechanical ability as a turd and have just stared learning about my car (thanks to this forum) so whatever info I can get is awesome!

Thanks in advance.

[DAEDALUS]

HELP!I have as much mechanical ability as a turd

So does whoever said it's the piston, unless they took the engine apart. I think we need more info here. Is it just the sound that's bad? Like the car suddenly got a lot louder? Or is the engine running rougher? Sorry, I've never ridden a lawnmower.

[rno240]

Mostly noise but I have noticed that my idle runs around 500-600 with the AC off and around 500-550 with it on. Not rough though, it doesn't sputter or die on me. It just sounds wrong I guess. I mostly notice it when I'm going through a drive through...kind of like a fast ticking is the best way I can describe it.

Does that give you any ideas?

I wish I had a digital recorder to post the sound!!

[rno240]

Oh! I had a full tune up done about 6 months ago, new plugs, wires, dist. cap, etc.

[DAEDALUS]

Still not clear, but if it's just noise I'd say you're dealing with timing chain rattle. When's the last time you changed the oil, and what kind of oil are you using? Next time you change the oil, go to a heavier one, like 20w-50 and see if that makes a difference.Do a search for "tim*ing cha*in rat*tle" without the asterisks and you'll get a bunch of info on this. Pretty common issue.

[gogg]

exhaust leak?

[navysnail]

if it sounds like a lawnmower, it could also be an exhaust leak or the aiv pipe came off or somthing like that, check for exhaust leaks around the exhaust manifold

[S13ChucKAT]

check your spark plugs

game

[benemorius]

Could you describe the sound any better? Like maybe where precisely it is coming from?

Going on the fact that you mentioned ticking at one point, don't forget to check your oil level. It's the easiest thing you can start with and it may be that low oil is causing your valve lifters to make excess noise.

[un_known]

Check your oil, if thats not it then unplug a spark plug one cylinder at a time. If the engine sound doesn't change when you unplug one of the spark plug wires then that cylinder isn't firing. Or you could just take it to your local autozone and ask them to do a diagnostic check with their dumb little thing. They may tell you to buy the whole store, but eventually you'll find the problem.

[silencer.1]

Is it a sound that increases with rpm on the engine ? If so it's either a bearing on a rod going or your timing chain depending on where it's coming from. You better hope it's the timing chain cause mine was a rod bearing. I'm now missing a 1.5 hole outta my oil pan and going to have to swap in a 93 ka24de in place of the 90 ka24e.

[SuperSpeed]

Dude I dont know if you fixed your prob yet, but I had the same prob.It was the AIV flange nut, It screws into the header pipe on the driver side.Get some super high temp locktite, screw it back in as tight as you can get it, just dont strip it, and the prob should be fixed, it could also be just a hole in the pipe, if its rusted through. If thats the case the cheepest way to fix it is go to Pepboy, Autozone, and get the exhaust wrap and this glue stuff, take an aluminum can split it down the side, wrap it around the hole with the glue stuff on both inside of the can and outside, then wrap it up let dry overnight, vwalla, instant weld, for 3 bucks.

[ghettoslide]

All of these guys are right at what could be the sound, but you need to hear it to actually evaluate it. My guess would be on of these that they meantioned, but also you may consider the wrist pin. it is what holds the piston to the rod. It makes a slaping almost knocking sound with engine rpm if it is broken.

[asbestos]

I had a similar problem. To me it also sounded like a lawnmower whenever i would give it a good amount of throttle in the 1-4k rpm range. At first i thought it was the timing chain but the sound did not come from the front of the valve cover. After looking around my engine bay to pinpoint the sound i narrowed it down to around the exhaust manifold area. I was checking all the nuts on the manifold to see if they were tight, and the one closest to the front of the engine was loose.

As i tightened it, the stud snapped clean off. It seems the exhaust manifold gasket on cylinder 1 was all chewed up and was leaking out of one side and must of weakened the stud enough for it to snap. After that i ordered a header and replaced the stud. With the new header and gasket installed i never heard the noise again.

This could be your problem or it could be something else. Take the heatshield off the manifold and start looking around for anything wrong. Here is a pic of what mine looked like if this will help you any. Notice how its dirty around cylinder 1 where it was leaking.