Metallic Noise above 3500RPM HELP!

[MattB]

Today I put the window down on my G20 and as I was passing 3500 RPM a metallic noise started coming from the front driver's side, almost like it was coming from the wheel. The wheel is squeaking anyway, but this scraping doesn't sound good. The car revs strongly and shifts nicely. What can cause this noise? Or is it normal for the SR20DE to sound like that at those rev levels? Until now I've really never taken it up to those levels....

[Q451990]

You've never had it at 3500 RPMs? Wow... talk about gentle! I'm sure it's not normal. If that wheel is squeaking, it's probably something to do with that. My guess would be a wheel bearing or CV joints, but I don't have any real world G20 experience...

Heath

[MattB]

That may be right....it sounds a lot like my rear brakes did when they were shot to hell.

[VA99Q45]

If the sound you hear only happens at ~3.5k then it may not be from your wheel bearing or CV joints. To test if you CV joints are bad, do the followings. If you make a right turn slowly and you hear a clicking noise, then your left CV joint is bad. Or if you make a left turn and you hear the sound then your right CV joint is bad.

It seems like your noise is depended on the frequency of your engine. It might be something in your catalyst converter is loose and it makes that noise at the that frequency.

[MattB]

It's only at certain RPMs. The car idles as smoothly as the 2004 BMW 530i I test drove today. Up to 3000 or so it's fine, and even sometimes up in the 4500 range it's fine too. I'm having it looked at tomorrow...the mechanic I talked to said something may be loose somewhere on the exhaust...probably from hitting all of these damn potholes.

[MattB]

Does a loose heat shield sound like something that could cause a vibrating/grating noise like this?

[cweberj30t]

Does a loose heat shield sound like something that could cause a vibrating/grating noise like this?

Very possible.

[MattB]

Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better-I was concerned for a while that it might be timing chain guides or cams or something a lot more serious than a loose part.