Two Weird Noises

[inficro]

Hi guys,

This is my first post. Please let me know if I got the wrong forums. I could not find a similar post. So here are my symptoms.

I got an 2001 i30, 60k miles . I’ve been getting two weird noises one from the front and one from the back.

First: Engine rattles while accelerating.Every time I accelerate I get a weird rattle noise from the front of the car. It happens every time I am in low gear, around 1500-2000 rpms and then stops once I accelerate past 2k rpms. I heard somewhere that this might be something due to low grade fuel or oil. But I use premium fuel and synthetic oil in my car. I replace my oil on a timely basis. I am really puzzled what is going on, kinda woried since it sounds like a metal rattling/grinding noise. I would like some feedback please before I take the car in to the mechanic.

Second: Click/Clunk sound from the rear.I get a single "clunk" sound every time I go over a bump or uneven road surface. I read post about this happening to people while turning, but for me it is only if I go over uneven surfaces. It seems that the noise is coming from the back wheel on the driver's side. It is getting irritating after a while. So any help would be really appreciated.

Anyhow I love my car. This is the second i30 I owned (the first one got totaled in a car wreck ). Please help me if you had similar problems or are a bit more car savvy than I am. Thank you in advance.

Edit: I tried to be a bit more specific. Also, If you know the severity of the problem and the eventual cost of fixing my problems I would realy appreciate it. Thank you!

Modified by inficro at 6:41 AM 6/20/2006
Modified by inficro at 6:43 AM 6/20/2006

[elwesso]

Welcome to NICO.....

I am having the maxima moderators post in this thread, be ready for some replies shortly..

About the rattle.. Can you replicate it by revving the engine to the said RPM range in park or neutral? How about by placing the car in drive and revving up to the RPM range with your foot on the brake (so that your putting a load on the engine)..... When did this start? IS there any circumstaces that make its sound change? Does it do it every time...?

Do the things I suggested and report back..

The rear end rattle is obviously suspenison related.. Could either be a strut mount or a sway bar bushing..... I would think if its loud enough to be irritating that if you took the wheel off you could tell fairly easy.

[maxhopper]

Your first problem could possibly be low oil pressure.

I would agree with Wes on the second problem.

It's just very hard to diagnose noise problems over the internet.

[goody90q45]

[QUOTE=inficro]Second: Click/Clunk sound from the rear.I get a single "clunk" sound every time I go over a bump or uneven road surface.[QUOTE]

Hard to diagnose noises over the internet, but when I bought my Q I had a "clunk" every time I drove slowly over a speed bump. Replacing the rear struts solved the problem. You've got 60K miles on your car so they are getting close to needing replacing. Good luck.

[inficro]

Thank you for your replies guys. I did what elwesso told me and here are the results.

I put the engine into park and I started reving up the engine. The rattle was reduced to a short sound right around the 1500 rpm mark.

Then I put the engine into park and applied the gas the noise came around 1000 rpms and it was stuck around all the way to about the 2000 rpm mark.

Also, the noise is constantly the same metalic rattle. If I am harder on the gas pedal the noise is less prevelant than if I apply the gas slower. It seems to always fall between 1500 and 2000 rpms during normal acceleration (not in park and not with the break on).

I don't know if this helps at all. Please let me know if you guys have any ideas. Also, if you have an idea what the issue is can you please post what the cost will be to fix it. Thank you in advance.

[elwesso]

Ok now we're getting somewhere. its gotta be coming from the engine since it does it under no load.

My guess is that your exhaust manifolds are leaking, i think this is a common-ish problem on this motor...it was at least on the older maximas.

[inficro]

Thank you for your reply!

Any idea how much would the parts cost me to get this replaced? Thank you in advance.

[elwesso]

i really dont want you to take my word for it, but rather Id take it to a mechanic who knows nissans and see what they say.. Doesnt have to be an infiniti/nissan dealer, just a shop who may have some experience with nissans... Just pay them to diagnose it, and then we can go from there...