figure this noise out

[mcditalia]

Hi folks,

I've had this problem occur on me on two occasion so far, both times when the car gets real hot sitting in traffic.

Usually my temp gauge never reads above the 210 mark, on real hot days it will get close or at the 210 mark while sitting in traffic. However, on two occasions with extended stop and go at a crawl pace I get a "chattering" sound from what seems to be under the transmission, almost like something metal is loose and vibrating, either with the clutch engaged or disengaged. Temp gauge also went slightly over 210 which it rarely does.Once the motor cools down, the sound goes away.

I kind of dismissed it the first time it happened last year (or was it the year before), but today while moving at a crawling pace for a long time with stop and go action with the clutch, it resurfaced again. Also had a couple of misfires today. Any thoughts?

 

[ChuckG]

Dust cover on the front of the bellhousing? Chuck

 

[Kid_Again]

yeah, i'm with chuck but you now notice it missing. Not good.

Can you borrow an IR temp gun and shoot the thermostat housing when you're idling? A newly manufactured water temperature sensor will not read correctly and certainly not linearly over the range.

 

[magicv8]

How loud is the sound? GM shifters will rattle when hot, especially when optional A-C is running and pumping heat under the car.

 

[mcditalia]

Thanks for the replies,

well, the bell housing dust cover would be noticeable if it's missing, and I just had the car up on a lift and it's there.

I don't have AC. My shifter always rattles , so I don't think it that. I guess I should have gotten out under the car to better isolate the noise, but I was cruisin to a car show and was already late.

The noise really could have been coming from the motor, but hard to tell. The only clue I have is that it definitely pops up when the car is close to overheating.

 

[skids]

Last year when I went to bloomington, it was in the upper 90's, and there was plenty of slow going moments, kinda like a parade. Clutch in, clutch out. On and on. My car never ran as hot as it did down there. Got a weird noise also. Also plenty of clutch chatter getting into first gear. Never had it before. Year and a half old clutch. I believe the clutch was just too hot. A burnout or two later, and once back on the highway, everything was back to normal.