Weird Grinding/rattling Sound At Low Rpm

[EarthShore]

There is grinding/rattling sound from the engine when I'm in about the 1500-2000 RPM range. However, the sound is only heard when I am in the rev range in gears 3,4 and 5. The sound appears to be coming from the left side of the engine from where I am driving. The sound is more noticeable when the car is under higher load eg. 3rd gear 1500 RPM up a slight slope. Is this sound normal?

[HR32GTS 4DOOR]

What car? Your turbo wheels are probably fouling their housings.

[Hadouken]

Are you sure its coming from the engine? I reckon its your clutch rattling until it gets into a high enough rev range to engage propperly.

[Got a Pulsar]

I thought a noise mine has was coming from there, but I then found that my cat converter is rattling.

get on the ground and give your exhaust a good wack with your hand.

Good chance you'll hear the same sound.

[Victory]

The big question is why are you down so low in the rev range in a high gear and putting the engine under load?

My R33's all do this when you are simply under 2,000 and in a high gear and try to accelerate - simple solution - watch your revs and change down so that you can have your turbo spool freely.

[EarthShore]

@ HR32GTS 4DOOR 1997 r33 gtst

@ Hadouken I actually don't know, I was playing around with it today. It appears when i engage the clutch the sound goes away

@Not a Pulsar I'll give that a try. Should i do it with the engine on or not?

@Victory Sometimes at slow points I'm a bit lazy to down shift to 3rd so I just leave it in 4th haha. Yeah, I suppose i should down shift...

By engage I mean pedal to the floor haha

Edited August 12, 2012 by EarthShore

[Got a Pulsar]

Just go out and wack your exhaust at the rear, or under the car.

keep your keys in your pocket.

[starwarz]

Sounds like what i had, the filter in my catalytic converted became loose and its gave it a sound like metal scraping on the concrete in the rev range you described. I took off the cat and as suspected the filter was freely bouncing around, bought a second hand cat from a member on this site no noises since. Have you in anyway gave it a knock ?, when my car was lower i managed to bottom out slighty since the cat is the lowest it took the impact.

Edited August 12, 2012 by starwarz

[EarthShore]

Gave it some good knocks with my hand. It seems to click everytime i knock it o.o

[Got a Pulsar]

By click do you mean rattle?

Mine makes the same sound when I wack the exhaust as when I take off slow / reverse out the driveway / cruise through a carpark etc.

I would take my cat off but it's welded to the front pipe. Gonna have to take both off.

Edited August 12, 2012 by Not a Pulsar

[EarthShore]

Nah no rattle. Just one tiny metal click. I have no troubles cruising in first or second in parking lots etc.

[EarthShore]

It kinda sonds like its coming from the glove box area.

[Got a Pulsar]

Assumimng you have them, try tightening your Heat shields. ie. turbo shield, exhaust manifold shield & front pipe shield. My front pipe shield was rattling a bit when I was trying to find my noise.

Even the plug for the O2 sensor was rattling on it's bracket. All of these are roughly in the direction of your glovebox.

[EarthShore]

Cheers will give that a crack some time.

[OEM_as_f*ck]

Are you sure its coming from the engine? I reckon its your clutch rattling until it gets into a high enough rev range to engage propperly.

This ^^

Its pretty normal man, if you drive in the wrong gear because you are lazy, your car will not like you and it will express this dislike by making noises.

Pretty much every car in the world does it. Use the right gear and the problem is gone

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

sure its not detonation?

[EarthShore]

@OEM_as_f*ck yeah ur probably right. I suppose i should downshift more often haha

@BWRGTR Don't think its detonation. What would be an indicator of detonation.

[EarthShore]

I'll post you guys a video this weekend so you guys can tell me for sure what it is

[EarthShore]

Tried recording a few videos. The sound doesn't show up on video very well at all sounds to be coming from the drive line. Could it possibly be the u-joint?