YACT: scary noise coming from my car.

[GasX]

I recently had a noise on warmup that sounded like either belt noise or a wheezing intake (it's very dirty).

Last night, there was an actual rattle coming from the engine compartment. Looking under the hood, there is no overt problem and the noise seems to be coming from inside the engine near the fan belts.

Any idea what this might be?

(and yes, it's going into the shop tomorrow...)

 

[Ornery]

Could a belt be fraying and whipping against a shroud or something?

 

[GasX]

granted it was at night, but the blet looked ok...

 

[TechnoKid]

Car make year model please.

And is the rattling sound consistent with engine rpm?

 

[LordMorpheus]

My car was making a horrendous rattling noise, but it was just one of the exhaust clamps had broken, and the exhaust was rattling agains the frame. Pipe clamp, Home Depot, cheapest fix ever.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Coudl be a waterpump, power steering pump...

 

[Kipper]

Timing chain? Those usually make a racket before they die.