5 Engine Noises and What They Mean

It can cause some people to panic if they start to hear sounds coming from their car that they are not used to hearing. You may begin to dread what comes next, but the sooner you get it fixed the better the chances are that you will catch it before it turns into something serious.

1) Clicking and tapping sounds: This is one that once you notice it, you will want to pay attention to where it is coming from. Does the sound get louder or increase in frequency when you accelerate? This could be what is called a “tappet” or upper valve train. There could be a number of explanations for this, including a work out part. Oil pressure may also be low. This should be the first step when you hear this sound- see what the oil levels are like.

2) Deep knocking noises: This is a sign of a bigger problem. A part deep in your engine may have worn out. If your rod bearings are too worn down or become loose, then eventually your bearings will fail. If you hear this noise, you should get it repaired right away, as it may be unsafe to drive much further.

3) Rattling and whining: if you hear whining or rattling when you accelerate, there could be a possible belt or belts that are not aligned properly or worn down. If you do not have the knowledge to fix this, then definitely take it in to have it checked out.

4) Squealing during acceleration: It’s hard to mistake this noise, as it’s pretty loud. This is your fan belt yelling at you. This probably means that the fan belt is becoming loose, which is normal as time passes. If it gets too loose, then it may have to be replaced.

5) Grinding noise: You may hear grinding noises coming from your engine, but it might not be that at all. There is a chance that it could be your brakes. The front brake pads may be completely worn. If the metal is grinding against the cylinders, then it is time to replace your brakes.

Any new noise can be startling when you first hear it, but bring it in to our shop and we can take care of the problem for you- or diagnose it if you don’t know what it is.

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>