Loud Noise Clunking When Starting

[Purplehaza1987]

Hi everyone I have 99 gen 4 Le ...purchased from auction everthing runs well great shape, but when i start the car i hear a loud noise like rattling/clunking for about two minutes and al of a sudden it dispears the enigne idles down and it sounds smooth as can be can anyone tell me what this is it sounds like its coming from the alternator belt area..all info appreciated...

as long as its warmed up it will not make noise i can shut it off start it and it sound good but if i let it sit for long periods of time the noise comes back...

[RichieRichJP]

Does it stop once the engine has actually warmed up?

[Purplehaza1987]

Originally Posted by RichieRichJP

Does it stop once the engine has actually warmed up?

yea it stops after about 2 min only when the car is not warmed it will make that noise

[eyeball96]

May be the timing belt tensioner.

[RichieRichJP]

I agree

[cruisn76]

interesting, I have that sound also but more of a higher pitch. I've been told by a couple of mechanics that is could be a loose valve. They also said its not a big deal... Should I be worried?

btw, which is more severe?

[2000le4cyl]

got seafoam?

[Purplehaza1987]

Originally Posted by eyeball96

May be the timing belt tensioner.

is that something that needs immediate care or can i still continue driving and is it an expensivve repair thanks, for the input above...

[Hajoca]

How many miles on the odometer?

It may be worn pulley bearing on alt, p/s or water pump, Timing belt tensioner, etc.

[RichieRichJP]

Originally Posted by Purplehaza1987

is that something that needs immediate care or can i still continue driving and is it an expensivve repair thanks, for the input above...

If you want your car to still be working you should repair it. You're going to have to pull the engine to reach the timing belt components and it'll cost a good bit to do that. A Couple hundred dollars easily.

Edit: Hajoca is also right on that. It could be a bearing too. You need to try locate exactly where that sound is coming from.

[Hajoca]

Belt tensioner would not require engine to be removed, but it is an involved activity with several components to be removed.... I take that no maintenance history is available.

[Kep]

I'm not sure what you mean by "rattling/clunking". You have checked/changed your oil, right? If the other items don't pan out I would pull the valve cover to make sure you didn't have a sludge build up. If you do have a sludge problem, I could envision that restricting the oil passage until the oil thinned out and finally getting to what ever parts are making the noise. Mind you, this is a guess. But it is easy to pull the valve cover, you just will need to pay for new gaskets (the main valve cover gasket and probably the spark plug tube gaskets).

Kep