[masferfc]

It's sporadic. Doesn't happen every time on startup. Mostly when it's been sitting overnight and I start it for the first time in the morning. The noise sounds like it's coming from the engine fan area. Almost like plastic hitting plastic. But I've turned the fan with my hand and it's not catching on anything. Vehicle has 276K miles on it. All in mid-Atlantic USA, so no harsh weather exposure.

Here's a YouTube link with the sound:

Anyone heard something this before? Any ideas?

 

[CamPoo]

Haven't heard it on mine yet it sounds like it could be a bearing going out on the fan clutch, maybe. Test the clutch with a wound up newspaper, careful, look it up on youtube and wear sturdy gloves.

I think if fan were hitting anything it would be much louder and constant....

 

[masferfc]

Makes sense. I purchased a new Aisin FCT-013 Engine Cooling Fan Clutch from Amazon and will have my local mechanic install it. Thanks!

 

[ukrkoz]

Chain tensioner leaks oil out and, until oil pressure builds up, loose chain rattles, making that noise. You have stretched chain and leaky tensioner combined with poor oil pressure.

 

[masferfc]

So it turns out that the problem was caused by something called the "Lower Fan Shroud" that must have come loose on one end and was contacting the engine fan blades. Hence the "plastic on plastic" sound. This week, it finally broke off completely and was hanging down enough that I could see it and pull it out from the bottom. It doesn't seem that important, so I doubt that I'll replace it. See attached photos ...

 

[ukrkoz]

Good for you. Always cheaper than taking chain cover off and getting to guts.