scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Okay, it's hard to type what the sound is like, but my first real "test drive" of the new car today (2005 Pebble Beach 36k miles) that it's been driven with some assertiveness and with the top down I can hear a very strange noise coming as you step on the gas.

It is not a typical knocking/pinging you would hear from non-premium gas---it's not coming from the engine.

With the top down it's very apparent, almost coming from the exhaust or mid part of the car. Gets louder and faster as you increase rpm's--but not while sitting still.

No hesitation, acceleration is crisp. Sound starts at about 2500-4000rpms

Exhaust fumes are clear, no black/white smoke coming out.

When car is idling at at stop sign or in Park and you rev it up it doesn't do it.

As part of the CPO process they did fuel injector cleaning, no fuel pump though. ???? Car has been pampered...30k service and all regular maint done

As you go in a tunnel or in between two buildings it is very apparent.

almost like a "chuk-a-chuk-a-chuk-a" sound...almost like a old school steam locomotive starting it's wheels going.

I've heard a fuel pump go out before and this doesn't really sound like it.

Obviously I will be bringing to dealer, but just wondering if you all have seen/heard of this problem before? 36k miles shouldn't be having something like this go wrong with it??? mmmmm very strange

I do know a little old lady owned it before me. Is it possible she didn't "clear out the exhaust" enough by not driving it hard enough?

CA car...so would it have more restrictive cats on it? Maybe it is cheap gas since the dealer filled it up and it is knocking? seems to be coming from under the car though. What about fuel pump? Thanks for your help!

Poqman

Hmmmm.........does it sound like it could be coming from a drive shaft universal joint? I've had a bad U-joint make a similar sound when a needle bearing failed.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

yes....it could be coming from that area. Definitely not coming from engine. I thought about something with the drivetrain. Thanks for the tip.

robsvdp

Check the center caps on the wheels -- both the little center and the larger "star". They tend to work themselves a little loose and make that kind of noise.

tromly

Hey SCDROPTOP, good luck with solving this problem, glad it's a CPO !!

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the suggestions...will have them look at the drivetrain and I will look at the caps myself, although I washed the car by hand and waxed on sunday and didn't see or feel anything loose. very glad it's a cpo...just didn't think I would have a problem right out of the gates!

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

How about an exhuast leak? Surely being recently inspected and CPO'd at Lexus Dealer in CA this would have been caught?

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

It's been nasty here in Dallas the last week and a half or so and haven't had a chance to drive Ebony much but on the sunny days I've been checking out this ticking/knocking noise coming from what appears under the car...either drivetrain, trainsmission or exhaust ONLY when the car is in Drive and between 2500-4000 RPM's. Lower RPM's nothing.

Car was a little sluggish when I first got it, so I unhooked the battery to reset the ECU for 30 minutes and that changed it slightly (only drove once since then), but obviously the noise is still there.

Checked for anything loose, played with the car in Park, N, etc and revved it up and nothing. Only in Drive.

The transmission shifts super early from 1 to 2 in auto mode and is slightly sluggish in 2nd till I stomp on it. Not the standard slow accelerator my 2002 had, but MUCH worse. Almost like a turbo lag.

I'm thinking it could be transmission related. At 36k miles, pampered CPO car that just had the 30k service and the 192 point inspection at the dealer what the HECK could it be???

Any help on this gang? I will try to bring in to dealer on Thursday, but this is really bugging me. I don't want to just drop it off and have them call me to tell me they couldn't duplicate...it's a PITA sometimes to get this dealer to do it right the first time. Oftentimes I have to go back and drive with the service technician to show them. This one is pretty obvious though.

The sound...again this is hard to describe in words, is like a ticking/knocking sound like an old 1985 V8 Ford F150 might make as you stomp on it. Exhaust sounds normal, and the tranny is sluggish to shift. No leaks...30k just done with injector cleaner. I haven't put gas in it yet---dealer I bought from filled it up...not the typical knocking you would hear from cheap gas.

Other than that...any ideas? BTW-exhaust does sound a little more "throaty" than my 2002. Maybe just a slight change in 2005 vs 2002? Maybe because it is a California born car, the CATS are different? Not sure if this even matters because it appears to be drivetrain/tranny related. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated to at least get the dealer started. Good thing it's CPO

Thanks!

mdpuff

Well one thing it won't be is u-joints, these cars don't have them!! Instead they use a rubber coupling in place of a u-joint, seems to work! Good luck with your baby.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

mdpuff-thanks...I'll cross that one off my list! whew! LOL I was just reading about 3,000 threads on knock sensors with SC's....anyone have these problems?

1NEAT_SC

Hey scdroptop, first, congrats on your new "Baby". Reading the above and remembering my future daughter-n-law's car having a similar sound. My guess would be the catalytic converter. Does it sound like there is something loose and possibly be hanging down inside the converter? Not damaging, but annoying... GL

lar

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Wow...You are REALLY good 1NeatSC!!! I asked for the master technician floor leader to ride with me and he let me drive it at first, then we went to a parking garage that would help echo the noise underneath the car...dropped the top, etc to hear the noise best.

I told him I felt like this 2005 was a little weaker and was hesitating a little when you got on it. I also told him that when starting up in the garage (door open), you could really smell the exhaust more than my 2002 in comparison. He felt and heard the hesitation and noise. He said all things lead to....

First thing he said was "exhaust leak". I don't know if you all remembered me telling you that this 05 sounded a little louder than my 2002??? He thought it did as well.

Now, I visually inspected the catback system when I first bought the car and washed it and saw no corrosion no signs of neglect or rust. It's a CA car that a little old lady drove 5k miles a year, right? How could anything be wrong??? Apparently sometimes the intake manifold and cats go bad. He said most often due to garage queens not being driven enough???? My 2002 was even more of a garage queen but had no problems?

So...they were not 100% sure that the intake manifold or the cat was the culprit so they ordered the intake manifold first. They had an internal debate as to which one to start with (must be a cost-thing), but they started with this. My service advisor stated she would not be surprised if they had to do the entire cat/intake combo to get it right. I said: "NO PROBLEM"

Additionally (I will create another post) when the car is idling at a stop sign/light the car shakes just a little-you can feel it through the steering wheel and shift ****. My 02 had this problem and they replaced all engine motor mounts and I believe the repair was like $1800!!! She told me that they are going to replace the motor mounts too. Wow...

So...cats or intake manifold and engine motor mounts already...paid for my CPO warranty!!! Thank God I have it! One thing I love about Sewell is that they don't mess around. They like replacing stuff. I like it too.

It should be done on Friday...I will report back. Also got my SL2I Vais unit installed while it's in there. Got the CL discount on the unit (not much of a "discount"=$292 lol) but my local installer I want to use is all booked up and I'm not messing with the Pebble Beach Leather around the stereo or console. Knowing me, I'll mess it up and have to pay anyway. Leave it to the pros.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Forgot to mention this too-Dealer said that the 2005's had slightly different gear ratios than the 2002's. I didn't know that. I questioned him, and asked if he wasn't mistaken for the 2006's and he said no, the 2005's were geared slightly different.

Interesting???

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Can't wait to see the repair costs on this one!

Dealer called and my car was being finished up today. They said they replaced: Intake Manifold(s), Engine Mounts and Transmission Mounts and some misc flanges with the exhaust. I asked them if they replaced the cats and they said no. Interesting...I didn't know the intake manifold could make this sound...but we'll see. I bet the repair bill is at least $3k!!!

Wish me luck, I go pick it up tomorrow morning. Should drive like a new car if I had an exhaust leak??? I felt like it was quite a bit sluggish at first.

Can't wait to use my VAIS too!!!

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

$4500 in cpo warranty repairs later and Ebony has new intake manifolds new motor and new transmission mounts!!! Whew!

Got my iPod Vais installed too! Loving it but can't get the text to show!!!! . I was told it would!

A bonus out of this all that I wasn't sure about is that I can bypass the nav welcome screen permanently now!!!

my hesitation and noise is gone and no rattle whatsoever at stop lights! Say what you want about dealers but the new mounts definitely made a difference!