BleedinBlue

It is REALLY hard to describe. And it doesn't happen often...but seems to be more frequent recently. It almost sounds like stirring a handfull of nails around in a metal bucket. It only happens immediately after starting my car, whether the engine is warm or cold. Each time, it stops suddenly after driving for two or three minutes, there seems to be no effect on drivability or power. When it happens, it happens whether the car is in gear or in neutral, sitting still or rolling.

It is pretty loud, and sounds AWFUL. If I were to guess, it sounds like it is coming from the bottom area of the engine, possibly around the manifolds or maybe cats.

Anyone have any ideas?

RF2.1

I get this noise also, but I'm almost 100% positive that it's coming from my exhaust. Just haven't had the time to check and see if its the hangers/brackets or if the baffles inside my Flowmasters are falling apart. Either way, it's not really affecting anything, other than sounding retarded for the first few feet that I drive my car.

David

Nuke

It's either the clamps on your axlebacks that need tightening, one of your heat shields rattling or an axleback hanger contacting something. These are 3 of the more prevalent places to check for that type of sound.

Yonco

A new throwout bearing sounds slightly like that, a shaking nails can/whirring sound. -Jon

BleedinBlue

So if it was the exhaust could it start and stop suddenly? Exhaust was my best guess though, so it seems like a good suspect. Perhaps it is occurring when it is at a specific temperature and at different stages of contracting/expanding. Hmmmmm.

Yonko, are you saying that a new TOB sounds like that, or one sounds like that when it needs replacing?