i have been dealing with this rattling sound for quite some time now. it has recently gotten real bad. i only hear a rattle while the vehicle is in drive. today i chocked the wheels, engaged e brake, and put into gear. while applying some throttle under the hood, the rattle seems to be coming from behind the timing belt cover. i do not hear the rattle at all rpms. i only hear it at less than 2 grand. i know the timing belt was done last year by the previous owner, but what is behind the cover to make a rattling sound like that. i mean this is a real loud rattling sound. i bascially want to know what to look at before i take the timing cover and dig in.

 

Maybe your belt is de-laminating. Pull the cover off and have a look. You have a non-interference engine, so its not the end of the world if it breaks, just your stranded.

 

this sounds alot like metal rattle....i definatley need to take the cover off though. the belt only has about 10,000 miles on it.

 

ac pully? i had the bearings going in mine and it sounded like a super loose valve train or dying ps pump.

 

ill look into that. acording to some of my buddies, they insist the bearing in the timing belt tensioner is crapping out. ill look into that as well