A SeaFoam indction treatment will produce smoke thru all the leaky exhaust areas.

 

just want to throw this out in case - that noise sounds remarkably like mine did when the bearings went bad in my alternator. The noise was the stator whacking against the inside of the housing. Was intermittent at first, got progressively worse and louder. I'm not saying that is the problem, just one more thing to rule out...

 

I wish it was the alternator, but sadly everything attached to the serpentine appears to be new. I have to check on the exhaust. I just don't know if it is the torque converter-would it be moving when the car is off? I know it's a dumb question but I'm new to auto-tragic transmissions. It's definitely a rotational noise that goes away with load. However when it's REALLY acting up it'll knock faster under light load almost to 1500 RPM. Trans shop has really been totally unhelpful but I am going to schedule another appointment later. I know the exhaust gaskets are bad-you can hear them leaking and poofing like a lawnmower...but this sound is much more metallic of a knock. Sometimes when it is not knocking (or knocking lightly) you can hear a metallic ringing noise from the bellhousing.

 

My poofing turned out to be head gasket out the side of the block. If this is the case, discontinue operation or the block can suffer errosion (the exhasut heat melts a small groove).

Looking new has nothing to do with failed parts, the reman alternators are famous for failure. Take a yard stick and listen to everything thru it.

 

yeah I realy wish we could just bolt up a chevy alt.

 

Seriously. I just bought a knock-free 5 speed parts D1 tonight. It's a basketcase though but the motor is nice and smooth. Think I am just going to dump a TDI in the '99 when it blows up...

 

did you ever figure out what this was? mine sounds exactly like that and I am hoping it is just the exhaust gasket.

 

Well mine is definitely not an exhaust gasket. It sounds just like what your video did. The noise is coming from the lower part of the motor. Very interested to know if you ever solved the mystery?