My engine chirps when starting, accelerating, pretty much always. It sounds like it's coming from the very top (toward the back) on the intake manifold.

Has anyone had something like this happen? Any ideas on where to start?

Here's a video of it happening:

 

Sounds like a serp belt squeak to me , otherwise some type of air / pressure leak.

 

Sounds like a cracked flex plate to me. Especially if it is coming from the back.

If it isn't an automatic, I'm an idiot. If it is that a possibility. Nothing else at the back chirps. You'll know if you gun the engine in drive and you hear a loud clang then lose forward motion. Ask me how I know.

 

The sound turned into something far worse after driving it a bit more. It almost sounds like the exhaust is completely open on one of the cylinders, but that's not the case. It's coming from the driver side toward the back of the engine (under the throttle body).

 

​​​​​​Okay. That's a head gasket blown,. 100 percent. It is blown in the valley. I thought I heard a click before but that's exhaust sound. That's the Choo Choo sound people talk about. I've bought a rover in that exact condition (but Disco II).

I'm positive.

 

Well, damn. I do appreciate your response Charie_V. Even if it is terrible news. I've got a mechanic coming to confirm that, since this is well outside my own abilities.

 

I'm sorry. I did buy a parts rover with that very sound. A year or two later my old for excursion had the same issue and the same sound. There are a couple of threads here with people having the same issue and sound.

The good news is that youd rather rather have an exhaust leak than a water leak. But either way that is a head gasket job. I guess it is possible that it is a leak from the exhaust/valley gasket but it sounds just like the two I have experienced.

I just looked for a picture and can't find it. In both instances I had about a 1/4 inch piece of the head gasket missing. The composite material blows and then the heat and pressure works a section of the metal ring out. Eventually the leak gets bigger.

Please do get a second opinion but I'm pretty darned sure.