ok so on the way home from work tonight....

Car began to shake (I was bumping around in my seat) and the idle speed dropped from it's normal super-steady 600 RPMs to below 500...

Immediate drop in battery power. Loss of brake grab power. Sounded like clicking sort of coming out from under the car on the right side where the headers run behind the right front wheel.

Popped the hood... engine is not still... moving back and forth, right to left and back (doesn't look secured down)...

Car vibrates like crazy in 5th gear...

WHAT COULD THIS BE?!?!?!

 

cracked/broken engine mount? or is it in limp home mode?

 

Look @ motormounts & trans mount for broken bolts etc

 

IDK about the suddenly change in RPM

 

well i just checked codes... now I have a code 33 along with 42 (i've had 42 for a long time now... just haven't had a good weekend to check the ICM yet but it's been driving great)

I had a code 33 a month or so ago and it has stayed away ever since I cleaned the MAF... the engine def seems like it's moving around more than it should while it's running...

 

Exhuast leaks all welded and taken care of...

Still idles way low (below 500 rpm) and throwing code 42.

But the most disturbing symptom is a clicking noise coming from the underside of the car and it speeds up with RPMs when I accelerate. Car idles rough.

 

Does the engine run normal still? Where in the engine is the ticking coming from? Hows oil pressure, transmission act normal?

 

Just out of curiosity, have you check to see that all 8 plugs are good? and check to see distributor is tight. Failed plugs can dump fuel into exhaust and cause rough vibrations. Alot of things can get you to your problems. Need more info to help diagnose better.

 

Sounds like either a rocker arm backed off, or a spark plug wire fell off and is now arcing to .... something besides its plug.

 

Engine ticking seems to be coming from deep within the engine bay on the passenger side, more towards the rear of the bay. In fact, the sound is quite pronounced echoing out from behind the front passenger wheel well. Oil pressure is fine (at least that's what the gauge says) and I've checked oil levels after the car sits for a few hours and oil levels are fine. Transmission was fully rebuilt in July, no sound coming from it and it operates smooth.

I will check all 8 plugs tonight. I am also going to install a new 02 sensor I picked up since I thought the massive exhuast leak at the header collector was causing the rough idle. And I'm sure the 02 sensor has never been changed so it couldnt' hurt.

Car has been throwing a code 42 since I got it. In the next month I plan on replacing the ignition module and checking all connections/grounds in the meantime, but that wouldn't really create such a rough idle or the clicking/ticking sound that increases with RPM...

Would a loose ignition wire cause ticking? I really hope it's not a rocker arm...

 

OK sounds like the ticking MIGHT be coming from the FPR but I still am not sure... and at 2500-3000 RPM it sounds like a detonation or maybe a rocker smacking the valve cover. Scared the **** out of me when I was leaning over the engine last night revving the engine with my hand on the TB...