so far this month my car has its idle all over the place, -been blowing through mass air flow sensors(i think from the k&n oil im going back to paper), a tps, spark plug wires, i changed the plugs and cleaned the cap and rotor and iac, now the egr code 32 is up but i have a lesser paying job now and a longer commute and im also rebuilding the motor for my winter beater so theres less cash to throw at this.

well anyway there are 2 noises im pretty concerned with now. one sounds like pennies in a jar or a chain being dragged on the ground. happens when i rev the car up -perhaps a lifter tapping the valve cover?

the other noise sounds like LOUD grinding gears but it happens when im in park. kinda like the noise when you try to start the car with it already running but a little lower pitched.

Yes, these are from my 85 service manual

noises:

a) failed/collapsed lifters??? done a compression check lately?

b) what kind of tranny???

that penny in a jar / chain noise reminds me of a water pump going out i might be wrong but thats the sound ive heard on every bad water pump ive changed regardless of make/model/year car that ive worked on

my tranny is a 700r4 v6 85

so how do i check to see if my egr is closing. its that black saucer thing on the passenger side exhaust manifold right? i doubt i can get it off

should simply come off with bolts, think they're 10mm, but i'm not 100% on that. If you do a search you'll probably find what's needed to clean it out, and ensure it's freedom of movement, this has come up before.

EGR shouldn't engage until you're on the highway and at speed w/ little throttle movements ( Its activated by vac.) so, if it idles bad aftre the car has been sitting all night or, after the car has just been on the road a few minutes, odds are if the idle is bad that it is probalby not the EGR....on the other hand, if it got open, and stuck open for a long period of time, then you might find yourself having some issues, constantly.

Pennies in a jar, marbles in a coffee can, they are all dead ringers for spark knock, or pre-detonation. That's a real common cause, but not neccesarily definate. If the noise was RPM dependant, IE in a pattern that matches the engine RPMS it would sound like a rocker or "valve tick".

The grinding you are talking about is ral similar to something that just happened on my brothers truck. We were freaked out about it, took a stethoscope, and it turns out it was the tensioner. First time I had ever heard one make that noise. I would definately be looking at the belt line and accessories for this noise.

Hope some of this helps you in some way.

The AC Compressor Clutch can make both the grinding and pennies in a jar noise when it fails.

Yes yes it in fact can. But he should definately make sure he isnt experienceing detonation, or it really could be the end of an engine.

ok so those bolts holding the egr on are on there pretty good cant budge em

id probably need to torch it a bit.

my car doesnt have very much wrong with it but the things that are wrong with it are pretty expensive. like my exhaust leaks at the heads

dammit i think ill have to take it to the mechanics tomorrow

just grab a breaker bar and get those suckers outta there. most things on these cars don't need a mechanic to fix them. in fact your most expensive cost is always going to be the mechanics.

the gear grinding noise happens randomly and it goes away if i put the car in drive and back in park -sounds kinda like someone choking a cat

ok youve inspired me. although my mechanic is good to me and really cheap i bet he wont have time to lok at it tomorrow.

the bolts going to the ribbed part to the manifold look like they can be taken off.. would this be any help to me to remove?

i'd suggest just taking off the bolts holding it on, usually when you start taking more and more off, you get into more problems down the road. go out and grab a service manual for these cars, it helps out alot

i have a haynes. but it tells me what to do not show me

and im afriad im going to strip the bolts or break them off

alright, if they are really on there, go out and by some pb blaster. i even use wd-40 sometimes.

soak the bolts down and leave them overnight, or for a few hours then go at it

are you using 6 or 12 point sockets? 6 point are the best, i've never stripped a bolt using my 6 points yet. (knocks on wood)

ill try

PB Blaster is your friend.

ok got all the bolts off but the one in the front closest to the alternator. its starting to get round
even the ribbed side of the wrench wont grip it


tried tapping it with aa hammer to get it loosened

ok i got it off.

took my roomates 3/8th socket and hammered it stuck on to the bolt. that got it off.

the valve opens and closes when i push on it, it doesnt open too easily.

and i dont know if i broke it just now but the vacume hose going to the egr was split.
so i ut a temp patch on it until i get new vac tubes.
anti sease on the bolts and i reinstalled.

how easily is the egr supped to open

i think the chain dragging noise/pennies in a jar is coimng from the transmission
seems to go away soon as it shifts, and its loudest if i give it gas and let off before it shifts

sounds like its coming under the console

AGREED!!! I haven't used a 12 point in a lonnnnng time; they strip everything too easily.

Check for rattles... go under there with the car off and just start shaking things like the exhaust pipe, or the catalytic convertor's heat shield. Might even be that your emergency brake adjuster fell out from it's notch in the body, and it's dragging on your driveshaft. With the engine off and the trans in park, just feel around above the driveshaft; if you hit anything with your hand, it probably shouldn't be there.