Strange Car Noise... Have you had this?

[Imolas54]

i seem to get this sanding/grinding like noise around 4000-5000rpm if i hold the rpm around there in all the lower gears (1,2,3). anyone have this and know what it is? Took it to the dealer they are clueless...

[def]

Yeah - kind of like a light scratching sound? If I let go of the throttle or give it some gas, it goes away. This happens for me at more like the 3500-4000 range for sure, i've never held my rpm steady at 5k that I remember so I'm not sure about that high.

I recently noticed this worse when on a drive (Sunday) when I had the radio off and top on. Hopefully :: ! At least i'm not in this boat alone if it's an issue... heh.

[Serebo1]

Originally Posted by Imolas54

i seem to get this sanding/grinding like noise around 4000-5000rpm if i hold the rpm around there in all the lower gears (1,2,3). anyone have this and know what it is? Took it to the dealer they are clueless...

Where is the sound coming from? Could this be the shear panel issue?

[AttAkker]

Mine sounds like it's coming from the passenger side sill. Is anything routed through there? Throttle cable? Mine for sure comes and goes related to the pressure placed on the throttle itsself. It's the same sandy/grindy sound mentioned here and similar threads.

added: No CEL for me

[Imolas54]

it use to sound like it was coming from the rear, but today my check engine light when on and the sound was worse and coming near the passenger side sill area too!

what's teh shear panel issue?

[Serebo1]

Originally Posted by Imolas54

it use to sound like it was coming from the rear, but today my check engine light when on and the sound was worse and coming near the passenger side sill area too!

what's the shear panel issue?

Originally Posted by AttAkker

Mine sounds like it's coming from the passenger side sill. Is anything routed through there? Throttle cable? Mine for sure comes and goes related to the pressure placed on the throttle itsself. It's the same sandy/grindy sound mentioned here and similar threads.

added: No CEL for me

This is interesting. The oil/water cooler lines run through there. Anyone who has ever seen the car running sans front clam knows that the oil cooler lines in particular, flex and move like living entities when the throttle is engaged. I wonder if yours somehow are a bit loose in the side sills, thereby creating the sound when the throttle is engaged. Surprised you'd hear it, though.

No idea why you're getting the CEL. Do you have access to a code reader?

EDIT: Oh, shear panel issue. Look here.

[SouL]

I always hear some kind of grinding/scratching sound at particular rpms in low gears. The rattling is back, too.
Recently I've been hearing popping noises inside the cabin... pinpointed it to the front foam strip of the HT. A screw managed to unscrew itself enough to where the flap will hit the HT during driving.

[PedalPounder]

"They all do that" is what I get. Here are my symptoms, test it out in your car to see if it's the same thing:

- Rattling does not happen when RPMs are climbing
- Rattling happens in all gears on either steady RPMs or declining RPMs
- Can hear it most in 1st gear and least in 6th
- Rattling stops immediately when the clutch is disengaged
- Rattling occurs when in Neutral and giving steady gas if the clutch is engaged.

Same thing?

- Can you downshift to 1st?
- Is your shifting notchy?

[AttAkker]

Originally Posted by Serebo1

This is interesting. The oil/water cooler lines run through there. Anyone who has ever seen the car running sans front clam knows that the oil cooler lines in particular, flex and move like living entities when the throttle is engaged. I wonder if yours somehow are a bit loose in the side sills, and are creating the sound when the throttle is engaged. Surprised you'd hear it, though.

Yeah, I am surprised too with the Larini and TurboXS. It's not always a faint sound, louder some times more than others. Hmm. I will bring it up the next time I have it in I suppose. I have had to really listen a lot to track it to that location, but I know for certain that's where it comes from.

[AttAkker]

PedalPounder
- Rattling does not happen when RPMs are climbing

Yes, because I am on the throttle

- Rattling happens in all gears on either steady RPMs or declining RPMs

Yes for me on both

- Can hear it most in 1st gear and least in 6th

Nope, I hear it loudest in 6th at steady 80 with my foot holding the throttle position

- Rattling stops immediately when the clutch is disengaged

Hmm, I think yes. Have to verify

- Rattling occurs when in Neutral and giving steady gas if the clutch is engaged.

No, not for me

Same thing? Not exactly

- Can you downshift to 1st?

Yes, with a good blip of the throttle and easing out of the clutch

- Is your shifting notchy?

Nope

[Imolas54]

anyone have a pic of the shear panel ? thanks

[MikeAR303]

I've always had this problem too...

Someone had a fix for it at one point, but I think Lotus "silenced" them on the issue.

[Serebo1]

Originally Posted by Imolas54

anyone have a pic of the shear panel ? thanks

From sandsmuseum.com:



From the Lotus Service Manual, which can be picked up for $25 at their site and is a must have, IMO (BTW, also from the service manual, "Note that this panel is a
structural part of the chassis, and that the car should not be used without the panel fitted."):

[Imolas54]

ah thank you, going under to check now, code turned out to be P0420, something w/ the cat.....

[megatron]

If the sound is constant at a specific RPM and gear, then it might be wheel or differential bearings.

[AttAkker]

Originally Posted by megatron

If the sound is constant at a specific RPM and gear, then it might be wheel or differential bearings.

I thought this could possibly be it as well.. but the sound comes from the sill. could just be resonating from the front passenger side wheel I guess.

[PedalPounder]

What the dealership told me is that it's noise transmitted through the transmission cables. You'll hear it in front of you or behind you depending on how it gets transmitted. The dealership never identified the source though.

[slaughtr]

It's the "bloody metallic rattle". The only cure is a louder exhaust and constant full throttle driving.

[LARRY]

And, a noise that sounds like scraping in my car is the wires under the seats scraping on the aluminum floor...

[Rugbyduck]

Originally Posted by AttAkker

I thought this could possibly be it as well.. but the sound comes from the sill. could just be resonating from the front passenger side wheel I guess.

The air conditioning "stuff" under the sill. I had the dealer look for the rattle on the passenger side...could not find it. I determined it had to do with the air conditioning when it's on...others on ET confirmed it and 2 zip ties did the trick!