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Recommend a garage near Bellevue/Redmond?

1162 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  abraham
Since I spun out of the pavement at Bremerton two months ago, the car has a rattling sound from the driver rear around 10mph, like two metal parts knocking each other. Went to Park Place multiple times, could not solve the problem.

First time, they claimed the ceramic parts inside the catalytic converter got loose. Got a new cat, rattle still there.

Second time, I brought the mechanic for a ride. He claimed to hear all kinds of rattles, but not the one I describe. Tightened rear clamshell and license plate, removed LiDbone. No use.

Third time, mechanic said rattle came from driver front. Tighted front suspension bolts, removed LF grille (I installed it with a zip tie). The result was just like before, but PP claims no more rattle!

I suspected I had auditory hallucination :huh:, but then an instructor at Pacific Raceway confirmed the rattle this Monday. Now I need a reliable garage to locate this rattle and fix it, as I am getting obsessed to it :wallbang: I must get rid of the damn rat!
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FWIW, I'm an instructor and an Elise owner, and I often get weird sounds that I cannot place. Don Kitch (owner of Proformance at Pacific Raceways) drove my car once after I heard a rattle that concerned me and came to the same conclusion: these cars make noises. Which is not to suggest that you shouldn't try to track down the source of the problem -- particularly if it seems to be coming from anything related to the suspension! -- but it is to suggest that you might reasonably *never* identify the source of the sounds and (in my experience) they often "go away" after a while.
Yeah, Bog (a PP mechanic) and I went for many rides trying to figure out an annoying rattle coming from the front at low speed over bumps. Tried all kinds of stuff... finally figured out it was my after market pads rattling in the calipers :)

I even considered trying one of those remote listening devices... I guy could go crazy trying to track them all down though.

There is one way to fix all rattles though... ear plugs and turn up the radio!
Thanks for the rattle stories. I will start by tightening the rear suspension bolts, as it "seemed" to be getting better with the front suspension "fix".

If I can never figure out the source, will try using the stereo to cover it. Never turned it on since I bought the car, as the engine sounds way better.:D
If you do decide to take it somewhere, you need to go see Colin Cantrell:

Cantrell Motorsports
I'd wait to see if it goes away. I was driving across some nasty roads and the drivers side of my front clam started squeeking every time i'd go over bumps. The next day it stopped.
I'd wait to see if it goes away. I was driving across some nasty roads and the drivers side of my front clam started squeeking every time i'd go over bumps. The next day it stopped.
I has been two months, with numerous self checks and services at PP. It just never stops :mad:
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