2003 Pontiac Vibe - Engine Noise Help (with video)

#1
Ok, before everyone says hey -this is a Corolla forum....yes I agree. I am here at your mercy, seeing opinions. There are many more 1zz-fe corollas running around it seems than the Pontiac Vibe, and given their drive train being basically identical - I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here too.

Here is the link for the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR_H-mMNWLY&feature=youtu.be

Basically, i get this noise when the engine isn't fully warmed up. I can stop the car and go into a store for an hour, and it remains fairly quiet, but on a cold start (even at 70 degrees here in Texas) I get this noise for a good 10 minutes. It is audible by revving from idle and more-so by accelerating the car when cold.

Now here is what I have done so far:
Checked cold oil PSI - about 80 at 1500 RPM, higher if revved.
Replaced timing chain tensioner, fixed the oil leak but noise is still there.
Pulled the valve cover and checked valve lash. Valves are within spec per the service manual (upper middle of the range), and no visible damage to the cams or lifter buckets.
Hosed down the exhaust manifold when it was hot, hoping if it was an exhaust leak, the noise would come back if I made the metal cold with the water - didn't help.
Ran the engine without the serpentine belt, noise is still there.
Unplugged one coil pack at a time and revved the engine, noise is still there.

What am I missing. Can the cat be making this noise? I keep getting a p0420 that will come back the next day every time I clear it...Or maybe an exhaust leak I haven't found? Please help! The Vibe folks and my GM mechanic friend are at a loss - this is a Toyota - maybe someone over here knows this problem? As a point of reference, I just bough the car - so I don't know the history. Under the valve covers were fairly dark but no visible sludge or clumps, oil appears fairly clean....

And just as an FYI, in my family we have an 01 and 04 Corolla, i'm familiar with this motor, but for the life of me, this one is driving me nuts....
 
Last edited:
#3
Sounds like a camshaft bearing is going out, and once warm, it expands and stops the rattle. That's just my guess though (you could use a vacuum line and hold it to your ear and probe around the top-end of the motor to figure out where the noise is coming from).

Don't think a catalytic converter or exhaust would cause that kind of a noise. P0420 usually won't be triggered by an exhaust leak that is from the engine to the catalytic converter, since the downstream HO2S will still read flat, assuming the catalytic converter is in good shape, regardless of the upstream HO2S reading. If the exhaust leak is after the cat and before the downstream HO2S, it may cause that code, but the noise doesn't sound like an exhaust leak.

Any metal shavings in the oil or oil filter?
 
Top