WTF? Engine Rattling!?!?-not rod knock

[eman2289]

LOL... it sounds like you are running an open downpipe, and if you are, the rough idle could be causing the motor to move a lot more on the mounts causing the downpipe to hit the underside of the car, i just had this problem with my car, my test pipe was hitting against my trans mount.

Edit, in the video, it looks like you have duct tape or something acting as a cover on the cps, if it is covered by tape, the cps could have gotten something in it to mess it up. ( before taping it up) or it could just be bad.

 

[racerpage]

Had the same problem with mine after rebuild, ended up being an intake leak.

 

[GringoEJS]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. First of all, the timing belt is on right...we've checked again and again. 2nd, I have tried several different CPSs to rule a bad one out. I definitely need to check the TPS, and look again for an intake leak...I didn't realize that it could affect the car so badly. Crank pulley bolt is tight, we are running an open down pipe at the moment, don't have a CPS cover on now because of all the adjusting of the CPS, it was just easier to leave it off until it starts running right.
I think what had me confused was that after the 4 minutes, the car runs good. I am relieved to hear that the general consensus is timing and nothing terminal. I'll report back once I figure out how to read a multimeter enough to check the TPS. I have a few spares, so hopefully I can make some progress with the car.
Thanks again everyone

 

[Poodles]

low idle will shake the engine violently causing the downpipe to smack around (usually resulting in a broken flex joint on the stock downpipe, ask me how I know)

get down under the car (not completely under it, but enought hat you can hear) and see if it's louder down there...

 

[GrimJack]

5sp or auto? Autos can break the flex plate and sound like rod knock...

 

[flubyux2]

if you have a 5sp... do you have a solid hub clutch mounted to a lightened flywheel?

if so, your misfire can and will cause the irregular power pulse to tranfer into the transmission and the gears will clash against eachother between the main shaft and secondary shaft. its a very common phenomenon on MKIV's using aluminum flywheels and solid-hub clutches. when it idles smooth, you wont hear it. the noise ONLY happens when you turn the car off or the car has a misfire at idle. during a SMOOTH idle with zero misfire and elevated rpm's, the noise goes away.

you have an ignition problem first and foremost. you can hear it in the exhaust. fix this and i think your noise will go away.

 

[Mk3Jesse]

i died a little inside after listening to that video
definently sounds like you might have idle problem.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

Have you checked the crankshaft timing gear? They like to split apart where the belt rides against it and cause a rattling.