Engine Clicking ~5000 rpm

[ideutsch]

Well, I did a search and only found one applicable result, so I'm looking for a second opinion.

Lately my engine has been clicking when I rev it up to 5000 rpm, it won't increase the rpm's any higher and is unable to shift until I let off the gas. Overall the car seems sluggish aside from the clicking noise. Strange thing is that I don't always get a flashing SES light for a misfire. Also, the SES light is not on.

Currently, I'm running a bottle of valvoline fuel injector cleaner to rule that out (it's about half a tank through now).

I'm thinking I should go and look at all the spark plug wire connections, if somehow one came lose, but is there anything else I should try/look for?

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

go to auto zone and have the code scaned

I im thinking a bad lifter, or some vavle float or somthing

[02PewterFirebird]

I have the same problem and GM said mine was doing that because of a clogged cat. I am supposed to go today and drop it off for them to put a new on in tomorrow. I hope this fixes the problem. Mine is like yours but around 4000-4500 rpms it starts clanking and rattling and won't shift out of a gear unless I let off the gas(A4).

[ideutsch]

Well, I just had the cat replaced by the dealer a few months ago, so I can probably rule that out. With the cat clogged, there was a definite loss of power and many misfires. Will they be able to scan for the misfire even if the light isn't on? I'm seriously hoping it's not a bad lifter or the like...

EDIT: Just checked all wire connections, one was lose, but the problem still exists. SES light is solid now and the car definitely feels sluggish. I'll get it scanned today. Could this just be a bad tank of gas?

EDIT: Went to autozone, but the guy was lazy and said that the one who usually scans the codes isn't there and to come back tomorrow. Because, you know, scanning codes takes a lot of skill... After this trip, the car is definitely worse, misfiring more often as low as 4500 rpms now. This feels just like when the cat went bad before, but that was just 6 months ago... There is a clicking sound that comes from under the car (I think the cat, will wait til it's cooler to check). I can't beleive that I may need yet another cat! When I think about it, the clicking/rattling would make sense coming from the cat, if it is, then it's gone...

Anybody know an easy way to take off the cat so I can test this? Looks like they might have welded it on last time, but maybe I'm just not seeing the bolts.

[ June 13, 2004, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: ideutsch ]

[lilwhitecamaroboy]

try ur coil that is what mine was doin and it kept gettin worse and worse eventually i couldnt even start it but my ses light didnt come on untill i put it on the floor and held it for a while to see if there might be some crap that would blow out or something

[ideutsch]

Alright, went to autozone, got it scanned. Got P0301, cylinder 1 misfire detected. Strange thing is that this is the same misfire I got back in september, which they installed a new ignition coil and wires for. On a hunch, I checked out the ignition system with a multimeter and everything looks ok.

During my drive today, it was sluggish. I could hear a sound like hissing (it's not my intake, that has a different tone), but I don't hear this noise while in park and reving the engine. Possible exhaust leak under load? The misfire doesn't seem to be caused by the metalic clicking/rattling noise. The noise is around 4500 now, but while it was happening, there wasn't a single misfire. However, while under load I did get a misfire, without the noise. I'm so confused, not sure what I should check next. It half seems like an ignition problem and half seems to be an exhaust system problem. This might be dealer bound...

[02PewterFirebird]

I bet it is your cat. GM installed a new one for me today and it runs like a new car!

[ideutsch]

Alright guys...I've tested everything and the way the car is acting, I think the transmission is going. Progressively it's getting worse, there is a lot of heat coming up from where the transmission is and a burnt smell. The misfire doesn't seem related to the performance at all, when I had a cat problem before the car would misfire when it lost power. Currently it just has a lack of power and feels like it's slipping, unless I give it more throttle. When it reaches a certain rpm though, it makes a rattling noise and the engine won't go any higher. After a bit of that, I'll get a few misfires, causing a flashing light. When in neutral I don't have any problems. Somebody with knowledge or experience of the A4 transmission going south, please let me know if this sounds familiar at all. Goes into the dealer thursday and if it's the transmission, I don't know what I'll do. Maybe it'd be cheaper to just have them put in an M5 if it's real bad? Not sure if I'd keep the 3.42's then...


Edit: Amazing, the dealer tells me that the catalytic converter is fractured and clogging the airflow. However, because the place that installed my exhaust welded the cat in place, it's no longer under GM warranty. Now I have to get it replaced with an aftermarket one (dealer said it would be $1200 for the GM cat and recommended going elsewhere). What bothers me is this: how is it possible to have the cat go bad twice in under a year? Sure, I live on a bumpy road, but I'm so careful and never bottom out. Emissions is such a frustrating thing!

[ June 17, 2004, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: ideutsch ]