Cold Start Noise

[LowBattery]

Hello, I've been hearing a strange rattling/crackling noise coming from my engine. It only lasts for a couple seconds as soon as I start the car and then goes away. It aslo only happens during a cold start; if I've left my car sitting for at least a day or so. The sound also went away for a while when the weather was really hot and humid, but came back once it started to cool down. I recorded a sound clip of the noise I'm talking about; hopefully it's clear enough to hear:

http://media.putfile.com/240sx-Cold-Start-Rattle

The car is a completely stock 1995 SE with about 110k miles. Any help identifying this sound would be appreciated. Thanks :bow:

[punxva]

it kinda sounds like the starter isnt stopping after the car starts, could you post a little bit longer clip, or better yet try to make a video of it, but it sounds like what happened when my starter began to crap out, so if i were you i'd probably start there first...

[LowBattery]

it kinda sounds like the starter isnt stopping after the car starts, could you post a little bit longer clip, or better yet try to make a video of it, but it sounds like what happened when my starter began to crap out, so if i were you i'd probably start there first...

I have a longer clip, but I don't think it would really help that much since the crackling sound itself only lasts those couple seconds, and the rest of the clip would just be the sound of my engine idling.

Are there any other symptoms of a bad starter? I've never had any trouble starting the car, and I don't hear the noise every time it starts, only if the car has been sitting for at least 12 hours.

It also sound like part of the exhaust rattling, but if that was the case, I don't understand why it would only happen during a cold start.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[drifter808]

i didn't listen to clip but i had similar problems in another car. the Starter solenoid wasn't working completely so it would'nt pull the gear back in quick enough. same thing with only after sitting for awhile. have a friend listen to the engine when you start it and see if he can narrow down where the noise is coming from.

[LowBattery]

Thanks for the tips about the starter. I haven't been able to figure out exactly where the sound is coming from, but it does seem to be in the same area as the starter.

However, I found this article which describes a similar rattling noise in SOHC KA's:

http://www.240sx.org/faq/articles/startup_rattle.htm

Does this same problem occur in the DOHC engines? I just had my timing chain tensioner replaced and I happened to stop hearing the rattling for a couple days after that. But I'm not sure if it was just a coincidence since it was during really hot weather and I typically don't hear the rattling when it's warm outside. Also, the day the sound came back was the same day the weather started cooling down.

Any other ideas? Thanks.

[SnakeKack]

My 240 before I sold it would do that. It was the timing chain hitting the upper guide at the top where the valve cover is. Put your ear there and have someone else start it. It may be your problem may not be.

It kinda sounds like someone dingling a cow bell.