KA grinding noise?

[jyoo]

so on start up, i get this nasty grinding noise. when it idles its fine. but when i accelerate or blip the throttle in general, sometimes i get a grinding noise coming from inside the engine. i checked the oil level and it was kinda low so i thought that was the problem. filled her up and still occurs. also, when i popped open the oil cap, smoke came out. the car is now just sitting on my street. too scared to damage it any further. performance is still good. any thoughts of what it could be? thanks

[huntz0r]

Can you tell if it's coming from the front of the engine? Sounds for all the world like a timing chain / chain guide issue. On my 93 I had a chain guide break off and start rattling around in there, apparently this is not unusual.

edit- to my recollection there are two kinds of timing chain issues. One is where it loosens up and starts making noise, this is not dangerous to keep driving the car for a little while but it will need to be be serviced sooner or later. The other is a broken chain guide which is more urgent but shouldn't kill the car to run it for a few minutes. Someone correct this part if I'm wrong please, I'm dredging long term memory here.

[jyoo]

i started the car yesterday at night and it was fine. no grinding whatsoever. turned it off. went inside. came back out about an hour later. grinding again. turned it off. didnt drive it. at around 2 oclock today i turned it on and no grind. what could it be???!