Catalytic converter noise? Nope!

I had a cat fail once, it sounded like shaking a coffee can full of nuts and bolts. I recently started getting the same noise in my 96. I decided to live with the noise till I had time to pay more attention.
I recently had my engine mount bracket bolts shear and that could not wait. I replaced them plus a new mount. After I finished I had somebody start the car up and the "cat" noise started at the same time. Being outside the car I realized that the noise was not coming from the cat. I checked the flywheel bolts and found them all loose. I replaced one of them and loktited all of them. I was lucky to catch it before they either fell off or sheared and left me stuck.
I hope somebody benefits from my mistake.

Captain Obvious chiming in:

Were those "torque converter to flex/drive plate" bolts, as in automatic transmission and flex/drive plate versus manual transmission and flywheel?

Had the same noise and I posted pics and my story about a month ago. I lived with that "noise" for a year, thinking it was something else. I pooped a little when I discovered the drive plate bolts were all hand tight.

On a related note, that is the same time when joe_peters learned me on the drive plate/flywheel differences.

joe_peters said:

Captain Obvious chiming in:

Were those "torque converter to flex/drive plate" bolts, as in automatic transmission and flex/drive plate versus manual transmission and flywheel?

Click to expand...

Automatic, "torque converter to flex/drive plate" bolts.
The sad thing is that I had another warning that I chose to ignore. A metallic tap noise that I could hear when I gave it gas while coasting or let go of the pedal. I could only hear that when the noise reflected from a lane barrier with me right next to it. Hot weather made me find excuses to avoid getting down and dirty.

I hear you. Getting old and fat makes those triple-digit days "office work" or "promotional tour" days (visiting a local watering hole). We even have a bar next to our court house named the "The Office".