Metal Rattle on a 98????

Ok, I have a new noise this week. It sounds lke a metallic rattle coming from somewhere in between the firewall and the engine/transmission area, I know its not the inspection plate, took it off. It almost sounds like a losse heat shield, its not rpm specific, so that kinda rules out a bearing. And every now and then when I hit a bump it goes away. I've checked the t/c linkage, loose but when you hold it, its still there, tried the hold the exhaust, cat area, and it was still there. Would loose cat internal sounds travel up the exhaust pipe to the bell housing area? To be honest I've crawled underneath and tried to pin-point the sound and I have no clue. It really sounds like an exhaust heat shield is loose. Hopefully somebody out there has a remote clue. TIA

Check the catalytic converter. Mine is doing the same thing and is about to be replaced. It can sound like it is coming from further forward that it really is. I thought I had read that a bad motor mount could make the same noise.

I think I have the same rattle in my 2000. I think it is somewhere in the dash. At first I thought it was all of the above mentioned, but its not. When does it make this noise? It usually makes it for me when I am at a stop. Hope you find it, post up if you do.

It does and sounds like my CAT is going bad or the internals are going. Does that 96ZJ recall on CAT's cover my year?

what about spring retainer clips on the leafs?

1998xj1985 said:

what about spring retainer clips on the leafs?

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Bolt thru leaf retainers on the front of the pack and the same on the back without the bolt, but spread wide to still keep them aligned but allow droop, both are riveted to the leafs.

Ben H said:

I think I have the same rattle in my 2000. I think it is somewhere in the dash. At first I thought it was all of the above mentioned, but its not. When does it make this noise? It usually makes it for me when I am at a stop. Hope you find it, post up if you do.

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So you have the same "thin metal rattle" and you replaced the CAT and still have it?

My CAT was rattling from a boken up ceramic element. It sounded very metallic and proceeeded to get worse as the element broke up.

I bought a direct fit replacement and Dynomax cat back system from summit racing for a total of $225.

Did the work this weekend, took about two hours. Mostly to get the old exhaust out. Nice sound, definately more power, but I think the bad CAT had a little to do with it.

CartsXJ said:

So you have the same "thin metal rattle" and you replaced the CAT and still have it?

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have replaced the cat a couple of times and still have the rattle. Almost 93% sure it is in the dash.

Ben H said:

have replaced the cat a couple of times and still have the rattle. Almost 93% sure it is in the dash.

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huh, to be honest if you crawl under the jeep when running it sounds like it is coming from the exhaust down pipe, if not somewhere in the bell-housing, its too quite for interior sound and muffled sounding inside the jeep.

I have a 98 and I think I have the same rattle mine sounds like it is coming from the passenger side vent/door area it is annoying as hell and like mentioned above it isn't speed specific. I took everything off the door and it was louder but still there I think I have to take the whole dash apart cause it sounds like it is behind the vent/airbag. I can't wait to see if anyone solves this problem. Oh yeah it got a little worse since I put poly bushings on my sway bar to help make the fron end a little stiffer

maybe they are 2 different noises. sorry I couldnt be more help

Well the rattle is gone. I have a pretty good feeling that the cat is on its way out. Who knows, but for the ~$50 to replace it, I might as well put it on the list of things to do......I just keep telling myself....."I love my jeep, I love my jeep"

i had a rattle like that, and could not figure out what it was, and on my last wheeling trip, my wife found loose change comming out of one of the ac vents. We took the vent cover off, took 43 cents out, and the rattle went away. :twak: Damn kids.

you know what else it could be...
the little hook that goes from about a foot in front of the cat that inserts into that hole above the transfer case skid. sorry i cant be more help with the terminology...

mine rusted out and it rattled like nuts on the transfer case skid...

You mean the exhaust hanger?

Well, I found what the rattle was. It was so simple I forgot and overlooked it.:twak:

Since I have the Pacesetter header, which has a EGR tube boss for some reason, I had to plug the boss. I used a brass pipe plug and just screwed it in, well last night I was just running over everything with a wrench and hit it with my finger and noticed it was loose. After I tightened it down, the rattle was gone. I am still going to replace the cat this month, but its always the little things that get you never think about........Ok now you can return to your regularly scheduled programs.

i dont know what its called. its not the hangers that connect near the leaf springs and gas tank. its the metal hook by the skid

but good job finding the rattle, those things are so damn annoying...

I had a pretty good feeling it wasn't any of the hangers seeing as I put a whole new exhaust on it, hangers and all. The only stock style hanger I used was the T/C cross member hanger, got a new one for it, everything else is a different style.

“I think I have the same rattle in my 2000. I think it is somewhere in the dash. At first I thought it was all of the above mentioned, but its not. When does it make this noise? It usually makes it for me when I am at a stop. Hope you find it, post up if you do.”

“I have a 98 and I think I have the same rattle mine sounds like it is coming from the passenger side vent/door area it is annoying as hell and like mentioned above it isn't speed specific. I took everything off the door and it was louder but still there I think I have to take the whole dash apart cause it sounds like it is behind the vent/airbag. I can't wait to see if anyone solves this problem. Oh yeah it got a little worse since I put poly bushings on my sway bar to help make the front end a little stiffer ”






My rattle has been there for over year. It is in the dash somewhere. I have taken most of the dash apart, thinking that something got into the HVAC system, and have found nothing. It comes and goes so it must be something moving around. Bumpy roads set it off. I have gone over everything I can think of and have given up on it for the time being.
Hope someone figures it out. For now, I keep the radio cranked up.[FONT=&quot][/FONT]