I have been having a moderately loud noise in my front end the last couple of months. It began after having the engine replaced. I don't necessarily think that has anything to do with it though. It occurs after the car has been turned off a while. When I first start out, forward or reverse there is a 1 second grind or rubbing sound. Then it is gone. Doesn't happen again no matter how long I drive until I stop for a period of time. First movement after starting the car, it happens.

Thought it was letting out the clutch, then thought it was letting off the brake as I back down my driveway, then thought it was the steering. Today it happened pulling out straight, the clutch was already out, the brake off, no turning. Whatever happens when the car first starts to take off causes a ruurrrrrr sound for a second.

Any ideas?

 

First thing I thought about was the normal ABS self-test.
You'll hear/feel a "thud" when the first moves.
But it should have done this even before the engine swap.
And it wouldn't make a "rruurrrrr" sound and it doesn't sound like a grind/rubbing sound either.

Does it sound like a motor whine? Possibly the power steering?

 

I've always had that thud whenever the brakes were wet when I parked it last. This is different. Not a whine. I can make the sound almost perfectly, just don't know how to spell it. It almost seems like when the transmission kicks in is when it does it. I have MT.

 

Does this sound occur with the clutch pedal in or out (or both)?

 

Yeah, both, so it can't be when the trans kicks in. At least not all the time.

 

Well that should eliminate the release bearing and the typical "gear roll-over" sound.
Man... hard to say for sure what this could be without actually being there...

Maybe try to have someone push the car while you "drive" it and turn the wheel back and forth a few times.
See if you can generate the sound with the motor off. This will at least help to point us in the right direction.
Or maybe someone else will jump in with a better idea.

 

I had a really weird sound today. Got home form work, everything was fine. Went out later, started the car, and there was this pretty loud rattling noise. Seems like it is coming from right below where the front cup holders are. Once the clutch is pushed in, it stops. Car shifts fine, accelerates fine. Only seems to be happening at idle but doesn't sound good at all.