Basically, my car is hard to start (I have to give full throttle or else it just clicks and won't turnover) and it makes noise when I drive it (sounds like piston slap). So based on this it sounds like a starter problem, right? I just don't understand why it is making constant noise when I'm driving. Does anybody have any ideas? Thanks for looking!


Extra info: last couple weeks I noticed my car was weak on start up. Then, suddenly when I was driving the car started making sounds (Coming from around the motor?). Power delivery is normal. Why I'm asking: If the problem is just the starter, I can replace it myself, but if it's not I'm taking the car to the mechanic.

weird...

Let's talk more about this noise. Does the noice speed up and slow down when you step on the accelerator? If so it sounds more like a valve issue rather than a piston issue. If it was a piston issue you would have a power problem. Being a fuel injected car it should not matter if you press the throttle to the floor. It sounds like you have a very weak battery and I would also check to make sure your fuel pump is working. Have the battery tested, you may have 12 volts but if you don't have enough amps it won't kick the starter over. Good Luck.

Yeah, the noise speeds up when I accelerate. I will get my battery checked and see if I need a new one which may be the case because the battery is old.

I forgot to mention that in the last month my car had been stalling when I stopped when I would start driving the car. Then, the problem went away as the car warmed up. I thought it was just the idle air control valve and was no big problem.

Swapped in a new battery and the car started right up, no problem- I feel stupid. However, the noise is still continuing to come from around the engine. Oh well, time to take her to the mechanic.

Today's lesson: If your car is starting to get slow on start up and your battery is fairly old, replace the battery. Don't procrastinate.

or you can just whip out the multi-meter and check it. it can be other things also such as loose or corroded terminals. usually is the battery. i just read this and was going to tell you that you had two problems, seems like you figured that out. sounds to me like you are having the start of a rod bearing failure. let someone diagnose it that has seen this before.

Shortly after posting, I went to the dealer mechanic, but the sound had disappeared, so they couldn't diagnose the problem. A couple days later (sound gone) my car breaks down. Got it towed to the mechanic and turns out the alternator seized and broke the accessory belt and driver's belt(?). Total cost of repairs $650.

makes sense to me, had it happen once in one of my 200's, well the bearing was screaming sp i replaced it before it seized. then another time on my g20 the a/c compressor seized and the car wouldn't even turn over because of the drag on the belt from the compressor. glad you fixed it.
drew