engine rattle help?.

[william28]

hi i am Will i have a 2000 V6 Auto Explorer with 70,000 miles on the clock, with an engine rattle on start up and sometimes intermitent. Don't know if timing chain problem. Someone mentioned something about heat sheilds. Am completly stuck. Help!!!

 

[JDraper]

Welcome to the site!

The heat shields that people are talking about are around the catalytic converter. These are notorious for breaking loose and rattling. If you crawl under the truck and find them (with the motor cold), they should not be loose. If you can move them around, or the edges are loose, this may be your problem. There are a couple easy solutions for this. Easiest is to just remove them. It won't affect the vehicle adversely at all. Second easiest is to get a couple of large band clamps and wrap them around the heat shield.