83 911 SC - Annoying Rattle
 

Perhaps the most non-technical question ever for the technical forum:

I have an 83 SC that developed a very annoying metalic rattle from the front passenger side around a year or two ago (or maybe that's just when I noticed). It sounds like it's coming from inside the passenger compartment, and is only at certain RPMs. I don't think it's actually associated with the engine speed, more that whatever it is that's rattling vibrates at the X to Y RPM engine speed.

It sounds almost like change in the ashtray, or a loose nut on the glove box latch (I have checked both of those and no luck).

Any thoughts on what might be usual suspects, if any? There aren't many places to look, so I'm a little baffled, but about ready to pull of the passenger door panel and start poking around.

have a look on your oil line to the front oil cooler,loose brackets

Ivan
try to make a video recording

My SC gets a rattle in the door from the rod that is operated by the door opener, that goes to the door latch stuff. It rattles against the window lifter bars.

could be that 10mm socket bouncing around that you lost a few years ago.

as Bill said there is a little foam block on the rod for the opening ...goes from the door inside handle to the lock..
Ivan
here you can see it on the rod
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ntgAAOSwmoljX72Q/s-l1600.png

Stomp on the gas pedal a bit more, or turn the radio up. You won’t hear the rattle.

I've got a small rattle as well from a broken roller in the window regulator. Not enough to bother me. It's an "I'll fix this someday" kinda problem.

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Glovebox rattling against the bracket underneath? Mine finally got to me enough.that I placed a piece of stiff foam between the bracket and underside of the glovebox. One rattle solved.

Have you looked at wire bundles as a source?

Do you have a fire extinguisher mounted somewhere? Those clasps can rattle. Took me about 6 months to figure that out.

An assistant in the passenger seat could help locate the source.

You might think i'm crazy but I chased a noise that sounds like your,it turned out to be the hood latch. Spray some WD40 on the hood spring and front latch

I had an annoying rattle from the dash/glovebox/ashtray/door panels (??) on my 86 Carrera for years, finally got bad enough to do a serious investigation. Turned out to be the large plastic blower housing in the frunk rattling against the underside of the dash. Easy test is to temporarily stuff rags or foam real tight at top and bottom of the housing.

Thanks, guys! Plenty to go on here - I’m thinking it may either be glovebox or the blower on back of dash. It’s definitely a metallic rattle and very high frequency (lots of rattles per minute).

my rattle
 

My glove box latch caused this - inner nut loosened on the latch. Couldn't isolate it while driving - passenger help locate it and easily solved the problem mid drive. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1699399158.jpg

Quattro, this is actually the first thing I thought of as I had a 70 Chevelle once that had an identical issue and made a very similar sound. I could still swear that’s what it is, but opening the glove box mid-rattle makes no change (nor does the nut feel loose), unfortunately.

The glove box bracket is pretty tight, but I may try removing to see if it fixes anything - depending on whether that significantly easier than door panel removal.

For what it’s worth, you say sounds coming from the inside center….
I’d remove the floor take a look at the pedal cluster linkage as the plastic bushings (bell crank has 2 and throttle rod has 3) these should have disintegrated by now (40 yrs) causing throttle rod to rattle in the tunnel fore and aft.