A few months ago, I was hearing a clunking noise coming from the engine compartment on the drivers side (~21k miles). I would only hear it after starting the engine, then during driving between 10 seconds and 5 minutes or so intermittently. The sound was only audible at low speeds (less then 20) and not when idle.

The best way I could describe it is a very distant and muffled sound like a metal wrench hung on a string intermittently tapping a thick metal surface.

I didn't think much of it, since I had my compression rods in the front replaced a few weeks before I heard the sound.

Recently, on a cold day (~45 degrees), I turned my engine on in my garage, and I heard this horrible "clack-clack-clack-clack" sound like you putting a wadded sheet of paper into a rotating fan. I also started to smell something burning and a light smoke coming from the engine compartment which created a haze in the opened garage port. This happened for about 3-4 seconds before I turned the engine off. I waited about 30 seconds and tried the engine again, and it didnt start. Then a few seconds later, on my next try, the engine started, the noise was gone, and everything appeared normal.

I was surprised that the car was mobile with no issues, so I did a quick spot check on the belts and the front fan in the dark, and drove off to run my errand. I immediately made an appointment with the dealership and when I arrived, they said it was probably a belt. They checked leaned their head in and checked out the engine area and said the belts were all there and in good condition and not to worry about it.

Anyone have anything similiar happen or maybe know what was going on? After this incident, the "clunk" noise never came back.

 

So let me get this right.

You had major engine work done, and a week later started hearing banging coming from your engine. This was followed by a loud repeating banging and smoke.

You're just going to let the dealer get away with saying "your belts are fine, so you have no problem"????

This doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out.....

 

No - that would be rather foolish. My compression rods that were replaced are related to my suspension. They would squeak or creak after driving on an inclined service. I thought I was hearing some sort of "clanging" from that work.

My first inclination is to think there was something wrong with a fan or belt, but I didnt see any damage nor did the dealer. So I am wondering if this could be something with the engine - and if that metal clunk sound that used to be audible is a prelude to some kind of engine problem?

 

Take a glance behind your radiator and look down onto the engine splash shield and make sure that the shop didn't leave behind a bolt or screw. I could see how that might come up while your driving and hit your fan and other things.

 

Was the smoke smell rubber, oil, or electrical. More that likely its something rubbing a belt...or could be a belt driven accessory pulley that is seizing...ei Alt, pwr steering, tensioner, etc. Know the different smells of smoke...comes with being a gear head..