Went through the forum here and read many posts on similar issues but have not found the culprit!

Here is issue on my 2008 manual 6-speed 2door:

• Started last week, appears to be under the hood on front passenger side
• Sounds is a "light" metal-on-metal rattle noise
• No affect on actual driving, performance, etc
• The sound is only there under acceleration with the gas
• Ie, NO sound/issue at idle, constant speed, clutch in or out, or downhill non-gas accel
• No issue when the car is cold, only once its warmed up.
• Feels like its really only when accelerating from 2k+ rpms

Things I've tried:

• checked the exhaust cross-over pipe and its welded head shield. All the welds are in place.
• I checked various firewalls, shaking them, hitting with a wrench, nothing appears loose.
• Banged on the cats as well and didn't notice anything special.
• Checked the front and rear driveshafts, No issues (recently replaced rear shaft due to boot ripping).
• Recently replaced air filter, engine oil, and front diff oil. Check fluid levels, all are ok.

any new ideas??

 

I had this same issue almost exactly. I couldn't find the problem either. I took it to a local mechanic. He charged me $90 ( 1 hour labor) to bend out a heat shield. It was somewhere around the cats.

 

thanks. i'll take a closer look at the cats again.

 

well i found the problem.. the heat shield on the crossover pipe.

i looked at the thing a dozen times and all the welds looked fine... i finally took a screwdriver and pulled against the shield (instead of just tapping on it), the far passenger-side weld was broken..but since it was 'in place' you couldnt tell it was broken until your pried against it!

bent it away a bit and thought that would do it... no go.. same sound.. but now at different times/louder!

looked again after a few days, pried it away further.. then checked the other side (facing the engine) of the pipe and realized that weld was broken too! what are the odds that 2 welds were broken, both on the far passenger side.

bent that one out a bit too, will find out if that solves it. if not im going to have to actually remove my skid plate and inspect the remaining 4 welds!

does the jeep really need that shield anyway??

 

Glad you found the problem without spending the money like I did.

Does it get hot in the summer time where you live? Your floor becomes a heater without those shields.

 

Problem solved! Bending both of the broken welds away from the pipe has eliminated the rattle.

My guess if is any of the remaining 4 welds break, I may have to go with the hose-clamp approach or risk the whole shield breaking and falling off while driving!

 

I had a rock get between the heat shield and the body about a month ago after a day at Rausch Creek. I thought I bent something and then pow out comes this damn rock LOL all fixed.

 

is it possible to see pictures of where it exactly is? i have the same problem but i can't seem to find it anywhere and im not sure where to look anymore

thank you

 

I think I have this same problem. Can anyone post a pic of the welds on the heat shield. I can't seem to find any welds on mine.

 

I would love to see some pics too. Please.