98 Chevy cavalier coupe

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 98 chevy cavalier coupe. The car has barely 75k miles. Recently i have been hearing a loud noise when i accelerate. this happens the most when i accelerate from a stopped position. I am very car iliterate and would appreciate any help i could get identifying this problem. Thanks

2

There could be many sources; a frequent one is the heat shield over the catalytic converter underneath the car. Another could be a loose engine mount, or a noisy suspension strut.

It’s hard for us to be any more specific; I would go to a reputable muffler shop first and if it is a loose exhaust component, they would both be able to identify it (make sure they point out EXCATLY what it is and why) and fix it.

You can also see a good mechanic (no need to go to the dealer) and he will quicly pinpoint the problem.

3

Thank you very much for the help. are any of those problems expensive? given thats all this is?

4

loud noise

Is not very descriptive. Rattle, or like a card in the spokes of a bicycle or maybe a hissing sound or clicking maybe changing according to engine speed or speed of the car, maybe some difference depending on the gear you are in etc. More description would be helpful.

5

A loose heat shield on the converter is not expensive to fix. The others I mention would cost much more. Please have a competent mechanic check out your car, so that you won’t end up “fixing” the wrong thing.

6

Can you describe the noise? A thunk, a rattle, a squeak?

7

Okay, Thanks alot for your advice.

8

it is more of like a rattle. if i had to describe it. and it gets progressively louder the more i accelerate. like i said early, generally from a stopped position, on the highway when im alreadyy about say 50mph it sounds fine.

9

Here is a guess for you. I had a 96 Cavalier that in its later years developed a very loud rattle at idle. It was the guts of the rear muffler that had come a little loose. I put some fairly deep dents in the outer shell with a hammer in an attempt to keep the guts from rattling. I got lucky and dented it in the right place; the noise went away. Never did replace the rear muffler. Cost of repair = $0.00.

10

Thanks, if that ends up being the case ill definetly keep that solution in mind haha. Im bringing it to a mechanic in a few days, will share what he says. Thanks all

11

Of course, you can try the other old solution for a noise, turn the radio up louder… I said, TURN THE RADIO UP LOUDER!.. I SAID, TURN THE RADIO UP LOUDER!!