what's this "sloshing" noise at idle? (video)

[Washburn]

So i heard this when I parked at work today after a 25 min drive. Temps were around 40F outside.
i heard it from inside after parking WHILE IDLING then i got out and i noticed its coming from near the driver's rear wheel so I recorded it - it's definitely not coming from anywhere near the engine.

I did NOT go to the rear pass side wheel due to lack of time

The sound is like a sloshing noise and almost sounds like a dishwasher / washing machine. It's faint but one can clearly hear it.
(while idling in park).

After i started it again to drive home after work, I could not hear it, and when I parked at home , again I did NOT hear it - I let it idle for about 2-3 min. IDK if i should let it idle more, but that's about the same time I idled after parking at work when i DID hear it...

NO other abnormal findings - car drove and felt like normal and idled like normal no shaking etc. (only the noise was abnormal)

what can it be??? here's the video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_iDbCJfBbU

[danewilson77]

Can't.get.to.link.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[WOLFN8TR]

Flux Capacitor....???

[Hermes]

I will honestly bet this is the start of a CCV issue (second possibility is fuel pump as it is around the age they usually die).

[Washburn]

Dane : I just tested - video works fine for me .
Try again and let me know if you still can't see it...

Fuel pump? this early? damn - and what's a flex capacitor? how can it create this noise? or a CCV for that matter?I am a big newb to this stuff.

Today I didn't hear the noise...
I will be keeping a check on it...

in the meantime pls keep comments coming...
Thanks a lot, again.

[danewilson77]

Flux capacitor was a failed joke.

So...we assume this noise has to be coming from your exhaust, correct?

As you heard the swooshing sound did you see/notice if rpms were jumpy/stable?

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[WOLFN8TR]

Apparently so....

[mLuMaN83]

I get a similar noise. Like a droning sound but on COLD starts. Once it's warm it goes away.

[danewilson77]

Apparently so....

LOL.....just giving you shit.

[WOLFN8TR]

It's Cool...

On a serious note, what the heck is that noise? Weird.

[Washburn]

geez I am getting scared now :(

[danewilson77]

It's odd that there is no engine bay correlation, and the sound comes from near the exhaust. Can you confirm that swooshing sound is coming from the exhaust outlet?

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Washburn]

will check next time I park after a drive...but it never happened after that one time.... :(

[WOLFN8TR]

Animal maybe? Rat or a Mouse? IDK...

[Washburn]

nah don' think it's an animal - noise only comes when car is on/at idle..

[LivesNearCostco]

I think CCV noise would come from driver's side front, not driver's rear
Flux capacitor only offered as option on DeLoreans from the 1980's. Flex disc on the other hand, our cars have at least 2 of those!
Should be two fuel pumps. Right rear pumps fuel from tank to engine. Left rear pumps fuel from left side of tank to right side. To listen more closely, remove rear seat cushion, park car with engine running, and put ear above circle on rear seat bench.
Standard E46 exhaust has a vacuum actuated valve to open and close one pipe. Could it be a loose vacuum connection? But I thought ZHP exhausts don't have this option.


Here's a picture of the standard E46 exhaust pipe valve that somebody was modifying, though since you have an '05 ZHP I don't think you have this valve.
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9334/exhaust2.jpg

Here's an aftermarket flux capacitor:
http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/flux-capacitor.jpg



Fuel pump? this early? damn - and what's a flex capacitor? how can it create this noise? or a CCV for that matter?I am a big newb to this stuff.
in the meantime pls keep comments coming...
Thanks a lot, again.

[WOLFN8TR]

Flux capacitor only offered as option on DeLoreans from the 1980's. Flex disc on the other hand, our cars have at least 2 of those!

Here's an aftermarket flux capacitor:
http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/flux-capacitor.jpg

Now that's funny!
6385

[Washburn]

Thanks livesnearcostco and all others for the posts

well i researched some more and came across several posts on other forums that the "sucking jet pump" which transfers fuel back and forth between left and right side of the tank DOES make a noise like that...

[WOLFN8TR]

Should be two fuel pumps. Right rear pumps fuel from tank to engine. Left rear pumps fuel from left side of tank to right side. To listen more closely, remove rear seat cushion, park car with engine running, and put ear above circle on rear seat bench.

There's 2 fuel pumps? IDNKT....

[LivesNearCostco]

Well not sure the "sucking jet pump" on the left/driver side of the tank is technically a fuel pump because it doesn't supply gas to the engine, but it is a pump and it moves fuel!