What the deuce?

[SlapDash]

I have the car balanced at the edge of a cliff with my foot on the rear bumper, ready to let it go...

Heres the situation. Ive been searching all over for my specific issue. Have found lots like it, none matching exactly. Seeking help from The Great Council.

Here are the stats: 2000 Protg, 1.6L, auto, AC, near 200K. Runs like a dream usually. My wife has had this car since new. Well taken care of, oil changes, etc.

Anywho, have a weird, consistent clangy noise coming from what seems like the bottom of the intake manifold. Sounds like what others are describing in the VICS/VTCS (whatever those are) threads. Cant find anything specific to the 1.6 engine. When idling or at low revs, the clangy happens, hot or cold. At speed, nothing. Only happens when lightly pressing the gas. May be my imagination, but it does seem to be getting a little louder. To get the car started, I have to hold the accelerator to the floor and crank for several seconds at a time, swearing and yelling while I do so. The sound is internal somewhere, not an exhaust/heat shield or anything.

Is this a screw that has fallen off a butterfly thingy somewhere? Will the engine blow up? Due to another issue, seized alternator, the car has not run in at least three weeks (afraid of catastrophic failure due to the main cause).

The car has tossed NO check engine light, no flashing lights, no nothing else indicating any sort of problem. Ive cleaned out the EGR valve, which was well plugged, but the car still runs the same.

Any ideas?

Cheers

 

[Jas00x]

VTCS is the Variable Tumble Control System- these are butterflys at the end of the intake manifold where it meets the engine. I believe the 1.6L does have this feature (it shows it in my manual). This is the source of the infamous "loose screw", that you read about on the 2.0L Proteges, so that very well could be your issue. You would need to remove the intake manifold to fix it. I don't have any personal experience with this problem, so I don't know what it really sounds like.

VICS is the "Variable Inertia Charging System"- these are butterflys in the middle of the intake manifold that direct air to the long runners or short runners- this in on the 99-2000 1.8L and '01+ 2.0L only, the 1.6L does not have this.

hope that helps

 

[SlapDash]

This does help and thanks for the reply. I didn't even know if the 1.6 had the VTCS, so that helps too. I'll do some further probing on the clangy noise, but the noise is consistent and doesn't sound like something like a screw is flopping around in there. But if the screw is stuck somewhere particular I suppose, it would make the same sound every time.

Anyway, sounds like I have some work on my hands. Thanks again for the response. And how is Austin these days? I lived there for about eight months a couple of years ago. It was the year of the '500 Years Flood' or something like that.

Cheers

 

[Jas00x]

I'm not too familiar with the screw issue, but I think it was mostly an issue on the 2.0L motors. Wouldn't hurt to read up on the issue though.
I moved to Austin two years ago- when all the flooding was going on. This summer we have almost no rain and record heat. Over 100 almost every day. Today it was a major relief to only have a high of 92- it seemed so cool and refreshing.

 

[SlapDash]

Hmm... Maybe I should move back. It's been raining in New England since April!

 

[Breeegz]

VTCS would be near the top of the IM near the engine block (at least on my 2003.5 P5).

Buy an automotive stethoscope and see if you can track down the noise, I don't think these are very expensive from a regular parts store.

If you can't figure it out, I would take it to a mechanic.

 

[SlapDash]

I'll check out that stethoscope action. Thanks for the head's up. This might be the first project in my new garage.