HELP NEEDED: Engine racing & gurgling

Daytona · 04-12-2009, 08:14 PM

A little background first... Car is bone stock with 71,109 miles on it. Regularly serviced professionally (last oil change was 2 months ago). 1 gallon shy of a full tank of gas (Regular 87 Octane). 3.4L with auto trans. Weather is unusually cold today for mid-April (low-to-mid-40's). Park in my driveway, slanted downhill towards the backyard, with the nose facing downslope.

Was out doing errands today with the g/f. Nice casual ride home. Nothing experienced out of the ordinary. But when I put it in park in my driveway something didn't sound right, but I shrugged it off. 5 hours later I go to move my car and the engine starts racing. Cold idle is usually 1000-1100 rpm, but now it's 1300-1500 and I could hear something rough-sounding that I've enver heard before.

I rev the engine a few times and it's still sitting unusually high. I shut it off and hear what can only be described as fluids gurgling. The gurgling lasted for over 5 seconds after the engine was shut. don't recall ever hearing that before either.

I wait a minute and then restart the car. The engine races again so I leave it on and pop the hood. Nothing seems out of sorts and I even check the oil dipstick just in case the oil's low and the engine's trying to compensate or there's a blockage somewhere. I manually start pulling on the throttle cable and it's revving up fine but not sounding like it's settling. Worse, each time I release the cable I hear something tap under the intake/valve cover.

I try it a few times with the same result. I shut the hood and then shut the engine. The gurgling occurs again. Restart the engine it idles fine now. Took it for a drive on the highway 1 exit and then back. Do an even 55mph one way then race it quick to 80 in the other direction. Everything feels and sounds fine.

I get home and she's idling fine. I shut the car off. Same gurgling.

WTF?!?!?

Anyone with any experience with this and know what this might possibly be? Not interested in hearing wild guesses. But if any of you have actually dealt with this specific issue I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks!

Beholder88 · 04-12-2009, 08:18 PM

Sometimes when the coolant is good and hot (after a long ride or something), once you shut the car off it will gurgle a little. Does it sound like it's coming from under the dash? Check your level, wouldn't be surprised if you are a bit low. Ever had your LIMG replaced?

Daytona · 04-12-2009, 08:22 PM

It did sound like it was coming from under the dash and under the car, but I just figured that was the easiest way for sounds from the engine to travel.

I'll check the coolant level tomorrow, though I had topped it off only a few months ago when the fluid level light came on. Still, it's worth checking.

And yeah, the LIMG was repaced a few years back - covered under warranty.

Nate's Alero · 04-12-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daytona

It did sound like it was coming from under the dash and under the car, but I just figured that was the easiest way for sounds from the engine to travel.

I'll check the coolant level tomorrow, though I had topped it off onyl a few months ago. Still, ,it's worth checking.

And yeah, the LIMG was repaced a few years back - covered under warranty.

was kit the metal gasket though? take your front valvecover off and tell me if its metal or paperish

Daytona · 04-12-2009, 10:22 PM

^I'll have to check it tomorrow (if it doesn't rain) during my lunch since I have work all day and then a meeting in the evening.

But when my LIMG went bad before, I don't recall any racing or gurgling of the engine.

Redog · 04-12-2009, 10:59 PM

Fuel Pressure Regulator? (I would think with the gurgling)

MAF issue? IAT issue? (That could explain the racing engine) Was there any hard shifting?

The simple fact the car had "run-on" makes me think the problem is fuel system related. When was the last time the fuel filter was changed?

Daytona · 04-12-2009, 11:02 PM

^No hard shifting. That seemed fine when I took her out to the highway. No issued with the shifting earlier in the day, either.

Don't recall if the fuel filter was changed during the 60K mile service. Will have to check my papers.

Any quick and easy way to check the regulator?

Redog · 04-12-2009, 11:23 PM

It's right there in front of the throttle body held on by 2 bolts. You will have to release the pressure from the line before taking it off and after the new one goes on, you'll have to floor it when starting to reset the PCM to return pressure to the lines

Redog · 04-12-2009, 11:27 PM

Here are some pics of the FPR, but I'm unsure it that's the problem

TheEdgeofSanity · 04-12-2009, 11:28 PM

yeah, i have the same gurgling...... its been doing it since last fall... a fuel pressure regulator, you say? how do you know if its bad?

Daytona · 04-12-2009, 11:31 PM

Hmm... okay. Thanks. But how do I know if it's bad or not? I'd hate to spend money replacing something that doesn't need to be replaced.

And what might happen if I drive another 60-80 miles on it before it gets checked out, assuming it is the FPR? Should I not drive it just in case?

Cliff8928 · 04-13-2009, 01:53 AM

Most often the diaphragm will rupture on the fuel pressure regulator and cause fuel to come out the vacuum line when they fail.

Vinalero · 04-13-2009, 05:06 AM

Hmmm welcome to my world lol.

I have the same gurgling after engine is shut off since I own the car. The previous owner also said it was doing it before. However, I don't have the V6, but maybe our problems are common?

-Alero- · 04-13-2009, 06:34 AM

its perfectly normal its not your FPR you would smell fuel, if it leaked.

its perfectly normal, your heater core is just relieveing pressure, and you hear it from the inside of the car, its blowing its pressure out. everytime you shut the car off, the coolant stops moving. all that pressure build up goes somewhere........the resivoir.

dont worry about it. no fix for it cause its not a problem

Daytona · 04-13-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Alero-

its perfectly normal its not your FPR you would smell fuel, if it leaked.

its perfectly normal, your heater core is just relieveing pressure, and you hear it from the inside of the car, its blowing its pressure out. everytime you shut the car off, the coolant stops moving. all that pressure build up goes somewhere........the resivoir.

dont worry about it. no fix for it cause its not a problem

Thanks. I didn't smell any fuel when I popped the hood. Any particular reason why it suddenly started now (if it is the core)? Is it going bad? Never did it prior to yesterday. AND the start of the gurgling coincided with the engine mysteriously racing.

-Alero- · 04-13-2009, 06:48 AM

wtf is engine racing?

i started to notice mine gurgle at about 50k i wanna say, its been fine since....89k on it now

but imo im guessing you started to notice it because everything is coming of age on the vehicle and is actually being "broken in" you know what i mean? all those thousands of cycles.....your seats arent as plush your carpet isnt as fluffy, your firewall isnt as sound dampening as it once was, your engine is louder blah blah blah.....

its just coming of age, and you start to notice more the older it gets.... mine ive probable flushed my coolant 6 or 7 times, and been through 3 fpr, if that makes you feel better.

as for your heater core. i highly doubt its going bad since ive never seen a single person on here complain about thier heater core.

will a new one fix the sound? maybe...

do you need to spend the money on it? prolly not

blender still works just fine in mine, just recharged my A/C and replaced the compressor relay...

Beholder88 · 04-13-2009, 07:18 AM

I don't think that gurgling could be your fuel pressure regulator. One way to test it- take the vacuum line off and turn the key to run so your fuel system pressurizes. If fues comes out the top of the regulator - wala, bad reg. I think it's in your coolant system, but I'm sorry to say I'm not sure about the racing. Sometimes when it is a little cold out my car races a little, but it will eventually calm down. Sounds like you know your car pretty well, any engine lights?

Daytona · 04-13-2009, 07:24 AM

^Thanks. No engine lights. That's the first thing I check for whenever I start he car.

I know on my Daytona that if you turn the ignition key into the On position and then back off 3 times in a row without starting the car, certain lights will flash on your dash and the sequence of the flashing will let you know what codes the car is throwing (if anything is wrong). It wasn't in the owner's manual but a racing buddy of mine who works the Parts Counter at the dealership I bought the Daytona at told me about it as a shortcut for the mechanics and it's been very helpful for me in the past. Anything similar on the Alero?

Beholder88 · 04-13-2009, 07:46 AM

Nah, that was mainly a Chrysler thing. That would have also been with the OBD I system anyway.

Kilroy · 04-13-2009, 10:57 AM

When I was having trouble with my cooling system, which turned out to be the lower rad hose rubbing on the air-conditioner pulley, I at first could find no leak (hole in hose was very tiny and only leaked when under pressure. I would get the gurgling noise, and the engine not idling properly. One thing that also happened to my car at the time, was that the engine temp gauge would go above normal, then suddenly cool off to below normal. I would get no heat until the temp gauge began to cool down.

Does this sound familiar, or do you have no problem with interior heat??