Really crappy news...

[skunk]

I wanted to take my car for a short ride today but after I started it it was making a high pitched grinding noise that would go up and down in pitch when reved. The noise is coming from the firewall side of the motor. I thought maybe it had a bad pully so I pulled the belt off and started the car. Well the noise was still there, and even worse it sounds like it's under the rear valve cover(the front part where the timing chain gears are) it is real metallicy sounding almost like the chain is grinding the front cover.

I'm wondering if the chain giudes are bad allowing the chain to do this or a gear has moved forward enough to to start grinding. The cars starts fine, runs smooth exept for the noise. I'm really ready to cry, with all the crap I've been through now this. I'm sure it's going to have to go to ford and is going to cost me $$. Oh well It will just have to sit in the garage until spring and then I'll deal with it. I'm so freaking bumbed right now .

[BrApple]

man that sucks ... I was just thinking about you and wondering how things where going ...

[skunk]

My wife and I had a talk about the contour situation and decided to send it to ford to have it looked at. I know dealerships can be expensive but I trust lamarouex ford and definally with this type of problem. It's getting towed tomorrow morning and I'll post what they find. I'm hoping it's not to bad but I know the labor to take the valve covers and maybe the front cover off to find the problem is going to be killer . I guess ya gotta role with the punches.

Brian, thanks for the thoughts. I'm still doing okay some days good some not so good, just gotta keep looking for the positive.

[rouar]

You know, from the description that sounds very similar to the noise I had told you about that happened with my Contour. Only it came and went (and was never there when you checked out the engine lol!), often went away after the engine warmed up, sometimes not.