I parked my pickup on saturday night and left it at the airport. Sunday afternoon I pulled it out of the Hangar and started it up. As I got down to the end of aviation drive, I could hear this rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. I drove up further into town and stopped.

I popped the hood and tried to hear where it was coming from, while I revved the engine with the throttle cable. It sounded like it was coming from the front of the engine. It didn't sound like it was deep inside of the engine, in fact it sounded like it was closer to the cooling fan or something in the vicinity. I wanted to describe it as sounding like a baseball card in bicycle wheel spokes. It wasn't that fast, but thats kinda what it sounded like. It did increase in speed as the engine's speed increased. One thing I did notice is there is some kind of fluid splattered over the front side of the front axle. I didn't notice anything dripping or squirting anywhere..

If I had to make my own assumption, I would say it's the water pump? What do you guys think?

 

Mine was doing the same thing. I am unsure if it is related, but mine blew up about 2 weeks later.

 

boy i sure hope you mean the water pump blew up...

 

Any info on the fluid on the axle? Smell, color, etc.... pics?

 

Power steering pump complaining (rattle) about loss of fluid (fluid on front axle). Have you checked the fluid level and hoses?

 

No but I will check it the PS pump. Something in the steering has also been making a thump noise.

I'll get some pics tomorrow

 

Ok I checked the PS pump, fluid level, hoses and steering control (the steering box?). The fluid level was low. The engine hasn't moved all day and the fluid was on the stick, but just barely, far below cold. The fluid on the axle is.. minimal. It's splattered on there, but I can't get a good smell of it, its not layered or caked on..

There is also some of the fluid on the front of the water pump pulley, just a few slight drops, but not on the other pulleys.

 

Sounds like to me your timing chain guides are broke and the chain is rattling on the timing cover. Replace the chain and guide with the metal ones. Do it before the chain rubs a hole in the timing cover which will let the coolant mix with the oil.