I have a 2001 Outlander with around 180,000 miles on it. Yesterday I noticed a relatively loud tapping/clicking sound from the engine. I determined it's coming from pretty much exactly where the oil pan is. The vehicle performs fine while driving and the tapping/clicking seems to disappear while accelerating for a bit but returns on idle. Any ideas what might be the issue?

Update* The car wouldn't start after a few turns this morning and once i got it started there was still clicking. After work today the car again would not start after quite a few turns but eventually i got it started and returned home...still clicking

Any ideas? Remedies? Fixes? Thanks Fellas!

 

Spun main bearing. Time for a new engine.

 

Thanks for the input. I feared that it wasn't as serious as that, hoping it was something less serious and costly. How costly, difficult and time consuming would a crank bearing job be? And i'm talking do it yourself job cause I cannot afford a new engine

 

Well, you've run the engine like that so now metal chunks have been circulated all around the engine, destroying the crankshaft, oil pump, camshafts, and everything else. If your engine has an oil cooler, you need to replace that too.

You've got no choice.

 

Thanks it's likely I'll have to deal with all that but I'v just come to realize something. While driving home on the highway I heard a kind of fake turbo type sound from the engine and found a video of the exact same sound from another vehicle associated with the tapping too and his issue was a loose timing belt.

It just so happens i recently fixed my timing belt since it snapped a couple months back. I'm crossing my fingers that's what the issue is! But I won't get my hopes too high. Thanks again for the input

 

It could be a failed tensioner. Still, don't run the engine. Take the timing cover off and investigate.

 

Turns out the failed starting was a spark plug that got severely covered in oil. And the timing was pretty loose so I suspect it just may be the tensioner you suggested. Cross my fingers thats the problem!

 

Investigate why that cylinder is running rich.