ping pong sound after engine shutoff

my 92 t-bird makes an odd noise after i shut off the engine. it sounds like ping pong balls bouncing around inside, and it sounds like its coming from underneath both valvecovers. it only does it after its warmed up too. well my car has been on the shelf for awhile due to a really bad wheel bearing and my mom said i couldnt drive it till it was fixed, and well im young and i have no job money to fix it so its been sitting for the past 5-6 months but ive been starting and running it at least once a week. the noise didnt start until about a month or 2 of sitting. im about to get the bearing fixed and put it back on the road so could anyone tell me if my car is safe to drive or should i take it to a mechanic? thanks.

oh also i forgot to mention the engine sounds fine when its running. it just makes the noise after i shut it off

How loud is the sound? And what is the motor size? What year?

My only suggestion is that something is contracting as its cooling down, and shifting its position as it cools. Exhaust manifolds do this, and its quite common. It does not indicate there is anything actually wrong with it. However, asking a mechanic might be a good idea, just to be aure there is no fault that is overheating the engine.

Funeral Clown.......hmmmmm............

My 86 did this for about 6 or 7 years. It was my exhaust. My mechanic said I could pay whatever amount to fix it, but it wasn't necessary. I left it alone, since I had other things to with my money.

its a 3.8 v6 and the sound isnt that loud but its loud enough that i can hear it from inside the cab with the windows rolled up. ive had the car for 3 years and ive never heard it b-4. the repetition of the sound is also pretty fast. thats why i thought it was something other than the engine cooling down. ive checked the fluids and theyre all ok, other than that i dont know what to do. i love cars but i dont know jack about workin on em. when i get it on the road again. ill just swing it by this mechanic i know and have him check it out. he checks out vehicles for free, and only charges ya when he actually works on it, sounds like a good deal to me. thanks for the input though.

almostall cars make sounds like that after you turn them off and they're hot, it's the sound of the metal contracting on various parts, it depends on the outside temperature as well, the faster it cools the louder it is. you can hear the same sound in a chimney if you make a very hot fire in it, the hotter the fire the faster the clanking sound, eventually if the fire gets too big you hear a very loud and scary CLANG and you know it's time to throw water on it in a hurry. If it's been cold around you lately that would explain it in part. I wouldn't worry about it.

D

I also had that "Clanking noise" but mine was on the back,more of an outside noise I should say.It turned out that my right muffler was broken.I had to get it replaced.