1996 Hyundai Elantra Engine Rattling

I have a 1996 Hyundai Elantra with a 1.8 liter engine.

When i try to start the car there is a rattling noise and the car doesnt try to fire for a while. If i turn it over for about 20 seconds and pump the gas the car fires a little but doesnt start yet. Finally after about another 30 seconds the engine starts. While the engine idles there is a loud rattling noise and it sounds like its coming from somewhere inside the engine. When i push the gas peddle a little bit the rattling noise gets quieter but doesnt completely go away. When i drive the car and get a little speed the rattling noise goes almost completely away but i can still tell its there...

What could cause this problem?
-Main Bearings?
-Loose connecting Rod?
-Timing is off?
-Any type of gear inside the engine with possible broken teeth or something?
...what could most likely be the problem?

Has anybody had a similar problem like this and got it fixed?

THANKS, Nic

you need to poke around with a stethoscope and narrow down where the sound is coming from. Could be as simple as a loose timing belt

k heres a not so wondeful thing about the car...:uhoh:

i have checked the oil in the dipstick before and it looked good and was almost full...but today when i checked where you put oil in it was milky white...(not so good anymore) :bananadie

so now im guessing the head gasket went and got antifreeze in the main bearings and the main bearings are shot (causing the rattling)...anyone agree???:popcorn:

:werd: ?

just because water got in with the water doesn't mean the mean bearings have gone. you'd need to pull the engine and remove the caps/crank before you could tell whether the bearings had gone.

you really need to narrow down where the rattling is coming from. it could be anything.

yeh good point...but it does increase the possibility...

yeh i def gotta figure out where that noise is coming from tho...that would help...maybe my dad can figure it out (i hope) :)

some condensation is quite normal....drain the oil and see if its contaminated before you make too many assumptions

ooh so thats prob why it doesnt show up on the dipstick and only on the fill cap...but yeh ill check that out...

THANKS every1

maybe you've just had a little water drip around the cap, and there isn't actually any in the sump.

i've seen it on cars at college, water/condensation around the filler cap, so you get the white "mayonnaise" there, but when you drain the oil it's fine.