Just picked up my 2010 Sahara, searched around, wondering if this is normal:

With the windows down, when I press on the gas (the radio has to be quiet) I can hear a noise when I step on the accelerator, it is before the grunt of the engine kicks in... it sounds like the tires are riding on paper, or like a car riding on gravel (theres no gravel involved that's just the noise to imagine), the engine noise takes over, and you can't hear it with the air on and windows up, but theres something there, is it normal? Something the dealer forgot to removed, sorry i'm hyper sensitive with new cars, otherwise, I love the sh*t out of it.

jeff

 

If it's under load at low revs you'll often get a little pre-ignition rattle before the computer kicks in & retards the timimg.

 

very normal. i know what noise you are referring to and i hear it too. although for mine, it sounds like its coming out of the speakers. you can hear it better with the radio turned off and the air con on.
i hope you find your comfort.

pluke.

 

bump...thanks guys, hope its normal.

 

So it does not happen when you rev it in neutral. Does not happen all the time, but when it does its noticeable and its driving me a bit mad, it sounds as if its coming from the drivers side, I want to say the rear wheel , but its so in my head right now, i can't asses it properly, I already know what the dealership will say, just trying to make sure its not something ACTUALLY wrong.

 

Mine sounds always when accelerating on the skinny.

 

Necrobump! Is this kind of pre ignition going to do damage? I hear it with any octane I use.

To clarify the noise I have, it's very faint. You can only hear it from in the cabin, and only with the radio off, windows up, and little traffic around. I hear it up until driving noise drowns it out. It's an irregular pattern noise. It's very hard to describe, but I think the OP did a fairly good job. I can hear it up until about 25 mph in 2nd gear before the wind drowns it out.

I took my Jeep in for a similar noise, though it was much louder, and was happening all the time, even with it at idle with the Jeep in park. It was like an irregular rattlecan shacking noise coming from the top of the engine. I ended up getting a new shortblock, new lifters, and several other misc items in the head replaced, along with new gaskets all around.

 

Bumping to see if anyone knows anything about this...