when i turn the key to off to shut down when i get home i get a pretty good clankyish rattle from the hood?...is it time for a valve job or any idea on what it could be??

 

It's totally impossible to ascertain from your description what's going on. Considering that your car is an '01, I would look for simple sources of the "clank" by investigating things such as the header heat shield, exhaust from the header to the cat, from the cat back..etc. Also, take a good close look under the hood around the radiator area. When I search for rattles, I use a Craftsman rubber/plastic hammer and "tap" my way around the underside and under the hood. I gently tap on every area that I think might cause a rattle. I HATE RATTLES!. I lately found loose fasteners on the exhaust manifold heat shield and catalytic convertor shield by using this "tap" method. Feels like a new and tight car now.

As to your question about adjusting the valves, you should never actually hear an audible clue that the valves need adjusting. The valves don't "clank". The only audible problem that you might detect with the valves is a metallic "ticking" sound at idle. This indicates at least one of 16 valves has an excessive lash. This simply means that at least one valve has TOO MUCH clearance. Too LITTLE clearance prevents the valve from closing and sealing and is quiet because the valve never comes close to its seat in the head. The valve never closes completely. This allows constant leakage through this valve as the engine runs and will exacerbates the problem by becoming parasitic upon the other cylinder and the engine will run horribly with a noticeable vibration. With a multi-valve head, all it takes for the engine to run badly is for only ONE valve to be out-of adjustment. I promise you, if just ONE valve is out-of-spec, the engine will idle just slightly roughly. That is the starting point. Not a "clank" sound. Also, you may not get an CEL if a valve is out of adjustment. A sensor has to be tripped first. A sensor has to "sense" a knock or other unusual condition.

 

Its probably just the engine rocking on the mounts from the heavy spinnin-bits stopping momentum abrubtly.
The clank you hear could be many things moving in unison from the heavily rocking motor, but I would bet its not a problem if you cant notice it while driving.

 

yup what he said.

and it's probably your heat shield.

 

it's normal.

 

good to hear, cause I've always wondered what that sound was, but I found that if you turn the car off with the clutch in, that it doesn't make this sound?

 

If you've got a CAI and a strut bar, it could be those two just vibrating against each other. That's what it is on mine.

 

hmm..i gotta try that...thanks for the replies guys

 

I'll ask the obvious......your using 91+ octane fuel? If not is an octane rattle and not your valves. Pay up for premium.

If so then I would concur it is either you exhaust shield or your CAI vs. Strut tower bar if installed.

Utah

 

From what i have been told it is the high compression of the engine that makes it come to a quick halt upon shutdown which gives the RaTtLeS..