04 LX 2.4L tapping noises
 

i hear this distincting tapping noise only at lower RPMs in first or second gear right around 17-1900 RPM.....after that it goes away, maybe not going away but maybe the RPMS become too high to hear.....the noise is a distinct tapping....or ticking...tapping better describes it......sometimes you hear a car struggling in 1st or second gear because the driver is not giving it enough gas and u hear strong tapping noise...its the same thing.....i just dont know where to start on this one....any feed back would be great......btw 105,000 mi.....im big on maintenance ...although i do run 5w-30 vs 20...but i dunno if that is really an issue

Sounds are hard to diagnose over the web. Is it more of a rattle (metal on metal) sound?

Do you have an idea of where it is coming from (engine bay, below the seat, the dash board, etc..)?

If it is more of a rattling sound, take a look at the heat shield on the catalytic converter. Mine had a hair-line crack where one of the bolts went through and made that type of sound at certain rpms. The crack was hard to see.

One test you can do is buy two large hose clamps. Put them around the heat shield towards the end of the heat shield and tighten them down as much as you can. See if the noise goes away.

Can you make the noise in neutral by holding certain RPMs? If so, then you can listen in the engine compartment to pinpoint the location.