This Doesn't Sound Good

[phaetn]

What am I looking for with the aux shaft?

On that side, the backplate is in 2 pieces and attach with a bolt.
Remove the cover, install back the T and start the engine without the cover.

I concur. I could even be that the timing belt cover isn't fully snug and it's rattling. I have had that issue in the past as my timing belt cover only mounts in two places (one up top, one below as the bracket on top of the T-stat with the exhaust pulley timing indicator is broken).

If you didn't do anything mechanical (e.g. playing with valve shims) and you didn't drop anything in there I would start with the cover and its bolts.

Cheers,
phaetn

[djape1977]

remove timing belt and change camshaft gears

[davery]

And now it's gone! I looked inside the cam boxes and messed with the belt cover. I'm not really sure what happened, but the sound is gone. I'm going to take it for a drive in the morning.

[81SPIDERMATT]

[davery]

Took it out for a drive with some hard corners. Still no sound. So, how small would something have to be to make it's way from the cam box to the oil pan?

[RRoller123]

The very bottom mount bolt of the timing belt cover needs a little spacer to hold it far enough off of the timing belt drive system. If the spacer is missing, when you tighten down the bottom mounting bolt, it will pull the cover into contact with the crank pulley. That may be it. Possibly fiddling with the cover moved it slightly. Check for the presence of that little spacer. I used a phenolic piece from the hardware store, as mine was missing. I suspect most of them would be, having fallen off and rolled away into the corner of the garage where the black hole is that collects all the loose cosmic debris.

Pete