For the past two weeks, my WRX's (2002 2.0L) engine has been making this horrible, horrible metal-on-metal scraping noise.

Its pitch varies with the speed of the engine, but seems to be especially loud on the first start-up of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7qzyWyquy8

I'm guessing it's something on one of the pulleys.. anyway, today's good news/bad news:

The sound's gone, but now the 'check engine' light is on. The oil level is fine, the engine is purring along. Total guess, but perhaps it's the generator given up the ghost completely and the sparkplugs are running completely off the battery?

Perhaps related: the brake pedal has been of varying softness recently, and especially soft when making a 3-point u-turn. Usually it's super firm (stainless steel brake lines).

Any thoughts? Also, any recs for San Francisco repair places who can take a drop-in?

Thanks!

 

whats the code for the cel

 

Haven't had a chance to pull the code -- got to get the car back into working order asap, so planning on taking it straight to the garage... but it'd be good to know what I'm likely in for.

 

From one of the engine noise tables in the repair manuals:
Rubbing sound — • Defective generator brush and rotor contact
... metal rubbing noise, yeah?

 

turns out it was the idler pulley - must have been a worn out bearing or something.