So I'm experiencing a rattling noise in the engine bay of my 03. It sounds like a rattling heat shield, but it completely goes away when you remove the alternator/powersteering belt and I'm hoping somebody has a suggestion.

I made a couple of quick videos from inside and outside the car to give an idea of the sound.

Hopefully these links work as I've never uploaded to YouTube before.

Thanks.

 

Sounds a little more serious than a heat shield. Its hard to tell by a video but it sounds like it could be a pulley on your serpentine belt system or internal. Start by taking your belt off and feel for loose pulleys. If you think its a heat shield, pop off your splash shield underneath and you can reach up to grab onto the heat shields on your headers on both sides.

 

Agree on the pulley concerns. Are the idler pulleys wobbly or making a grinding sound when you spin them? Is the deflection adjustment to spec?