Screech, Clank, Eeeek! Need Help :-(

[Quinthirty]

I was almost home when I was going over some speed bumps. Nothing to worry about. I was going very slow on the speed bumps and the engine was at idle (A/T tranny), and almost to a stop when I heard a screech (similar to slipping fan belt), and then I heard a clank, and an eeek! I was about to stop the car, glanced at the dash for any warning lights or anything unusual, but as soon as it came, it stopped. When I got home 3 minutes after, I proceeded to looked under the hood and inspected everything from fan belts, exposed part of timing belt, leaks, etc. Also looked at the front wheel, especially the left front wheel area where the sound seemed to have emanated from.

It never came back, and the car runs normally. What else should I check out?

1. Open the valve cover?
2. All fan blades are working though I haven't checked the fan clutches.
3. Transmission? Flywheel? Clutch?

Sound was random as if something got loose, broke off, and got caught up somewhere, and disappeared. Sound was not rhythmic.

[jlevie]

Take a closer look at the fan and fan shroud. If the motor mounts are bad, traversing a speed bump could have shifted the engine enough for the fan to contact the shroud. If you don't see any thing there, check the transmission mounts and exhaust.