Really, really annoying engine rattle..

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 20:05

Righto..

I have a really annoying rattle under accelleration and cruise - it used to occurr at 2000rpm, now it's at about 1600rpm (and only there)..

It sounds exactly like an exhaust or heat shield rattling (anyone who's ever had a rattly exhaust will know what I mean), but try as I might I can't find the offending bit..

I spent an hour crawling over the car just now, yanked on every heat shield I could find and they're all secure. Checked the markiii inlet elbow and moved the rubber isolator on the mount to between the elbow and bodywork (instead of having metal against metal). Even removed the drip tray in case it was that..

But, nope.. still there..

It would start doing it when I need to sell the car, wouldn't it s:(

s:( It's the kind of noise that's going to make a prospective purchaser say "dear lord, the engine is about to fall out! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: " and run away/ask for wads of cash off the price s:(

s:(

Any ideas? Spring mount on the exhaust maybe? But wouldn't the exhaust be leaking like a sieve if it was that which was loose?

s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 20:49

does it disapear when the car is warm or is it constant???

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 20:53

Nope it's always there - or, rather.. it doesn't go away when it's warm. The rattle always happens as the revs climb through about 1600-1700rpm, and apart from that it's silent as a silent thing (well, bar the normal glorious noises s;)

s;) )

So very embarassing though, if there are people around!

kanujunkie · August 9, 2005, 21:05

dont suppose you've got a second person to hold the revs whilst you have a listen to the engine?

Tem · August 9, 2005, 21:09

Quote from: "kanujunkie"dont suppose you've got a second person to hold the revs whilst you have a listen to the engine?

You can throttle from the engine bay yourself, just grab the throttle plate/wire s8)

s8)

It may very well be some shield, it might not feel loose when you yank it, but it might resonate at some revs s:? :? s:?

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 21:12

Quote from: "kanujunkie"dont suppose you've got a second person to hold the revs whilst you have a listen to the engine?

I haven't.. but, as Tem says:

Quote from: "Tem"You can throttle from the engine bay yourself, just grab the throttle plate/wire s8) s8)

Only trouble is, it only seems to do it under load - I tried revving gently (and hard) in neutral and no rattle to be heard.. So perhaps it's also related to the engine rocking on it's mounts when under load or something..

Anyone want to volunteer to sit in the engine bay while I drive around? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 21:18

Quote from: "Tem"You can throttle from the engine bay yourself, just grab the throttle plate/wire s8) s8)

Slightly off topic, but whereabouts is this in the engine bay? Pics would be really helpful if poss... s:D

s:D

kanujunkie · August 9, 2005, 21:18

Quote from: "aaronjb"Anyone want to volunteer to sit in the engine bay while I drive around? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

eeeeerrrrrrr no s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 21:24

i had the same but it only happened when the car was cold.
a bolt had come out on the heatshield and was causing it to rattle but only when under acceleration.it took the garage ages to find where it was coming from though.

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 21:28

Mine does exactly the same. Dealer couldn't find anything wrong with it. Mine comes in between 1600-1800 revs. Very noticeable when I was cruising at 30mph in 3rd or 4th gear and then went up hill. Never changed gear and as the revs climbed very slowly, got a nice prolonged rattle / growl.

If you ever find out what it is, I'd be interested to know, but it's not overly bothered me so far.

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 21:29

Quote from: "jonboy"i had the same but it only happened when the car was cold.
a bolt had come out on the heatshield and was causing it to rattle but only when under acceleration.it took the garage ages to find where it was coming from though.

I'll have to get it up on jack stands I think and take all the nappies off for a proper poke around s:? :? s:?

Quote from: "kanujunkie"
Quote from: "aaronjb"Anyone want to volunteer to sit in the engine bay while I drive around? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

eeeeerrrrrrr no s:? :? s:?

Aww Stu.. and I thought you loved me s;)

s;)

kanujunkie · August 9, 2005, 21:35

Quote from: "aaronjb"
Quote from: "jonboy"i had the same but it only happened when the car was cold.
a bolt had come out on the heatshield and was causing it to rattle but only when under acceleration.it took the garage ages to find where it was coming from though.

I'll have to get it up on jack stands I think and take all the nappies off for a proper poke around s:? :? s:?

Quote from: "kanujunkie"
Quote from: "aaronjb"Anyone want to volunteer to sit in the engine bay while I drive around? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

eeeeerrrrrrr no s:? :? s:?

Aww Stu.. and I thought you loved me s;) s;)

nice try s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

and, still no

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 21:56

i will pop to my garage tommorrow and ask where the bolt had come out.

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 22:01

Quote from: "jonboy"i will pop to my garage tommorrow and ask where the bolt had come out.

Cheers Jon s:)

s:)

Anonymous · August 9, 2005, 22:22

no probs.
i would have a look myself but the car is being re-trimmed at the moment and i wont get it back till saturday.
i just hope they can remeber as i was a couple of months back.

darrenjuggins · August 9, 2005, 22:28

aaron,

I had this problem.... way back when my car was about a year old, it ended up being something on the exhaust and manifold, it sort of made a matalic sound, but only under load, so you could recreate it stationary.

When I took it in, they said, yeah we know about it , booked it in and changed the offending part, problem solved.

I thought the part was a modified one, so I would have expected it not to reoccour on yours which is a face lifed variant?

anyway, thought i'd just let you know it might be the manifold or exhaust.

Cheers

Darren J

aaronjb · August 9, 2005, 22:46

Quote from: "darrenjuggins"I thought the part was a modified one, so I would have expected it not to reoccour on yours which is a face lifed variant?

Mine's pre facelift Darren s:)

s:) .. So it could well be the same bit..

If all else fails, I'll have to bite the bullet and get Mr T to look at it - trouble is, I haven't got the money to pay them with at the moment s:(

s:(

Tem · August 10, 2005, 05:57

Quote from: "Ekona"
Quote from: "Tem"You can throttle from the engine bay yourself, just grab the throttle plate/wire s8) s8)

Slightly off topic, but whereabouts is this in the engine bay? Pics would be really helpful if poss... s:D s:D

Can't seem to find pics right now...

Anyway, it's obviously on the intake side of the engine, right before the intake manifold and after the 90 degree intake pipe bend between the MAF/engine. I think it should be easy to find by feeling around with your hand (might wanna do it with the engine off the first time). There's only one cable in that area and only one moving thing s8)

s8) Pulling that cable/bracket to the left opens it.

Or is it right in RHD cars...? Anyway, feel around and try to move things s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

darrenjuggins · August 10, 2005, 08:04

aron,

I seem to remember it was a fault they knew about, therefore they may change it as a warranty item, I know your out, but if it was a known fault, it just seems yours has happened later.

If you ask, the worse they can say is no.

Apparently it's something to do with a weld that breaks, causing the tinking....

s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

philster_d · August 10, 2005, 08:45

If it helps at all I dreamt I fixed it for you last night.

Philster.

Anonymous · August 10, 2005, 09:21

aaron there was a bolt missing from the heatshield on the exhaust and thats what was causing the vibration. downside is that it took 2 mechanics to find the bloody thing.
sorry i cant be more specific than that.

aaronjb · August 10, 2005, 11:23

Quote from: "philster_d"If it helps at all I dreamt I fixed it for you last night.

s:lol: :lol: s:lol: I'm almost tempted to go for a drive now, and see if you really did fix it s;)

s;)

I hope I wasn't in that dream of yours, wearing comer's wig & fake boobs? s;)

s;)

Darren & Jon - ta - I shall get it up on jack stands later today (when there's a bit of shade in the carpark so I don't roast s:)

s:) ) and have a good look around to see if I can spot anything missing/broken with my head up in there, rather than sticking my arm in from the sides with the nappy still on.

Aaron

Anonymous · August 10, 2005, 11:24

Aaron, if you do discover anything, any chance of taking any pics and / or describing what the problem was?

aaronjb · August 10, 2005, 11:39

Quote from: "Hanslow"Aaron, if you do discover anything, any chance of taking any pics and / or describing what the problem was?

I certainly shall..

Anonymous · August 10, 2005, 12:06

If it helps any mine used to do this... then I decatted it, and haven't heard it since.