YorkshireSimon

Just thought I would post this and see if anyone else has had the same problem.

Just over a week ago, after some motorway driving, a slowed to a queue approaching a roundabout. Whilst moving forward one car every minute or so, I noticed a metallic rattleing noise from the front of the car. Example, I press the accelerator and rev to around 2500 rpm and release, whilst engine slows down to idle, the rattle appears.

Had the bonnet up when engine hot and applied throttle from under the engine bay and it appears to be coming from somewhere around the down pipe. After letting the engine cool, I put my hand further down behind the turbo and the shielding around the down pipe moves ever so slightly in my hand side to side. I am hoping it is this but I am worried that the noise is coming from so close to the turbo, maybe more severe.

Standard downpipe on at the moment with HKS Super Drager mid and rear sections. Car is MY00 with 52000 miles (high for its age but use it for business use)

Anyone else had similar problem?

Thanks

Simon

RON

Sounds like a cracked heat shield, I guess you could ask the dealer, cos it should be done on warranty if it is.
Ron

YorkshireSimon

Yeah, I think so at the moment, but just a little worried if it is something more serious.

Car will be having 52500 service on Friday so I will be mentioning it then, amongst other things.

Cheers

Simon

scoobyhead

Ive got a 95 Scooby with the same type of rattle.I think its the heat shield,always doing it around 20 mph as i accelerate.Did you get it fixed,if so what was the damage?

YorkshireSimon

Scoobyhead

Had car in for 52500 service on Friday. I mentioned the rattle noise to them when I left the car with them. When I went back to pick it up, they said they had not been able to recreate the problem. They said they had checked the heat shield and they said not problem there. I still have my doubts though. I can physically move the shield on the down pipe side-to-side when I reach down the back of the turbo. I am pretty sure it is this that is resonating when accelerating. It appears to have worsened since I originally posted, not only does it do it when I am sitting idleing and just blipping the throttle a little, but it now show signs of a noise which I have never had before when accelerating and the revs go through the 5000 rpm barrier. It is only brief, but noticable.

My dealer has said if I can recreate the problem when passing I should drop in, shouldn't be any problem with this. I should say that it tends to be a lot worse when the engine is hot after a blast, or after a lengthy motorway run.

Will let you know when it is finally resolved and what it actually is when identified.

Cheers

Simon

MARKIE C

Hi Simon

I had the same problem on mine. Turned out to be the heat shield between the rocker cover and the up pipe from the manifold to the bottom of the turbo. It was hard to find but basicly I got a piece of wood and trap it against each cover until the rattling stopped. I too, took mind to the dealership, but they couldnt find the problem either.

Mark

DavidLewis

Same problem but at 2500 and 4000rpm.
Steve Lawson found a cracked heatshield on the up-pipe and had it welded up as part of his outstanding customer service.

Shame you're in Yorkshire and not Surrey.

the link

i have the same problem got it welded whilst at powerstation but it started again almost immediately it is driving me up the wall

YorkshireSimon

Cheers Iain

I will check this later, and post back the result.

YS

YorkshireSimon

Thanks for all the responses on this one, it seems it could be one of a few different things that could be causing this problem.

Had the bonnet up yesterday and was revving the engine from under the bonnet. The noise was very evident when engine was decelerating. As the exhaust and turbo was cold, I could hold the exhaust down pipe heat shield in my hand, as this is what i thought was the problem. Again, revved the engine and the same rattle still persisted.

It definately sounds like it is coming from down that area, but I am not convinced it is the DP at the moment. ???

Drove it to the dealers immediately afterwards and it was evident whilst driving, 1/2 a mile away from the dealer, noise goes away, and couldn't get it to do it again whilst there.

This is really annoying me now because I think the dealer thinks I am making this up.

YS

Yee

Simon
Check the arm which connects to the waste gate. It is under the top heat shield which goes round the turbo.

I thought, like you that I had a problem with the heat shield cracking, so I took them all off when I put my Scooby sport system on. The little bugger still rattled. When I rested my hand on the waste gate actuator and arm the rattle stopped. It seems as though the bush in the Turbo for the waste gate arm has worn just enough to start rattling at certain frequencies. With my car it is at tick over. It stops when the car is hot but comes back when cold. The only way to fix this would be to have the turbo re-bushed.

If it isn’t this it may be the brake pipes rattling on the bulk head. Easy to fix, just bend them (carefully) away from where they are touching.


Hope this helps
Cheers
Iain

Pete Croney

Simon

The most common failure around this area is the pipe which comes up to feed the turbo.

The welds around the top crack, allowing the whole pipe casing to rattle around.

YorkshireSimon

Cheers for the input Pete...

So many different things it could be, I am losing track.

Will have another go at identifying this in the morning. When i get out of work it is dark so that writes off evenings.

Cheers

Simon

Jan Shim

Simon,

I'm with Pete on this - very high probability it's the up-pipe heatshield given the mileage your scoob has done. The noise is particularly loud on engine deceleration. The factory up-pipe has an upper and lower heatshield, it's the top one that breaks off the spot welds. You need to have the entire pipe removed to get it fixed, no other way (intercooler and turbo removed).

There is a warning though. This headshield is very close to the steering shaft coupling and if it drops too low, the metal extension where the stock turbo heatshield is bolted to may interfere with the coupling and cause steering jam. It's hard to imagine what i'm writing here but you would have to see it for yourself with the car on the hoist to realise how dangerous it can be, I suggest you get it fixed pronto.

Jan Shim

AndyMc

Hi

I've had a rattle for a few months now which has been making my engine sound very rough.After numerous attempts at finding it I discovered it was coming from the top section of the up-pipe heat shield which is a bugger to get at.I am planning on fixing it myself and am wondering which bit needs welding.
Is it just at case of welding the heatshield at the top on the underside of the flange that the turbo bolts to,or do you weld it where it meets the lower part of the heat shield half way up the up-pipe?
Also how easy is it to weld?.Will I be able to do it with My cheapo Clarke mig welder from Halfords

Thanks Andy

PS I found it much easier to diagnose the rattle on the up-pipe from underneath the car as you can at least see the up-pipe.I got my mate to rev the engine as I pressed on the heatshields.

Jan Shim

It's the top part of the up-pipe shield, spot welded to the flange to which the turbo sits. There is an '96 WRX at the dealership with all his engine bits on the floor, con-rod broke and punched a hole through the block .. I noticed the stock up-pipe is among the scattered parts, I'll take a photo and email you if you like.

I never bothered to get the rattle fixed but as a quick fix, i had the mechanic dent the shield until it is jammed shut and does move anymore. Easier to do than to have the intercooler and turbo removed and pay rediculous labour charge for it.