scoobydood

Hi all.
Particularly when the motor is cold - there is an odd mettalic rattling/rasping sound from the engine bay (sounds quite close to the dash towards the centre) which rises with the rpm but stops immediately you back off the throttle. doesn't get any louder after around 3000rpm. once the engine is hot it's not there anymore although recently it has been taking longer to go away. Can't be heard when the car is stationery and head under the bonnet even when the engine is revved. Previous owner told me the noise has been there for a couple of years and was the dump valve (HKS Seq) making a noise when cold? Everyone I have asked says this is nonsense. Whenever I ask anyone to listen to the noise the engine is already hot so is fine! Car seems to hold boost OK @ 1.1 bar although sometimes won't go above .5 bar but I believe that is a solenoid problem...

Car has over a 100k on it (all original) so could it be the turbo - if so anyway to test and what comes next if not replaced?

Cheers

MickeyWRX

doesnt sound lime the turbo there mate coz the sound would probably get much louder after 3000rpm - soz i cant help further!

DreXeL

Likely to be a rattling turbo heat shield, it's very common. Nothing to worry about.

JIM THEO

Are you sure isn't cam belt tensioner or a slappy piston? What MY is your car, does the sound come from cylinder 3 near the turbo area?
JIM

scoobydood

Its a MY95 as far as a I know. Don't think it's piston slap - because it is definitely not a deep or knocking type noise - very rattly light sounding. Sounds like thin metal rattling except for sometimes you get the impression it is a rotating type noise - like a dry bearing on an alternator or something. So hard to pin down because it shuts off immediately you close the throttle and won't damn well make the noise when the car is stationery!

xiw2155

i agree with drexel, possibly something loose wouldnt think it anything major

redwrx

That description seems to describe a noise i experienced, and it was the turbo heat shield.... As previously stated , its not uncommon.

Have a go at tightening the nuts you can get at, or just give it a pull from the top as i did, just to put a bit of tension on it, and that cured it.


Frank

stevem2k

If it's not the heatshield ( you could temporarily take it off to be certain ), I'd get the the cambelt tensioner checked out.

Steve

===WRX===

pennie to a pound its the heat shield under the front bumper area (exaust)....the metal expands when it gets hot and "clamps" tight...but rattles like hell at low revs and when cold....

i just re shaped mine with the trust 9lb lump hammer..worked a treat

murfs

Had the very same trouble myself and it was the turbo heat sheild.

Soapy Sam

If it's not the heatshield, check out the brake pipes where they run against the bulkhead, they can look secure but rattle against the bulkhead......

Nox

Cheers guys this helped me locate the noise on my dads wagon, it was the heat sheild by the front bumper like ==WRX== said.

Scott.T

iTrader: (2)

scoobydood,

have you managed to tract the source of the noise.
If so let me know, as I have exact the same noise started earlier this week.

Sounds like it is coming from the centre of the dash, behind the heater vents. Very mettalic, but not heavy. The noise also seems to rise and fall with revs similar to the wastegate solenoid clicking, but at lower revs and from the centre of the dash.

I also cannot hear/strace it from under the bonnet (too much background noise I think).

scoobydood

Hi Scott

Sorry for late reply - haven't been to the board for a looong time.
Believe it or not - the problem was from cracked heatshields. Welded them up and noise was gone. Has come back once or twice and re-welded them again since I don't want to buy new ones!

From the patterns and symptons it was hard to believe it was only this but there you go!

Good luck...