Engine bay noise

[G20RG B]

I have over the last few weeks been trying to locate a rattle coming from the engine bay, I have had a right good look and anything loose has been cable tied tight, oil cooler,oil tank etc.
The car is driving fine in fact it's going great, oil pressure at 45 during motorway drive and water at 80 on motorway. There is no blue smoke out of the exhaust during start up and also the rattle is not obvious while the car is ticking over and the car does not seem to be using oil (2003 sp6 cerb).

So does it sound like it could be ENGINE related, Chains etc.
I think the slapping/knocking has got a more obvious recently (last 200 miles)although I have to put drivers side window down to hear it. The engine has 28,000 miles on it with no rebuild.

Could it be a bush? although they all look fine and I have just had the ARB powder coated and new bushes fitted( noise was there before I did this).

Would getting it set up on a lap-top tell me anything.
As I said before during tick over the engine sounds fine, but when driving along the street it becomes obvious but it is not a constant knock kind of irregular!!

Any ideas guys,

[Quentin1]

Just a thought:

One throttle might need proper setting? Though the noise would then come from the exhaust.

What about the chain hitting the cover. Try tightening the chain, that´s a quick and easy job. Chain hitting valve cover is common.

Regards,
Björn.

[dvs_dave]

What sort of noise is it? A hollow metallic rattle/loose washer type noise or a sharp non-resonating rattle? Is it at specific revs, when the engine is under load etc?

If the former, you might want to get the car up on some ramps and check the exhaust routing by the gearbox. It's very close and if the engine mounts are sagging, even slightly this will likely be the source.

The latter is probably the chain as others have mentioned.

BTW, never heard of an ARB rattle. What were the symptoms as I've got an unidendified rattle at idle when cold and it's not from the engine.

[G20RG B]

dvs_dave said:

What sort of noise is it? A hollow metallic rattle/loose washer type noise or a sharp non-resonating rattle? Is it at specific revs, when the engine is under load etc?

If the former, you might want to get the car up on some ramps and check the exhaust routing by the gearbox. It's very close and if the engine mounts are sagging, even slightly this will likely be the source.

The latter is probably the chain as others have mentioned.

BTW, never heard of an ARB rattle. What were the symptoms as I've got an unidendified rattle at idle when cold and it's not from the engine.

Hi Dave
The rattle wasn't coming from the ARB but it was rusty so I just decided to get it powder coated and changed the bushes while it was out, It was a way also of illiminating that as the rattling culprit!!
It's difficult to describe the noise but It seems to be more obvious when on uneven road surfaces it kinda like something has been left in the engine bay like a screwdrive,allankey etc. I have had the trays off from the bottom of the car and checked and everything seems fine.
The chains touching the rocker cover could be the answer but would this not be a constant sound and increase with revs and also be heard at tickover with revs increasing /decreasing??

I might have to take the cover of but to be honest don't have a clue what I'm looking for or how to get the cover off!!.Is it just a case of taking the allan bolts out and tapping with a rubber malet etc??

[Quentin1]

To tighten the chain, you do not have to take the cover off. If you do anyway I would recommend buying the RG valve cover gasket which will be reusable. You are then looking for scratch marks at the underside of the cover in the front, under the TVR logo.

To be honest the chain would not create the sounds you describe now. Just try to check that no water rails or anything is touching the chassis. Such things would be only hard to locate when driving. Using a ramp might be a good idea as already mentioned.

Regards,
Björn.

Oh, and check the undertray, which might create big noises, when a bolt is loose.

Edited by Quentin1 on Saturday 26th June 08:48

[Night Rider]

The chain would be touching the cover, I haven't seen one yet that doesn't. If you fit a gasket it should lift the cover away from the chain enough to clear. Are you sure it's not the near side engine mount that has failed. The cat should be touching the undertray if it has or be very close. Mine used to rattle on idle then clunk when driving on rough roads.

[sidewayz]

Lateral one-but when the engine mount goes it sounds like a dull rattle.

[Daston]

sidewayz said:

Lateral one-but when the engine mount goes it sounds like a dull rattle.

I also noticed a knocking through the clutch pedal when my engine mount went

[G20RG B]

Quentin1 said:

To tighten the chain, you do not have to take the cover off. If you do anyway I would recommend buying the RG valve cover gasket which will be reusable. You are then looking for scratch marks at the underside of the cover in the front, under the TVR logo.

To be honest the chain would not create the sounds you describe now. Just try to check that no water rails or anything is touching the chassis. Such things would be only hard to locate when driving. Using a ramp might be a good idea as already mentioned.

Regards,
Björn.

Oh, and check the undertray, which might create big noises, when a bolt is loose.

Edited by Quentin1 on Saturday 26th June 08:48

Still trying to locate this rattle.....aaaggghhhh
as mentioned before it doesn't happen during tickover even when I pull over and rev the car up to 2500-3000rpm but once I start moving it starts rattling /knocking again.
Does this sound like the symptons could be the chain? surley I would hear it on tickover?
Question- how do you tighten the chains.

Engine mounts seem ok also, but I am going to remove all the trays from below the car and have a good look, Is it ok to drive with the engine trays off ?, I guess so, I will take it for a short spin and see if the noise is still there once I have removed them.

Engine still seems ok no blue smoke, good oil pressure and seems to have good power so might not be internal, I hope.
Just this damn rattle/slapping sound..

Oh, I have alsao had Gaz Golds fitted but pretty sure it aint anything to do with them but thought I would mention it incase anyone knows anything..

Edited by G20RG B on Monday 5th July 13:21

[PetrolHeadPete]

front tray supports the anti roll bar bushes in place so don't drive with off!
Sure you'd hear chains at idle

Can you record the noise?

Is it random or regular type of noise?
I found the bonnet can rub on one of the filler pipes...try having a push and prod around the service bonnet and main bonnet near the top

[G20RG B]

Thanks PHP,

I'm going to gaffa tape the bonnet from front grill to windscreen and go for a quick drive see if it makes any diffrence at least it will illiminate that as the culprit.

I will make sure I leave the ARB brackets in when I remove the front tray.

Thanks for your help

[G20RG B]

SORTED....

Discovered that the drivers side front brake pads were rattling in the calipers,Replaced and everything is QUIET again.

I held a meter of copper piping against my ear and the other end against the top of the engine and while I could hear some internal engine noise(stethescope style) there was no rattle so that ruled out tappets/shims/chains etc. I also did this with the bottom of the engine and there was no noticible internal rattle either. So enginne is all good with no problems.

I came a cross the rattling front pads pretty much by accident as I was turning the front wheel while the car was on axle stands to clean them and that s when i noticed the rattle/knocking noise.

[dvs_dave]

Interesting.......were the pads loose to the touch?

[G20RG B]

Yes pads were moving up and down in the caliper, I
Could move them with my hand to recreate the noise.
The pads were filled down at both ends sligtly as they
Were to tight for the calipers and to much was clearly
Removed and as they have worn down(2k miles) they have
Become loose (my fault as I got a riend to grind
Down the ends to make them fit but clearly to much
Was removed. Interestingly the replacement pads fitted
In no problem with just a gentle tap with a rubber mallet.
Pads were/are Fedora DS2500 from memory..