Rattle!

[Philip_of_Smeg]

Hello

I'm a new member here so hello to everyone

I have a Citroen C4 1.6HDI which has developed a rather annoying rattle that can be heard from the corner of the front passenger side of the dashboard but I believe the source of the actual rattle is outside. Its difficult to describe really, it is a rattle but its sounds like clinking/crackling. It happens when the car is in motion, driving on smooth roads, over bumps, applying brakes, mainly when town driving, never at idle I went to a local garage for another issue and whilst they were checking the wheels, when they turned them full lock the mechanic and I heard a groaning/creaking noise. He opened the bonnet and pushed down on the wing and he says it sounds like the passenger side strut bearing is wearing. When I'm washing my car and hosing down my front passenger alloy wheel, I tend to rinse round the inner arch liner and up towards the shock absorber towards the strut. However the following day the noise has gone!!! It will be silent for a day or two but will gradually come back. So whatever I'm getting wet including the brake area is stopping this rattle temporarily. Therefore I'm thinking it could be the strut bearing causing this rattle. Could I be on the right track do you think?

Another little thing I've found is that when I pump the brake pedal I can hear what sounds like air being pumped out around the dashboard, again on passenger side. I've had a quick google and it sounds like the brake servo......? I don't think these two issues could be linked but I could be wrong.....

Any ideas/thoughts would be very helpful.

Thanks
Philip