Odd Noise at Startup?

[mikeS350]

I'm getting a very brief tinny (metallic?) noise when I start up my esprit. It lasts for less than a sec and happens only as you start the car/engine kicks in. Anyone ever hear such a noise and know what it is? Is it some issue with the starter? It seems to happen more when the battery is low and less than when it is fully charged, although as with any intermittent issue that could be more imaginary than real. Thanks for your help. I'm away for a few days so if you reply let me just say thanks now.

[Le TVR]

I'm guessing that its the exhaust manifold heat shield. This is just a piece of folded steel plate between the manifold and turbo intake tubes. Very common for it to crack around one of the fixing nuts due to assymetric thermal expansion. (Mine does it too and its a bugger to fix )

[live ade]

do you leave the car sat for a few days, or does it happen every time ?

[Kylie]

If its heat shields and in not bad condition, you can reach the ones at the back from underneath and just tweak them a bit with wide flat tool, mine use to be quite bad on start up, so I did this and it went away.

[mikeS350]

Thanks guys for all you input. I don't believe it is a rattling component of any sort which my "tinny" description made it sound like. Perhaps a better description is "squeeling" rather than "tinny"...it's sort of like a metallic equivalent of scratching your nails on a blackboard, and it only lasts about 1/2 sec at most. I sounds like an electrical component issue rather than some rattling bracket. I thought this happened when the battery was low but the Lotus guys looking at it confirmed that when the battery is fully charged it doesn't make this noise but less than fully charged and it does. Some undervolt issue they think. But I will certainly pass along the exhaust manifold heat shield suggestion. Thanks for all you help. Mike

[Le TVR]

Might be alternator related. If its just as the motor fires, the alternator will just start charging and be under max load at that point especially with a low battery.