Help needed please. Rattle in engine

P

Pondy81

Member
First post for me on here so sorry if this is in the wrong place. The A2 is the Mrs car and I have not driven for a couple of months until tonight. Anyway there is a rattle coming from the engine, only happens when I ease of accelerator. So I acclerate and all ok, come of the gas and something rattles. Back on the gas and it goes. Anyone have any ideas?

Car is 2001 1.4 TDI model. Just over 100,000 miles. Been serviced and MOT in last month and Mrs says she was sure rattle was there before service and MOT.

Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
Hello Pondy81 and thankyou for posting your first thread - welcome to a friendly club. In order for us to try and help please can you give some further information.
Where does the rattle appear to be coming from - can you pinpoint a location within the engine bay ?. Heat shields are normally a good place to start !. What type of a noise is it - light metallic tinny sound or a more prominant deeper rattle.

Without hearing the car it is always difficult to diagnose but we may be able to point you in the right direction as to where to look.

Ta
Dave
:)
 
Thanks for the response. It's really hard to tell. Appears to come from bottom
Of engine near where pedals are but I'm really not sure. Sorry I can do the odd job on cars if I watch something on you tube or read a how to but other than that i have less than basic knowledge. Where are the Heat shields? Would these be under car along exhaust?
 
Yes they are. The silver shiny plates. Just get under the car and hit them with your hand.
 
Well under the car today and still can't work it out. Heat shields are all secure. It possible could be the engine under tray as the back clips were lose. The rattle is more metal though. Will get undertay fixed first though and see if that helps. Will report back.
 
It could be the alternator clutch mechanism.
Can you locate the alternator drive and try jiggling it perhaps?
the noise from tgat sometimes only occurs on the overrun.

Welcome by the way.
Dont worry too much about mistakes when posting, we will try to help you and we don't bite.

Steve B
 
Just to eliminate a known rattle... Can you tap the corners of the bonnet?

There is a common rattle caused by a worn bonnet holder and that can sound like it is coming from a different area inside the car.

Most likely not the problem, but worth eliminating.

If it is the bonnet holders, they are about £3 and are a five minute job.
 
Thanks for the responses. Alternator clutch wouldn't know where to start looking or what it even looks like. Any pics or pointers in right direction would be great.

Have checked the bonnet already and that is not loose. Thanks for suggestion though.
 
With the bonnet off and the keys not in the car (to protect fingers) and the engine cool (to protect skin).
Look at the left side of the engine (looking into the engine compartment from the front bumper)
you will see some belts. The main belt is the cam belt. (The one that will cause thousands of pounds of engine damage if it goes, so always get this replaced every 5 years or 50,000 miles at the very most).

There is another belt that spins the Alternator (I looks like a washing machine motor)
Where the belt goes around the little pulley in the alternator check to see if everything feels solid.
It is probably best to have a mechanic look at it, but it might be obviously loose(ish) or noisy when "jiggled". (Or try CAREFULLY) firing up the engine the get someone to rev the car and listen for the rattle when they take their foot off the throttle).
When you take your foot off the throttle the clutch inside that pulley disengages, allowing the pulley to freewheel.
When the clutch mechanism starts to fail that can rattle when you take your foot off the throttle.

Let us know what you find and we can recommend some options.

Best of luck
Steve B
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all your responses. Engine under tray now fitted correctly and it appears this has fixed the rattle.. So fingers crossed...
 
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