Drive shaft Oil Leak

[CarlC]

I have an oil leak under the car. When I trace it Im almost certain the leak is coming from the drive shafts. How tricky are these to replace ?

Also - the car has developed recently a bottom end engine rattle that Im guessing has been getting slowly worse. I havent heard it at all until recently. It almost sounds like a chain rattling and only occurs around 1500-2000 rpm and some times at tick over. Im sort of hoping its related to the reduced transmission oil leak from the drave shaft seals.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[DAVES_GT3]

I have an oil leak under the car. When I trace it Im almost certain the leak is coming from the drive shafts. How tricky are these to replace ?

Also - the car has developed recently a bottom end engine rattle that Im guessing has been getting slowly worse. I havent heard it at all until recently. It almost sounds like a chain rattling and only occurs around 1500-2000 rpm and some times at tick over. Im sort of hoping its related to the reduced transmission oil leak from the drave shaft seals. 

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi again carl

knocking may be engine mountings or gearbox mountings maybe? should be straight forward to check.

drive shaft oil seals i dont know what are like to fit but i have mine replaced by a specalist in july and i thing cost about

[s4simon]

You sure the rattling isn't the EBPV cable thingy that goes loose once the car has warmed up (and vibrates at certain revs). Mine used to rattle (embarassingly) at around the 2000rpm mark and also at idle. Got so fed up with it that I ripped the dang thing out and put in one of those spacers.

[DAVES_GT3]

You sure the rattling isn't the EBPV cable thingy that goes loose once the car has warmed up (and vibrates at certain revs).  Mine used to rattle (embarassingly) at around the 2000rpm mark and also at idle.  Got so fed up with it that I ripped the dang thing out and put in one of those spacers. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good point.

what sort of a rattle/clunk is it carl?

maybe it could be incorectly set wastegate?

dave

[CarlC]

hi again carl

knocking may be engine mountings or gearbox mountings maybe? should be straight forward to check.

drive shaft oil seals i dont know what are like to fit but i have mine replaced by a specalist in july and i thing cost about

[DAVES_GT3]

I expected my seals to be sorted when my car was in a for a service a few months ago. They appear to have replace the gear box seals but obviously not the drive shaft seals while the engine was out.

The engine mounts were done at the same time but the rattle seems more like some thing fairly small. I get the problem in and out of gear and If I accelerate I get the noise upto about 2000 rpm.

Thanks for the suggestions - ill check them out anyway just in case.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sounds like it could be loose wastegate.

try moving the actuatoe bar with your hand. if you can feel it is loose then tha is your problem.

although i had that problem but i couldnt feel that it was loose. it was rattling internally. but id theck /adjust that to start with.

dave

[CarlC]

You sure the rattling isn't the EBPV cable thingy that goes loose once the car has warmed up (and vibrates at certain revs).  Mine used to rattle (embarassingly) at around the 2000rpm mark and also at idle.  Got so fed up with it that I ripped the dang thing out and put in one of those spacers. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats a bloody good point ! I remounted the exhaust ebpv & cat at the weekend and Im not sure if the noise was there before. I stripped the ebpv right down to the core with the just the outer case and the butterfly valve left to remount. I then tightly and securely wired this open. I couldnt get any movement from it when i tested it on the vice. But its worth a check. Other than this there is nothing left on the ebpv.

[CarlC]

sounds like it could be loose wastegate.. .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've had this before and Ive corrected this previously. But your on the right lines with the sound. My rattle sounds like its underneath the car but its a similar noise to which a loose waste gate makes.

But ill double check this again.

[DAVES_GT3]

I've had this before and Ive corrected this previously. But your on the right lines with the sound. My rattle sounds like its underneath the car but its a similar noise to which a loose waste gate makes.

But ill double check this again.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you could also check the stainless steel heat sheild that is right behind the turbo. i.e: fixed to the back of the boot wall if that makes sense

dave

[CarlC]

you could also check the stainless steel heat sheild that is right behind the turbo. i.e: fixed to the back of the boot wall if that makes sense

dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good suggestion. And again thats the sort of sound where talking about. But I know its not that heat sheild as I've only recently remounted that and its solid.

But I will add this to my check list, just in case !

[s4simon]

This is the bit on the EBPV that causes all the racket. It just vibrates at certain revs. The problem is you can't be certain until your under there and it's making the racket.

[CarlC]

This is the bit on the EBPV that causes all the racket.

Edited September 25, 2005 by CarlC

[lotus4s]

Hi Carl,

After reading this thread along with the other one it sounds like your problem is probably not the gearbox at all. (Whew!)

Along with the other things mentioned try checking the motor mount heat shields under the manifold. They will create a "tinny buzz" at low rpms as you describe. Look for two pieces too close together that might touch each other as they vibrate.

I also had an annoying rattle once that turned out to be a loose bolt on the muffler mount.

Jim

[CarlC]

Jim

That sounds spot on! I wouldnt be at all suprised if it turns out to be a bolt or screw loose. Sounds about right to me

Ill check the heat sheilds and all the other great suggestions tomorrow morning and report back.

Thanks to everyone for there ideas. Its always nice to nail a rattle!