Strange metallic rattle

[Gashead1105]

Bit of an odd one this, it's clearly heat related but proving very hard to diagnose:

On a hot day (such as it was last weekend), after about 20 miles driving I have a rattle that develops in the engine bay - I think behind the driver. It very quickly becomes extremely loud. Its quite high pitched and zingy. I don't think it's the exhaust valve because opening and closing it has no impact in the noise.

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced similar? Hopefully going to take it to Hangar 111 later in week but the problem is that if it's cooler or raining the noise often doesn't appear.

On a separate, hopefully unrelated note, is it usual for the supercharger to sound like a bag of spanners at idle?!

[Spinney]

I had this same noise on mine shortly after an annual service, which became worse when hot but then disappeared when it rained. The noise was coming from behind me, seemingly from the bulkhead and was driving me crazy, completely spoiling the drive every time I used the car. 

I took the car back to where it had been serviced and they had it up on the ramps to discover the rear undertray fixing screws were all slightly loose! They obviously hadn't been properly tightened when the tray was replaced after the service. It was a real pleasure to drive the car home afterwards and the noise hasn't returned.

Would be worth checking these out.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Spinney

[Gashead1105]

Interesting information, thanks Brett. I had it over to Hangar 111 yesterday and Greg thought it wounded like there was a heat shield contacting the engine somewhere. However, I know Dave reads these forums so hopefully @Hangar 111 will pick this up and have a check. The car was serviced only a few weeks ago for the first annual service and the noise has reappeared since, but I don't know if the undertray would have come off at that time - suppose it would have done when the oil was changed...

Edited June 9, 2016 by Gashead1105

[Hangar 111]

5 minutes ago, Gashead1105 said:

Interesting information, thanks Brett. I had it over to Hangar 111 yesterday and Greg thought it wounded like there was a heat shield contacting the engine somewhere. However, I know Dave reads these forums so hopefully @Hangar 111 will pick this up and have a check. The car was serviced only a few weeks ago for the first annual service and the noise has reappeared since, but I don't know if the undertray would have come off at that time - suppose it would have done when the oil was changed...

I'm just about to make a start on your car...  Will check, they would have been off for the service, but you can normally tell an undertray rattle/buzz after you've driven a few!

Dave

[Gashead1105]

1 hour ago, Hangar 111 said:

I'm just about to make a start on your car...  Will check, they would have been off for the service, but you can normally tell an undertray rattle/buzz after you've driven a few!

Dave

Thanks Dave. Greg didn't mention yesterday that he thought it was an undertray buzz, he thought something was expanding to make contact with the engine somewhere...

[Spinney]

Any update on what the noise is/was? Mine was a kind of creaking metallic noise, if that makes sense and was particularly noticeable when I came on or off the power. 

[Hangar 111]

Sorted one of the roof creaking noises that Will had.  Still working on the other one - progressively dismantling the car until it goes away!

Dave

[Gashead1105]

1 hour ago, Hangar 111 said:

Sorted one of the roof creaking noises that Will had.  Still working on the other one - progressively dismantling the car until it goes away!

Dave

Good stuff Dave, do you think you will have it back together by tomorrow?! And more importantly, please cure the rattle! 

[Hangar 111]

Stand by your phone, Will...

[mcx]

8 hours ago, Hangar 111 said:

Stand by your phone, Will...

Oh the suspense... 

 

 

What was the noise?

[Spinney]

I can't stand not knowing!

[PhilS]

Mine suffered from this too - in my case it was on of the heat shields, and fixing it seems to be a matter of trial an error: bend a bit, go for drive, repeat as needed. It was completely sorted at the time. But has come back a little now - not enough to warrant a separate trip, but something to add to the list for next service.

 

[Gashead1105]

well, it seems to be fixed. Drove it back from H111 and the noise didn't reappear. Roof seems sorted. The specific metallic noise seems to have been related to the bulkhead and certain heat shields and/or plastic pannels rattling against it. Dave has done various bits of tinkering and seems to have sorted it. Only done about 30 miles today, but its quite warm so would have happened previously...