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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: thai-wronghorse on 25 August 2012, 01:25

Title: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 25 August 2012, 01:25
Over the course of the past week my car seems to have developed an annoying resonance from under the bonnet. At first i thought it was the heatshield around the front pipe but after closer inspection and a fresh jubilee clip around it not much changed in sound. Today it appeared to be louder so i thought i get the local exhaust monkeys to check it out on the ramp but they weren't convinced it was the front pipe after all and when they popped the bonnet it seemed to be more prominent from the offside of the engine bay, top end more so. I was advised to see if it was any of the auxiliary belts or pulleys by running it without them fitted momentarily, which I did once home which made absolutely no difference which has now left me stumped tbh as i was convinced it was the front pipe. It was suggested to me that it might be the cambelt or tensioner but i personally changed both of these about a year ago so i really wouldn't have thought it was them.
Would a cracked manifold make a resonating / whirring noise?  :undecided:


I tried to capture the noise on my phone but it's made my engine sound like a motorcross bike for some odd reason.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/23/2sflvqkitcqudcxupmbgmc.mp4/
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: 16valver dan on 25 August 2012, 01:31
i get that when downshifting into first like a whirring but then again it could be anything knowing my car it likes to keep me guessing
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 25 August 2012, 07:08
f**k!
That's no Cambelt tensioner

Have you started it with cam belt cover off?

Sounds internal to me. I would take the rocker off and inspect
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 25 August 2012, 08:28
The cambelt cover was the first thing I took off and I'm inclined to agree that I may well be internal now.  :sick:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 25 August 2012, 08:54
Could be warn out tappet or something valve related.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 25 August 2012, 09:15
Could be mate, Its due for an oil change anyway so I'm going to flush it out and refill and see what I'm left with.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: twotwofour on 25 August 2012, 10:05
Mines only an 8v but has made a similar sound in the past. I put some good quality oil in it with cleaners etc in it and the noise stopped. I suspect it was a follower not functioning correctly due to it being caked with years of crud. The cheaper oil not having the detergents in it was just adding to the problem.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 25 August 2012, 12:32
How old is the oil and how many miles has it done?
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Screech16v on 25 August 2012, 17:59
Sounds like $hit,bit of top end rattle there mate ,worn followers and cam to me,do the cam lobes look scratched up and discoloured?
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Wayne on 25 August 2012, 20:44
That does not sound healthy, sounds top end related
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 August 2012, 19:38
Well what should have been a simple enough task turned into an absolute ballache, on attempting to change the oil and filter the sump plug decided otherwise and sheared off which now means a new sump pan is required before I can progress with anything else.  :angry:

Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 28 August 2012, 19:48
They don't need to be that tight  :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 August 2012, 20:27
I know, f**k knows why it was so tight as i had it out last year and i remember only pinching it up although it was never in good condition from when i got it from the previous owner so it's my own fault for not replacing it last time. I even tried whacking an Irwin bolt extractor on the remaining stub but all that did was fracture the alloy pan around it - meh!  :undecided:

That aside, I'm starting to think it might be the cam chains - How big a job is it to replace these?















Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Wayne on 28 August 2012, 20:47

That aside, I'm starting to think it might be the cam chains - How big a job is it to replace these?


The cam chain is easy enough to replace.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Screech16v on 28 August 2012, 20:53
I dont think you should tackle cam chain if you cant undo a sump plug   :lipsrsealed:










 :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 28 August 2012, 21:04
 :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:


Pretend the cam is worn and you need to upgrade
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 August 2012, 21:11
Cheeky f**k*r!  :grin:

Actually now I've thought about it more i doubt the main noisy culprit is the cam chain as they're on the passenger side of the head and the noise is more prominent from the cambelt / driver end...hmm, maybe i had a sh!te tensioner last time then?  :undecided:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 August 2012, 21:12
:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:


Pretend the cam is worn and you need to upgrade

In an ideal world maybe but funds are seriously tight at the moment and im more concerned at stopping the b@stard from going bang right now.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Screech16v on 28 August 2012, 21:26
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMETECH-CAR-ENGINE-RESTORER-Oil-Treatment-Additive-400ml-can-for-2-litre-engine-/261069133979?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item3cc8eed89b
 :grin:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 August 2012, 21:30
I think the only thing that oil treatment doesn't supposedly do is make the friggin tea!
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Screech16v on 28 August 2012, 21:34
im being serious ,ive used it before and it does make tea ,well boils the water at least  :grin:
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: Gavv8 on 28 August 2012, 21:35
I think the only thing that oil treatment doesn't supposedly do is make the friggin tea!
You'd be better off putting tea in the engine.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 29 August 2012, 15:13
Well after visiting 3 breaker yards and scouring the tinterweb I'm still hunting a replacement sump pan. I thought I'd ring the dealers today for a laugh... £176!!!!!  :shocked:

Does anyone know why the ABF has an alloy sump pan instead of  a  much cheaper steel one that is used on the mk3 8v and all the mk1's and mk2's? Is it a heat dissipating thing?

This is the only one I've seen that might be of use on eBay which is a baffled steel one, unless the standard steel ones fit as well?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-GTI-1-8-2-0-G60-8V-16V-ABF-2E-KR-9A-PB-BAFFLED-SUMP-/120962485048?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c29ed0b38 

Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: twotwofour on 29 August 2012, 16:42
How bad is the crack?

If its ally I'd be tempted to to get it welded or use chemical metal to seal the crack. Drill the old plug out then run a tap down it to clean the thread. Perhaps a nutsert if required. The welding might cost you £20?
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 29 August 2012, 21:14
Yeah I know it could be repaired, especially as I'm a welder and fabricator by trade. The problem is I'm not geared up for alu work and I can't have the car off the road really whilst someone else sorts it out.
A straight swap replacement would make life so much easier in this instance. Now I've read more into it would seem I can fit an 8v sump pan on there. I'll see if I can find a cheap one and beef it up with some 5mm plate and stick some baffles inside it for good measure.
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 30 September 2012, 00:19
Progress!..albeit a month later as i've barely touched it since and have just been using my work van instead as im been too busy, skint and / or it's been raining so the opportunity to get out fettling hasn't arisen.
I ended up taking it too my workshop today where i managed to sand the remains of the sump plug off and then drill it out to allow the drainage of the sh!tty old engine oil before whipping the sump pan off so that i could drill it out properly, re-tap a fresh sump plug in and give it a bloody good scrub up!
New oil and filter followed which has smoothed things out a touch but didn't remove that horrible noise so further investigations ensued on all the moving parts on the offside of the engine.
With both belts removed completely I eventually pin-pointed it to the water pump bearings which is odd considering i replaced the pump about 18 months ago when I did the cambelt and major service. Must have been a cheap sh!t component but this aside at least i can rest assured my head isn't tw@tted now.  :smiley:

Something else i did pick up on whilst beneath the car whilst it was running was the faint and irregular rattle coming from the nearside end of the gearbox, behind the square end cover plate Im guessing? Any ideas?
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: tweed on 30 September 2012, 08:00
Wouldn't that be your cam chain?
Title: Re: Name that tune?
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 30 September 2012, 11:50
Camchain inside my gearbox?  :huh: