Rattle

[jaygee]

My son has a mk 3 16v R reg.The car runs superbly exept for one annoying problem which I' m hoping one of you gents can help with.

When there are 4 people in the car there is a rattling from underneath of the car ,exactly the same as if the exhaust pipe is knocking on the underneath.
When the car has covered about a mile from cold the rattle stops, ie  when it warms up a bit.

The car will then run perfectly until it is left for a couple of hours and cools down ,then the rattle returns .If its left for only an hour or so theres no rattle.

We've had a look at the exhaust and it appears all secure and firm.

It may not be the exhaust, tyres and springs seem o.k..I just can't understand why it only happens when it's first started and with passengers in the back..any ideas appreciated..THANKS

[vr4000d]

   all i could think of is heatshied?  unless its the internalsl of the exhaust.

[clipstone]

Heat shield rattled on my old mk3 and on my new one!!

Eventually fell off the old one and seemed to caused no detriment, to the point where I am considering pulling the one of my new 'un too!

[Dom Mk3]

sounds like something exhausty as it goes away when it warms up. Only happen when the car is loaded?

[Bazzer]

<Janice from Friends voice>

OH MY GOD...

</janice>

I've got the same problem - but I thought it might be a pulley  Think I will take a trip to the local stealership when I need an oil change....

BUT - does anyone have a pic or more instructions about looking at the heatshield? I know my mk2 had one that I pulled off but I can't remember it being all that easy cos it was cramped.... And the injun bay here looks a little more crowded from the back...

[Overseer]

- check your exhaust really is fixed securely..

- check that any U bolts on the exhaust arent in a position where they could cause a knock

- check the thin aluminium sheild above the exhaust is fixed

- check the plastic plate to the right of it under the spare wheel well..


i've had the U bolt knock and had the backbox snap off AND i've had the plastic plate i come half off while going along with a car full.... 6 months apart with the same dude following me.. weird huh!

[jaygee]

Thanks very much for the advice..seems like a trip to Kwik fit needed.

Bazzer .what" pulley " are you talking about?

[jaygee]

Bazzer..the heatshield we are talking about is at the rear end of the car above the silencer.It stops the heat of the exhaust/silencer transferring to the underneath of the car..it's not under the bonnet..

[Bazzer]

Pulley.... well there's about 25 of them under me bonnet!! Could be water pump, aircon pump, power steering pump, love pump, alternator or anything really....!

I thought you all meant the heatshield at the back of the manifold, on the firewall side... I know I ripped the bugger out of my mk2 engine....

[Overseer]

kwik fit? eurrrrrghhhhhhh ... never use a shoddy 'quick fit' type place for anything other than tyres.

kwik fit, national tyres etc.. = BAD! use a local independent specialist / back street type garage.. they wont mess about