Sounds like big ends?

[rickvw72]

My 1991 16v has a rattling noise from the engine, most prominent when you change gear at high revs, almost as the engine slows a little. Also the car does it if you rev it hard at idle.
This noise has always been there, and in the last week ive done 600 miles and i'd have thought if it was the big ends the engine would have gone in a big way by now! So just wondering if there is any other things to check?
Cheers

[nealey]

I had a similar problem on my 8v, turned out to be the cambelt tensioner rattling

[wriggley]

my big end went and it made no noise prior to about a mile before it seized it started making the typical bottomend shell bearing noise the seized i stripped it and they were fubar

[tobz.]

It will be the camchain tensioner, quite a common fault on the 16v engine once it's covered 120k+ miles. The engine has a belt that drives one of the cams then a chain that drives the second cam off the first.
Big ends are more of a knocking noise that is most prominent when the engine is under light load.

[rickvw72]

I'm thinking its the chain as the cars still running fine after about 1200 miles now! Cant see any reference to a chain tensioner in the haynes manual though?

[danny_p]

it's not likely going to be big ends that for sure,  chances are one woudl have walked by now  or the oil light would be flickering at least