2.3 rattle

[gtdog]

My lovely cab has started making a godawfull rattling sound, most common when cold and using the low gears to slow down.
It is a 1993 2.3 5cylinder with 117k showing.
I am not too scared as I have a good few months of warantee, but I would like an idea of what to sugest the garage look for!

Any advice would be warmly welcomed...

All the best,
Gtdog

[scotty33]

Maybe the catalyst is beaking up/loose inside?

[gtdog]

Sadly not, a new cat was fitted a month ago, the noise only occours when the engine is cold and engine breaking using the gears.
It is getting worse!

[Siena]

Possibly hydraulic tappets.

Does the rattle alter with load / no load?

[gtdog]

Thanks for your reply,
It rattles
a) when cold and engine braking using the gears, and
b) when free reving again cold, never when warm or under load.

I am tempted to give it an oil flush to see if it makes any difference!

I thought of tappets, but that is a light tapping sound guaging from past experience with my old Volswagens, this is more of a knocking, unless others know otherwise.

Followers has been suggested, but I have no knowledge of these or signs to look for.

[scotty33]

The followers are the hydraulic tappets. Only other thing I can suggest is the vacuum pump? This device is prone to knocking/tapping - I've never heard one but apparently it sounds a lot like tappet noise? BUT the pump is likely to be quiet at idle, then become noisy at approx 2000rpm.
It is only 2 bolts to remove the pump from the engine, you can then remove the actuator rod from inside, bolt the pump back on. If all is quiet, the pump is your problem - most people do not notice any difference to the braking without a working pump.

[gtdog]

That sounds like an idea, but I guess the noise is half knock and half rattle, it realy sounds like a large lomp of somethink banging something else.
The real bugger is that the garages I have approached will only take the job on if I pay them directly then persue the warantee company myself for the payment.

Is this normal?

[gtdog]

The followers are the hydraulic tappets. Only other thing I can suggest is the vacuum pump? This device is prone to knocking/tapping - I've never heard one but apparently it sounds a lot like tappet noise? BUT the pump is likely to be quiet at idle, then become noisy at approx 2000rpm.
It is only 2 bolts to remove the pump from the engine, you can then remove the actuator rod from inside, bolt the pump back on. If all is quiet, the pump is your problem - most people do not notice any difference to the braking without a working pump.

There is an item I am assuming to be the vac pump that makes a constant ticking noise when the engine is running, but it is not my mystery rattle/knocking!

[gtdog]

It would appear that it may be the big end!

[gtdog]

I have just got the old car back after having new shells put in, it was the big ends, now all fixed!
Just in time for the winter!!!