Technical The Rattle Returns Part 1

[MadMan0]

Kwick Fit

Need i say more?

Posted a few months ago about this rattling, it was anoying and didnt really make much difference. The rattle sounded like the exuast and was only there at low Rpm - idle or lower and only when the engine was under strain. so moving off from just the clutch, it you Drove it normally it was there but only untill engine stopped shaking the exsuast.

Now though, after once again someone else drove my car. . .
the rattle is ALOT louder and has become more violent and banging - again sounds like its from the exsaust middle section near the CAT - which was replaced by the evil works of the Kwick Fit garage

Only big difference between befor and now - besides the change in sound - is that this happens at idle while the engine is NOT under strain. i.e not in gear just turned on :bang:

There is also now clear damage to a sheild by the CAT showing signs of being hit Billions of times in the same place by a brackets that Kwick Fit fitted with the New CAT

Has anyone else had similar problems? Just the exsaust or something worse?

 

[MikeSalt]

If it is happening at idle, then that makes diagnosis so much easier. Jack up the car, support on axle stands, start her up and crawl under for a good look. Don't stay there too long if it is a still day since CO will build up. I suspect it is probably the cat shield; the spot welds that hold them on tend to rust.

 

[MadMan0]

cheers for Tip. just had a look and found that there is no rattle when I start the car. However when my dad starts the car i get black smoke out the back and the rattle

Any Ideas?

 

[MikeSalt]

Does your dad do the old-school thing of slightly pressing the accelerator when starting the car? I found that my mother was doing this to my car when she borrowed it, causing black smoke and occasional stalling. It is very much a carb-and-manual-choke habit, not needed in today's fuel-injected cars.

 

[MadMan0]

Yh it turns out, he was doing that
Shame it doesnt help on our carb '91 panda though - i think it has a fuel leak as tank has gone down from 3/8 to 0 in past week

 

[MadMan0]

Gearbox or exsaust?

The gear lever has started shaking abit in Netrual and makes a slight noise - not loud enough to be heard by parents or garage but i can hear it and it's stupidly anoying high pitched wearing noise - not very loud though.

To replace gearbox oil, manual says to have in on level ground. we only have two axle stands though.. Can anyone think of an everyday house hold item that can hold 2L of oil and be slid under the car - Not raised from the ground?
We dont get tined biscuits so we dont have a tin like that and walk up to shops isn't something i want to do

 

[MikeSalt]

Gearstick shake is more likely due to a bit of engine vibration. I wouldn't go dumping out the gearbox oil in a hurry, unless your mileage is a multiple of 80,000. To keep the car level though, find a car park with high kerbs. Reverse onto the kerb (using improvised ramps if necessary) and jack and axle-stand the front. But first, describe to us the noise whilst in neutral with the clutch pedal up and down.

 

[MadMan0]

Clutch Disenaged - No sound
Clutch Engaged Out of Gear - waring sound - like a spinning part lightly grinding agaist something.

The car is also somtimes differcult to get into 1st or revrse - I.e it will NOT go in. i have to spin the gears in netrual or put into 2nd before it will go in 1st - This happens mainly when gears are cold

 

[MikeSalt]

I would suggest that the clutch is probably on the way out (reverse and 1st have no synchromesh, so these are the first to show up symptoms). Chances are that the sound is the clutch slightly catching the input shaft bearing of the gearbox. Get the car driven by someone that can tell for sure (i.e. not Kwik Fit) before the clutch burrows through the input shaft seal and wrecks the gearbox.