I've got a clunky rattle coming from the alternator/pulley end of the engine (Multipla JTD 115 ELX 2003). I only get it on tickover, as soon as I lift the revs to about 1000rpm, abruptly the sound ceases (to paraphrase War of the Worlds).

Thought at first it was the dreaded rattle of Dual Mass Flywheel death, but it's deffo coming from the other end of the engine (a big sigh of relief there...)

The cambelt and pulleys were done a month ago when I bought the car so I'm fairly confident it's not that. Engine mounts look it good nick and nothing is obviously loose... I'm thinking it might be a pulley bearing or perhaps the alternator itself.

Anyone experienced anything similar?

Also and tenuously related(!), do you find that the JTD engine needs at least 1200-1500 revs to pull away cleanly without threatening to stall?

I've got plenty of power once up and running but does need a few revs to pull away cleanly.

I've driven a few TDs that won't pull away cleanly with low revs. I used to drive a Focus TD work pool car that would stall unless you gave it a fair chunk of revs. Ditto a Vectra 1.9 CDTI (essentially the same engine as the JTD, so I hear)

This compares with a normally aspirated Citroen AX 1.4 that I learned to drive in back in 1992, which would pull away cleanly from tickover. I know that older normally aspirated diesels have a totally different power curve to modern TDs, which are far more like petrol engines to drive. Also the AX only weighed about the same as a bag of sugar, so I'm clearly not comparing like with like here!

What are people's experiences? Would be interesting to hear what's 'normal'.

check front crank pulley by removing alternator belt,if knocking goes, most likely needs new pulley........

Thanks Multipete - I'll give it a try and let you know if it helps. If I get rid of that rattle, there'll be no strange noises left to investigate and fix, for now...

The aux belt tensioner can go as well (£30).

Feeling fairly confident that its coming from somewhere in that pulley infested area. I suppose it's like chasing shadows locating a noise like that. It's only a minor annoyance at the moment but I should be able to get it fixed on the warranty.

Just checked my gearbox oil level, which was a bit low - I've got a small leak from the box at one of the joints - nothing too serious - just need to keep an eye on the level from time to time.

Just had the same problem last week, also the rattle came up on full lock (power steering straining?) and with the aircon on.
Local dealership diagnosed the crankshaft pulley (it's one of these metal-rubber-metal sandwiches) and fitted a new one for £180 (parts were £75 or so)
Not only has the rattle at tickover stopped, but what I though was clutch judder pulling away disappeared. The car feels better than it has for a long time - in retrospect...

You wouldn't happen to have a diagram of this area showing which pulley is which would you??

I've identified the main crank pulley (the rubber/metal one at the bottom, which seems to be in good nick following a good look/feel around) and the alternator one is obvious (erm, like, on the end of the alternator!). There's a small plastic one at the top which I assume is a tensioner or idler, because it's got it's back to ribbed part of the belt. There's also another of similar size lower down near the back next to a larger pulley which I assume powers the steering.

Haynes manual, where are you?!!

You want me to pop the aux belt off for you ?did mine the other day puttin the cam covers back on .
Three minute job, then you can feel the offending pulleys and also run the engine and see if the noise has gone.

I think my local garage identified the rattle by spraying a bit of WD40 on each pulley one at a time. When it briefly stopped rattling, that was the one that needed changing.

I'd be much obliged - give me a shout when you're free (and it's not p,p,persisting down!!)

Im just lookin after the kiddies at the mo while the missus goes to the little uns school evening, ill post back.

Still up for it?

The black wheel is what i suspect is the noise.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/F...80&1&d98ded9d71e5c3a364298eb34a8881cca25fe7bd

Just got your message now. I'll give you a shout tomorrow or Sunday if you're free. Cheers.

JTDman said:

The black wheel is what i suspect is the noise.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/F...80&1&d98ded9d71e5c3a364298eb34a8881cca25fe7bd

Click to expand...

Great link by the way - really useful and big stock of Multi parts. Thanks.

Ive only just noticed them doing the multi myself after hearing they were doing a few of the Alfa's.

Want to do it now?:idea:

Finally got around to whipping the aux belt off - the result - silence. Further investigation points to a worn tensioner pulley. It wobbles like a bugger when on tickover and feels like there's no grease left in the bearing when you take the belt off. I've put a few drops of 3in1 oil and it's a lot quieter. That'll do until I get a new tensioner from eurocarparts.

Once again, this fantastic forum has saved me a fortune and a whole lot of time. Thanks all.