Technical Rattling noise when not started for a few days.

[tonycharente]

My 2020 Panda makes a rattling noise when not started for a few days. The rattle goes away after a second or two. The oil level is spot on. Any ideas, please?
Cheers
Tony

 

[The Panda Nut]

Petronas is #1 choice for Mercedes (F1), it's no doubt a high quality oil.
Petronas is branding some of it's Syntium grades as Selenia, and that's the #1 oil for Alfa and Abarth.....
You can't get much better.
The Quantum oil you mentioned, is a rather unknown brand in the world of motoring, in fact it's not available in Holland where I live, and I've never heard of it....???
(Btw, Euro 6 engines need C2, not C3....( Petronas Syntium 7000E 0W30 is C2, so maybe you used the wrong quality oil after all...??)

I shall check, but I believe all my 1.2s are Euro 5. The TA runs on Syntium I am sure you are right about the quality. The more I think of what occurred the more I suspect I was sold something that was not a genuine product. As I throw away the containers after use I shall nebver know. I imagine Aldi are well enough connected to avoid fake products but crooks are so clever these days. I will never knowi I do know the eine as happier on its new oil than anything I have ever run in it or its predecessors, Thats over a total of 25,000 miles of Panda ownership, As with all things experiences vary. Once I find something that works well I stick with it. It sounds like you are the same, I wish I had sent a sample of that bad oil for analysis. it would have been worth the cost to know what occurred and if the oil was as described on the bottles. I normally buy in bulk but was lured by price to buying in litre bottles which may have a bearing.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Petronas is #1 choice for Mercedes (F1), it's no doubt a high quality oil.
Petronas is branding some of it's Syntium grades as Selenia, and that's the #1 oil for Alfa and Abarth.....
You can't get much better.
The Quantum oil you mentioned, is a rather unknown brand in the world of motoring, in fact it's not available in Holland where I live, and I've never heard of it....???
(Btw, Euro 6 engines need C2, not C3....( Petronas Syntium 7000E 0W30 is C2, so maybe you used the wrong quality oil after all...??)

Hi Peter. Quantum is a brand made for the TPS Volkswagen group spares organization and mostly sold through their trade outlets - but sometimes comes up on ebay I've noticed. The Quantum brand used to be made by Castrol but some time ago they changed to Fuchs - So the Quantum brand is now produced for them by Fuchs. I've used Quantum in the past in family VAG products - SEAT and Skoda - with very satisfactory results - at that time I think it would have been Castrol producing it. probably about 4 or 5 years ago I ordered a lot of parts for our 169 1.2 Panda when I was rebuilding the front suspension and at the same time ordered a service pack for the car - so oil and air filters, spark plugs, engine oil etc. Usual stuff for an annual service. The oil which came with it was Petronas and right away I noticed that she rattled her tappets after a cold start much more - about twice as long - than she had been doing on the the oil which I'd drained out. Other than that she seemed fine on it. However I didn't like it so changed it after a short while for my favourite Fuchs Titan GT1 5W-40 and immediately the cold start rattle was reduced to just a few taps - which seems usual with these engines (I've owned half a dozen with the FIRE engine). Solid tappets by the way. I know Petronas is a big name "quality" product but it's not that common to find it in trade factors up here so I've not had much to do with it. However that experience put me off and, as I've had such excellent service with the Fuchs product I go out of my way to source it now.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

For flat tappets, you need an oil that contains enough Zinc, ZDDP.
I recently changed the oil in my '83 Alfa GTV-6 with 2.5L Busso engine.
Always used Castrol Synthetic in almost 40 years of owning this car.
As modern oils contains (almost) no ZDDP anymore, I changed, (after a long search) to mineral Eurol Classic oil, ZDDP fortified.
Engine is much more quiet now.
When we bought our Giulietta MultiAir new in 2016, Castrol didn't have the correct C2 oil, so I used the recommended, expensive Selenia oil instead.
When I found that Petronas Syntium 700E was the EXCACT same oil ( confirmed in emails I got from the Dutch Petronas importer), I switched to Petronas.
And since three years I use it in the Panda TwinAir as well.
As both engines don't use flat tappets, ZDDP is not important anymore.
I have some stock Petrones left, but when it's gone, I'll use Castrol Magnatec with great confidence, being a huge Castrol, fan and user since more than 50 years now...
Btw, it's always possible to add some ZDDP to modern oil...
It's sold in small bottles.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

It's in 10W40 form available too...

Btw, Fuchs is a small German company, wouldn't be surprised it to be just rebranded Castrol, as Castrol has a large synthetic oil producing plant in Hamburg...

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

It's in 10W40 form available too...

Btw, Fuchs is a small German company, wouldn't be surprised it to be just rebranded Castrol, as Castrol has a large synthetic oil producing plant in Hamburg...

Thanks for your last three posts Peter, all very interesting stuff. I find your comments regarding Fuchs especially interesting when you consider that Castrol was the brand supplying the Quantum oil before they changed to Fuchs - I wonder now if there's some commercial slight of hand going on there? Anyway, whether it's actually Castrol but under another brand name, or not, I'm very pleased with it. I like the Castrol product too but have been put off, not by it's quality, but because they started supplying it in 4 litre containers at around the same price that other top quality brands were shipping in 5 litre packs. I must qualify that by saying I haven't actually looked at Castrol for a few years now so I admit I'm not quite up to date with their current position/marketing.

ZDDP? Zinc additives seem to have caused a lot of problems with Catalytic convertors etc which probably explains why they are not much used today. Of course they were at the heart of the GL4/GL5 transmission oil problems which damaged synchros and yellow metal bushings if you put a GL5 in a box designed for GL4.

I've not seen the Eurol brand over here, either in local small outlets, Factors, or chains like Halfords. Another wee bit of information for me to look into - thank you.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

ZDDP is not recommended for catalyst equiped engines indeed.
Luckily my AR GTV-6 doesn't have a cat....

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

My TA engined Panda stands for ages between being used, as witnessed by the fact it is June 2018 registered and with under 13000 miles. I have had it from new. (Absolutely super little car but we do most of our mileage now in the Camper van with either a motorbike or scooter carried) Motorbikes still used regularly, though the blooming things get heavier every time I wheel them out of the workshop, and my wife's car is easier to get at on the drive. maybe "Old age and poverty "as my dear old Mum used to say
Started Panda up today after a 3 week plus, rest and there was virtually NO rattle from tappets
I have used Castrol Magnatec oil after first (dealer) oil change, with some doubt as to what oil they changed to. They could not (or would not) tell me what oil they used, and needless to say they don't do anything for me now.
Magnatec Stop/start 0W--30 C2 in my TA does not seem to degrade or discolour, and I have only ever bought it at discounted prices, and mostly from Halfords (still 4 litre cans though.)
Incidentally I disable Stop/Start and my battery is still the original, though it does get a booster charge from time to time , when I remember to do it.

On an entirely different note, whilst cycling The Camel Trail in Cornwall recently we stopped in Wadebridge and I picked up a "Create your own. GIANT PANDA HEAD"! kit to be made from cardboard flat pack. "Wadebridge Panda" now peers out of the back whilst leaning against the middle seat head rest.
Looks great and I'll try and post a pic, when I remember to do it.

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

Wadebridge Panda!!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Wadebridge Panda!!

Now that rather appeals to me. My daughter would love it as would my youbgest granddaughter. D'you think the "boys in blue" might not be so happy though - obstructed view?

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

At the Dutch Ikea they sell a stuffed panda, fits perfectly behind the small, rear side window, will post a picture later...

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

Jock. It is same size as the middle headrest so obscures no more than that.
I bought it in a novelty shop , but I think it comes from
CLOCKWORK SOLDIER
THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
CLARENDON RD.
LONDON N22 6XJ about £12.50 but a bit of a b----r to put together

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

Jock
Your daughter and grandaughter WILL love it but I pretty well guarantee YOU will be putting it together.
And a pair of longish strong tweezers will help.
Finally IF you put "Wadebridge Panda" in the back of your Panda, disconnect the cords that raise the boot cover with the rear door, or you may dismantle Panda shortly after you have "mantled" him!!