HELP !!! Loud clatter from cam cover area.

artiedtke · Jan 14th, 2012, 15:25

No doubt youve seen my previous posts about the aux belt tensioner which I thought was causing a loud clatter at idle speed, or anything below 1500rpms.

UNTIL.... I have just taken off the aux belt and ran the engine without it, and the clatter is STILL THERE !!!!!

So it is nothing on the aux belt setup that is causing it.

It sounds like it is coming from the top end of the engine, left hand side, around the cam cover area.

It is intermittant at idle speed, sounds a bit like the brake vacuum pump that is common on these but much much louder. Also the sound does not dissapear when the brake pedal is pumped so this rules out it being the vaccum pump pushrod ???

Noise dissapears when the revs are brought up to about 1600rpm and held.

Is there anything within the cambelt cover area that can possibly make this kind of noise, i mean all thats there is the crank, cam and a tensioner and belt correct me if im wrong ???

The only other thing i can think of is that it is injector related ??? On a diesel when the fuel ignites it makes a clatter sound, it is very similar to this sound i am experiencing but louder.

I have recently started using 2-stroke oil in the fuel as an experiment, engine runs much smoother etc. this could this be causing an injector issue ??

I have taken some vids, but the sound is not apparent on them when played so i dont think this will help, however I will upload them when I have time.

All ideas appreciated. Thanks.

artiedtke · Jan 20th, 2012, 19:38

For information, this was the sound of a loose timing belt clattering against the cover. Lucky it hadnt snapped !!!

My local garage is replacing the belt and tensioner, along with the pump belt idler and tensioner.

As a precaution I am also having the water pump replaced as I have no record of this being done on the car.

My mechanic has also found a leak from the bottom crank oil seal. I am told that in order to sort this and replace the seal, that the oil pump needs to be removed, and in order to do this, the sump needs to be dropped/refitted with a new gasket kit.

Obviously Oils and Coolants are being replaced at the same time.

The car is a complete writeoff !!!!!!!!!!

Jan 14th, 2012, 15:25	#1
artiedtke Just one more thing... Last Online: Jul 10th, 2020 14:44 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Wales	HELP !!! Loud clatter from cam cover area. No doubt youve seen my previous posts about the aux belt tensioner which I thought was causing a loud clatter at idle speed, or anything below 1500rpms. UNTIL.... I have just taken off the aux belt and ran the engine without it, and the clatter is STILL THERE !!!!! So it is nothing on the aux belt setup that is causing it. It sounds like it is coming from the top end of the engine, left hand side, around the cam cover area. It is intermittant at idle speed, sounds a bit like the brake vacuum pump that is common on these but much much louder. Also the sound does not dissapear when the brake pedal is pumped so this rules out it being the vaccum pump pushrod ??? Noise dissapears when the revs are brought up to about 1600rpm and held. Is there anything within the cambelt cover area that can possibly make this kind of noise, i mean all thats there is the crank, cam and a tensioner and belt correct me if im wrong ??? The only other thing i can think of is that it is injector related ??? On a diesel when the fuel ignites it makes a clatter sound, it is very similar to this sound i am experiencing but louder. I have recently started using 2-stroke oil in the fuel as an experiment, engine runs much smoother etc. this could this be causing an injector issue ?? I have taken some vids, but the sound is not apparent on them when played so i dont think this will help, however I will upload them when I have time. All ideas appreciated. Thanks. __________________ '98 V40 2.0T B4204T - died... '96 855 2.5 TDI D5252T - 255,000 miles "Diesel without turbo is like a woman without boobs... sure you can drive it, but there's always something missing."

Jan 20th, 2012, 19:38	#2
artiedtke Just one more thing... Last Online: Jul 10th, 2020 14:44 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Wales	For information, this was the sound of a loose timing belt clattering against the cover. Lucky it hadnt snapped !!! My local garage is replacing the belt and tensioner, along with the pump belt idler and tensioner. As a precaution I am also having the water pump replaced as I have no record of this being done on the car. My mechanic has also found a leak from the bottom crank oil seal. I am told that in order to sort this and replace the seal, that the oil pump needs to be removed, and in order to do this, the sump needs to be dropped/refitted with a new gasket kit. Obviously Oils and Coolants are being replaced at the same time. The car is a complete writeoff !!!!!!!!!! __________________ '98 V40 2.0T B4204T - died... '96 855 2.5 TDI D5252T - 255,000 miles "Diesel without turbo is like a woman without boobs... sure you can drive it, but there's always something missing."

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