thefletch

My engine/transmission has been making this noise for 18 months or so but now I'm driving the car more often it's starting to grind with me.
The sound is best described as a ticking noise as if the aux belt is wonky or a exhaust manifold blowing (although this is highly unlikely as the engine bay would smell and/or be dirty). It is directly related to engine speed (not car speed).
On the open road its hard to here but when besides a building, wall, another car, a barrier etc the sound reflects back and it super annoying. My gut feeling is that its the aux belt but i don't know how to check. I cant imagine its damaging or the damage would have shown itself or TGM spotted it on its major service.
I'll try and record it later.
Any ideas or advice?
Thanks in advance.

GaryB

Valve clearances?
Do you have an aftermarket exhaust manifold? These can "ping" a bit as they don't damp the sound like a cast manifold will.

Is it just at idle or rise with engine revs?

thefletch

I've never checked but have no reason to believe the manifold isn't stock. TGM did clearance on its major service last exhaust but the noise was there before and after this.

Joeh

Hello
There are a series of things which can make these kind of noises

TCT, valve clearance, big end bearings, aux idle wheel, noisy injector etc.

The best way to get it diagnosed is to bring it to a garage.

Where are you based?

Thanks

thefletch

All of those items sound expensive lol. I'm in Southampton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7galapsOo4 just found this clip (first result on google for "TCT engine" worryingly lol) and that definitely isn't how mine sounds. Can i check anything you've mentioned myself?

sbaylis

I have exactly the same noise, you described it absolutely perfectly, it's not major but it's been really bugging me! At first I through it was a valve problem, then I thought it was the exhaust blowing somewhere.

Took it into the garage and they said there's nothing wrong with it. They also adjusted my valve clearances (I got them done pretty tight) and since then the noise seems to have become slightly louder, which makes me think it's a valve issue. The frequency at which the 'ticking' occurs though would suggest it's only affecting one valve. Weird.

I'm coming to the conclusion that it might just be how the engine sounds. I don't have anything to compare it with.

thefletch

Hopefully I'll get a video of the noise later which, if it comes out clearly, should cure any ambiguity.

Thinking back to Joeh's reply, it can't be injectors because it does it on over run and under throttle.

Valve's does seems the obviously culprit but I would have thought having the clearances adjusted on the major service would mean its not a tapping issue?

Appreciate peoples input thanks.

GaryB

For the record, mine seems to be making a similar noise but I put it down to my pingy manifold and additional bonnet vents just making it more audible.

I was going to have a shufty around at the weekend when fitting my exhaust.

I initially thought it was valve clearances so adjusted mine last weekend but the noise remains.

Dembo

Same here. Hearing it bounce back when driving alongside a wall or whatever is exactly right.

I've done the TCT fix on mine, but having heard some proper TCT "card in spokes" noises it wasn't that, and adjusted the valve clearances which also for me seemed to make it slightly louder.

Just slightly noisy valves or injectors seems to be the consensus.

simonix

Just get an aftermarket exhaust system. Then you won't hear it any more!