Just cleaned my car. I fired it up just to move further down the drive and noticed it is sounding noticeably different on tick over.

It seems to be most noticable from standing at the front drivers side.

Best I can describe it is as a hollow puffing noise.

Ill see if I can get a video.

Any thoughts??

Sorry about the appalling quality - phone. From about 5 seconds in....

http://imageshack.us/clip/my-videos/405/zem.mp4/

Just got the father to take a listen. He doesn't really have any idea of what it could be, but agreed it sounded odd.

You can't seem to hear it standing from the passenger side of the car. You can't seem to hear it with your ear close to the engine. If you're standing just infront and on the drivers side of the engine bay you can hear it clearly (but again disappears when you put your head closer in to the engine bay!). You can hear it fairly clearly from listening at about where the stock intercooler should be.

It's 7000 miles since last service. He thinks maybe it is just a clogged air filter or something.

I'd say the sound occurs every other revolution...

It does sound like its coming from the intercooler side. What does it do when you put your foot on the accelerator?

It does sound like its coming from the intercooler side. What does it do when you put your foot on the accelerator?

I have an FMIC, so no SMIC is actually there...

It's hard to tell what's going on when on the accelerator. Normal engine noise sort of starts to take over.

I haven't driven it since Friday, but all last week it was driving fine. I've been taking it easy recently though (shocking!)

I'm actually a bit concerned now. My mother just reversed it up the drive to change cars around, and you can hear the noise quite clearly from a distance. It just doesn't sound right at all :(

Driven it about 10 miles to work this morning. Drives absolutely fine, though I didn't go over ~3000RPM it still pulls hard. I'm still getting the usual mpg according to the trip computer. I got out at work with it still running and the sound seems like it had disappeared, though there was a random very quiet clicking noise, which I think may be my clutch.

Maybe it is just another symptom of my clutch on its way out? Would never have thought it would make this kind of noise though. It sounded more like a pumping of air noise to me, where I would have thought a clutch noise would have been obviously metallic?

Cars make different noises all the time. If everything seems ok, just leave it be. If it gets worse then start looking.

I don't like it when it suddenly starts making a different noise. Last time I noticed a subtle noise change (but didn't think much of it), the the turbo went pop . Thus, I worry.

I'm going to top up the oil (it's about half way down the dip stick), and change the air filter today. And listen out when I get home after a run to see if it's still there, as I can't be sure it wasn't audible at work due to traffic noise.

Will let you know.

Thanks!

I topped up the oil on my lunch break. It only needed, what, about 0.3L over 7000 miles to bring it right back to the top of the stick.

The noise hadn't reappeared by the time I left work as far as I could tell. I've just arrived home and had a listen, and couldn't hear it at all.

However, with the clutch pedal at half way travel I did hear a very VERY similar noise, only much much quieter. You could only just hear it. So, I wonder if it is actually all just clutch related... my release bearing whirring noise also disappears when it's been driven for a few minutes, and it can't be coincidence that a very similar but quieter version of this new noise is apparent with halfway cluch pedal!

I suspect the noise will be back full force by tomorrow morning, and will disappear again by the time I get to work.

Sachs / Helix uprated clutch may be on the way very soon then! Currently trying to find the best price with OE DMF.

put car in neutral with engine running bring.the clutch up and if you hear a rattling/banging noise its mostly likely dmf worn. The more worn the louder it becomes untill eventually it will go bang and you will lose all drive even heard stories of the dmf taking a bit of the bell housing with it. Mine was noisey when it had been driven hard.

Also what power are you running you may find a smf agrees with your driving style abit more

Strangely the loud noise didn't return overnight. It had been sat for a couple of days before. Meh. The quiet version was still there though. And yes, the DMF is also making a quiet rattly/banging noise. I'm still convinced it was a strange clutch noise.

Clutch pedal fully pressed down - fine

Lifting foot off the clutch pedal, maybe 1/4 travel - DMF shaking itself to bits

Lifting foot off the clutch pedal, about 1/2 travel - Used to be a whirring noise, but now seems to be a quiet version of the noise in the video. A sort of rhythmic whoop / whomp sound (lols).

Clutch pedal fully up - fine

No intention of going SMF. The rattle would drive me mad

Looking at Sachs organic with new OE DMF, Slave Cylinder and Release Bearing. £1000. Ouch.

Might have been a sticky tappet. Had it on mine when i left it for a little bit. Went away after a day of use and has never come back.

Maybe. Who knows!

Currently on the hunt for getting clutch fitted cheap. Dealers want ~£390! Place where I got my remap done want £336. This about right? Expensive ol' do...

I started mine up today, not used it since Sunday and I too noticed something is not right.

Mine sounds louder than normal, with what I can only describe as a thudding sound to go along with the louder ticking noise. Just sounds odd to me, not running as smoothly as it normally would. I will take it for a drive later and see if it goes away after the engine has warmed up properly.

Here is a video off my phone, but you can't pick up the thudding that I can hear myself unfortunately

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrWfx6jkvyw

Any ideas?

I started mine up today, not used it since Sunday and I too noticed something is not right.

Mine sounds louder than normal, with what I can only describe as a thudding sound to go along with the louder ticking noise. Just sounds odd to me, not running as smoothly as it normally would. I will take it for a drive later and see if it goes away after the engine has warmed up properly.

Here is a video off my phone, but you can't pick up the thudding that I can hear myself unfortunately

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrWfx6jkvyw

Any ideas?

I can hear it mate. Sounds like the exact same thing I was hearing to me! Mad!!

Mine has disappeared on it's own accord after a drive to work (about 10 miles).

If it disappears after driving it for a bit, could you lift the clutch pedal up around half way and let me know if you can hear the same noise, only a heck of a lot quieter?

Yeh I'll keep you posted

Yeh I'll keep you posted

Also check oil. Mine was half way down the dip stick. Doubt it's anything to do with it really, but I did top it up - I still think it's something to do with my clutch...

Right, topped up my oil as well last night before I went for a drive, as it was halfway down the stick too.

About 2 miles and the loudness had gone, back to its normal self. Was fine for the rest of the evening then too, and still pulls like it always does

I also did what you asked me to Mark, and I get no noise whatsoever, so I guess my DMF/Clutch is alright.

Right, topped up my oil as well last night before I went for a drive, as it was halfway down the stick too.

About 2 miles and the loudness had gone, back to its normal self. Was fine for the rest of the evening then too, and still pulls like it always does

I also did what you asked me to Mark, and I get no noise whatsoever, so I guess my DMF/Clutch is alright.

Wonder if it's related to oil then. Didn't really think half way down the dip stick was particularly low though. Filled back to the top with ~0.3L? Getting my oil changed in a weeks time anyhow.

Bit of a strange one eh?

Ah, okay. Lucky then... mine still makes a similar noise but only much much quieter with the cluch half way. Can only hear it standing outside of the car and pressing the clutch though, can't be heard from inside with the door shot.

I know my clutch definitely needs replacing anyhow, so I would have liked to have blamed it on that :(

I don't normally have mine filled right to the top, its usually about half way up the stick, but thought I might as well put some in to help.

How many miles are you on now with the clutch? Mine is at 85k now, remapped since 30k. Most of my miles are motorway though. I stood outside and got someone to do the pedal for me, no noise though.

Hope you get it fixed!

I don't normally have mine filled right to the top, its usually about half way up the stick, but thought I might as well put some in to help.

How many miles are you on now with the clutch? Mine is at 85k now, remapped since 30k. Most of my miles are motorway though. I stood outside and got someone to do the pedal for me, no noise though.

Hope you get it fixed!

I'll try not to drive mine again this weekend and see if the noise returns I think. It's still gone for now. Just be a case of cold oil or something maybe?

Guess you'll be budgeting for a new one soon too then? As far as I know mine is still the original clutch, and the car has got 126k miles on it. Remapped for maybe about 20k miles. I can hear my release bearing whirring away and the DMF rattling when cold

Hopefully not! I treat her well

I know this is a strange thing to compare...

But I've got a coffee machine with a pump in it.. and it's only at it's quietest when the water tanks full...

Maybe the lower oil level is just causing the oil pump to be a tad louder?

I can see what you are saying but I don't think it would work in the same way in an engine, besides it was only a small amount more added. The day before the oil level was the same, and it was quiet then....