Noticing a quiet rattle on my '93/55k/1.4 16v bbz(first 3 digits on engine code in v5, anyway...)

Not noticeable at idle but there under gentle load/cruising - more a Pinking than anything else.

No MIL so a bearing methinks? New cambelt fitted 20k ago but not new waterpump, although temp guage/mpg/performance-in-general as normal. Any ideas folks?

I dont know if my issue is similar as I have a vRS but I also have a rattle like this, almost exactly as you describe. I cant hear it at idle and only under acceleration and really only in 5th or 6th gear.

If I release the accelerator it stops, as soon as I press it again I can hear it.

Its hard to actually descibe the sound as I posted about it a few days ago but your description of pinking pretty much sums it up.

I initially thought water pump as well but I think this would be all the time not just under acceleration.

Well, after a long roadtest with a mechanic from my local Indy VAG garage to get an alternate opinion, the result was... nothing! The rattle was absent, but no doubt will be back just when i don't want it ;-(

Bah... would've been nice to reach a conclusion.