Slight engine rattle when warm.

[Jocko]

When my engine is warm and the car is idling in my drive there is a slight rattle from somewhere in the engine bay. It sounds like it could be an exhaust rattle or a loose heatshield. On revving up it goes away. Is this a sign of a failing water pump? BXW engine with 70K miles. 

[sepulchrave]

No, the water pump will be fine.

 

I really wouldn't worry about something that minor.

[Jocko]

Thanks. The problem is I do not have confidence in the car as yet. Up until eighteen months ago I was driving 12,000 to 16,000 miles a year and I soon got to trust my cars. With this one I have only covered 208 miles since getting it at Christmas. Not enough miles to build confidence.

I tend to worry about noises. Once, while driving up to Aberdeen in an old Ford, I thought I heard a big end rumble. I was in two minds whether to turn back, but my mum was in the car and I didn't want to worry her so I carried on. 20,000 miles later I crashed it into the front of a lorry and the big ends were still in perfect condition. I am just a worrier and trying to run the car on my old age pension does not help.

[nta16]

This is a VW engine not a Honda.  Most of the time I hear different noises at different times from the engine bay of my wife's Mk3 Fabia, I think it's the evil VW computer programs carrying on their ways so I ignore them, and ignore the rattle/squeaks from somewhere up front and underneath, and ignore the possible exhaust heatshield rattle, possible tyres or wheel bearing noises, my wife's car is a VW car not Honda too.

 

The noises that annoy me are things like the metal water bottle clanging against other bits in the car because it's unsecured - but it's not my car so I just secure it and say nothing.

 

Turn the radio on and depress yourself with national or international events or go on to one of the music stations and hope for stuff loud enough to cover the car noises, then there's often too many adverts, you just can't win!

 

[Beerhunter17]

A friend of mine bought a new Jaguar XE. After a while he began to hear a tinkling noise from the back of the Car when he was driving and it got louder on bumpy roads. I went with him to the local Dealer and when they heard what it was, they said they could fix it while he waited. They put a bit of rubber underneath the AdBlue bottle in the Boot. As the volume of AdBlue went down and it got lighter, it was jumping up and down in the carrier and making the noise. Miles and miles of road tests to find that out /. They did refill his AdBlue bottle FOC.

[fabia88]

May be worth checking when the cambelt and water pump was last changed though, its often overlooked. Just for reference the water pump on my brother's 57 reg fabia was completely worn out after 7 years and 45k ish miles. Regarding engine noises I do think these engines are quite unrefined, they make all sorts of strange ticking noises, especially when under load, well at least that's been my experience of the bxw engine, reliable but rough.

 

 

 

[Jocko]

4 hours ago, fabia88 said:

May be worth checking when the cambelt and water pump was last changed

 

 

 

I know the cambelts were changed by the Main Dealer at 26,500 miles but not the tensioner, however I do not know if the water pump was ever changed. I have no history after 35,080 until buying the car 200 miles ago. The car has not yet covered 70,000 miles.

[sepulchrave]

You didn't say if it was losing coolant, a knackered water pump leaks coolant.

 

The BXW engine is eerily similar to the AUA and the BBY, it is one of the most reliable engines in the VAG range and it REALLY doesn't give any trouble.

 

Ticking and rattling when cold is a sticky lifter and can be safely ignored, and I mean completely ignored, forever!

 

I fervently believe there's nothing wrong with your engine, just give it a good spank from time to time to keep it clean and honest.

[Jocko]

The coolant has never moved since I got it and it is clean and fresh. It is quiet enough when cold and the rattle does sound exhaust related. I enjoy driving it though I feel it would benefit from better quality tyres.

[Breezy_Pete]

The oil separator on the back of the engine block tends to be neglected on this engine family. Good oil quality is about what you put in, but also how it is looked after by the engine lubrication system as a whole. This separator is part of that system, with the crankcase ventilation valve being part of it.

 

[Jocko]

I haven't had the oil separator off, but yesterday I checked inside the oil filler cap and it is spotless. No Mayo whatsoever.

Today I closed the hatch and there was a metallic clunk from underneath the car. A quick check revealed the heatshield above the back box was detached and lying on the exhaust. I fixed that so we will see what that has done.

I did say at the very beginning it sounded like a loose heatshield.

[Breezy_Pete]

Nice easy fix!