Strange rattle starting from cold
 

I have a strange rattle starting from cold on my red ZT 190, sounds like a bag of spanners :eek: its been like this for a few months now. The rattle only lasts for about 60 seconds and then goes away, seems to be coming from top left of engine at the rear, next to the vis motors.

If I take her out everyday you dont get the rattle, but if I leave her stood up for a few days she rattles on start-up.

My ears are pointed towards the rear cam cover area, if I put my finger on the plastic cam casing cover, I can feel what seems like a rattle vibration.

Is there anything in the cam cover that can rattle when starting from cold?

Cheers guys.

Bump :} I would really appreciate some input, not sure if I have a serious problem or not. :eek:

I'm not familiar with that engine but is there a tensioner in that case that could be worn. My 1.8vvc tomcat had a worn pulley that settled down once it was heated up. A worn pulley failure would be like breaking a belt. Bad news.

Thanks Colin, I was thinking along those lines, its not good as you say, also going to be very expensive. :eek:

I'm sure the rattle is from behind the belt cover, seems strange the rattle disappears within 30secs once warmed up, but doesn't rattle if I take her out daily.

The belts were done only 25k ago, receipt shows Cam Belt Kit, would that include the tensioner?

Hi Wes.
Any chance of uploading a clip with the problem showing up? Could be a tensioner, tappets and even something loose. Hard one to diagnose without being there.
Good luck.

Not 100% on this engine but if it has hydraulic tappets sounds like its bleeding down after a couple of days non use, then re pressurizing after start up.

Sometime a good engine flush and an oil change for the correct spec can help. If not it will need new hydraulic followers.

sometimes a good long Hard drive getting the oil really nice and hot can help,.
If the engine has shims not hydraulics (someone on here will know more accurately or google it) then forget what I just said :getmecoat:

As mentioned could be one or more tappets rattling until they fill up with oil.


If it is a single tappet then the rattle will be at half engine speed.

Thanks very much fella's, I really do appreciate your help. I've been out this morning and recorded the rattle from cold as suggested by Trevor. The rattle goes on for 1min 8sec and then stops, and then she sounds lovely.

It does seem like the rattle is coming from behind the cambelt cover, but I could be wrong. :shrug:

Forward to 1min 8sec the rattle stops.

I had a noisy tappet on a K series 1.4 which had exactly the same symptoms. I used an engine flush and then used 5/40 instead of 10/40 oil ( it was worse in winter) - problem solved.;)
EDIT. Just listened/watched the video. Not a tappet! Sounds more purge valve? ??

Wes; I've just listened to your video as well and you should investigate that immediately. It's not tappets or the purge valve (the latter only activates when the engine isn't cold anyway).

Try placing a stout screwdriver on the alternator casing with the handle touching your ear both when tthe noise is present and when it ceases.
Next I would start by removing the OSF wheel and wheel arch liner to inspect the auxiliary drive belt and tensioner/idler components. After that, take off that cambelt cover for an inspection.

Simon