HELP! Strange Grinding/Grating Noise from engine?

Connor

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Hi,

Recently my car has been intermittently making a strange grinding noise. It's coming from the front and sounds a bit like metal vibrating on metal, or like a washer is loose vibrating in a tin? Almost like a grinding gear.

It was a little low on oil so I topped it up and thought it was gone.

I have done about 100 miles since then and was driving round this morning and it was fine. Then went into the supermarket, came back out and it was back!

I drove home, opened the bonnet to investigate, couldn't find any solution, so turned off the engine removed the key, then just out of interest tried starting it again and it wouldn't? I pumped the accelerater a bit and it started. So to test again I repeated and it wouldn't start again?

I am so confused as to what this issue is? Has anyone any ideas?

I'll post a video in the morning if it is still making the noise.

Thanks again for the help in advance.

Connor.
 

t-tony

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Which motor is in your car Connor? Was the battery light showing or flickering on at all?

Tony.
 

DavidM

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I'm sure someone will be along soon with expert advice - in the meantime don't drive the car until you get a consensus of opinion on the possibilities.

David.
 

Connor

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Which motor is in your car Connor? Was the battery light showing or flickering on at all?

Tony.
It's the 1.9 1998 model think it's the M44?

No lights whatsoever, when tirning it over it didn't make the usual (your batteries low) sound. A lot quieter.

It's just such a strange sound, I can't get my head around it. I thought it was the exhaust rattling at first. But it's definitely coming from the front end.
 
Z

zedonist

Guest
Connor, the M44 runs rich on start up, if you switch it off and back on, it can suffer from wet plugs and takes a bit to clear them, it's common don't worry. if it does not start from warm though this can be a sign of the cam sensor, normally accompanied by a random misfire while driving. It would be worth reading the codes.

I don't think this is the cause of the rattle though, is the rattle coming from the top of the engine at the front, or lower down at the front of the engine. If it is the top then it could be a Disa valve rattle, if lower down its a good chance it's the tensioner pulley, mine has just started rattling on mine, sounds like coins in tin can.

Non of the jobs are difficult, they just need diagnosing correctly, so first port of call us code reader, if there are no codes, then it's a mechanical fault and I would look at disa or tensioner. But I would put an engine stethoscope on each component to rule them out, and also as I have not heard the rattle it could be something else, but this would pin point it.
 

Connor

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The noise I would say seems to be coming from nearer to the passenger side, and lower?

I it wouldn't start after being warm.

Connor.
 
Z

zedonist

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Sounds like belt tensioner or alternator bearings then, where are you located
 

Connor

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I'm Located in Sheffield, in an apartment in the city, not ideal when you want to fix your car!

Connor.
 

BMBabe

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:happy:@zedonist you sound proper technical well done!! This site is awesome thanks to you tech guys :happy:
 

Connor

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jonco

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Sounds like belt tensioner or alternator bearings then......
Listening to that I would agree with @zedonist - you should be able to `home' in on this using a basic `listening stick '
 
Z

zedonist

Guest
I think you may have two problems, one is a noisy bearing, the other is an electrical issue such as a can sensor, but could be coil pack etc, so needs the codes reading. The cheapest device is an elm327 wireless or Bluetooth adspter and an app on your mobile phone.
 

DavidM

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Process of illimination - You could try taking the belt off then turn the alternator by hand which may highlight problems with the bearings, before spending at this point.

David.
 

Connor

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It won't start at all now, even a bump start didn't work. So not sure at all what to do.
 
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