Death rattle?

[laurenscar]

OK - Having patched up Lauren's car we put it in for its MOT today.

Of course there were some issues, but the main problem is that they refused to test the emissions because the engine was making rattling noises...

It rattles on start up, but then seems reasonably quiet unless you really rev the nuts off it under load.

To me it SOUNDS like the noise is coming from the top end of the engine, but that's just from a quick listen. Seems to run smoothly though, oddly.

I don't know if the cambelt's ever been done and it could be anything, but anyone have any thoughts on what this is likely to be?

The tester said "it's goodnight Vienna", but a slight engine glitch (eg a whole new one ) isn't necessarily going to stop us!

M.

 

[quest63]

Might be an obvious one but have you checked the oil level? or tried an oil change? it might have goodnight vienna'd oil or the wrong oil.

I'm guessing they dont want an engine blowing up on them during the test. iirc someone else here was refused either an emmissions test or MOT test due to a rattling water pump.

 

[laurenscar]

I did top up the oil some weeks ago, so I think it's still ok (We'd noticed the rattle before, but I don't drive the car often and I didn't realise it'd got worse (It has) - I just drove it and aside from sounding like a tractor it goes great! ).

That was their argument, but it means we have to get that sorted before they'll test the emissions...

There's a couple of worn ARB bushes and the headlight alignment is out, plus the windscreen's cracked (we knew that and didn't bother getting it replaced before the MOT - To see whether it was worth incurring the excess...) - Not that much really, but it all adds up...

To be honest, I think it's beaten us now...

M.

 

[quest63]

Can you put a video up for people to listen to?

It could be the case you have really really knackered oil and that the small bit you put in is a drop in the ocean of knackered stuff.

 

[laurenscar]

OK - will post one tomorrow.

M.

 

[laurenscar]

We had a rethink and decided that whatever she spends is going to be too much, so the car's up for sale for spares on eBay.

Thanks for your help anyway - Hopefully another Puma will replace it!

M.

 

[quest63]

Hope your back with a new one soon :thumbs:

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Sorry to hear that you've just given up on the Kat..... Hope someone else fixes it.

 

[laurenscar]

We looked for a replacement Puma and saw a couple of semi-decent 1.7s (1.4s are rarer than hen's tesiticles!), but in the end with University looming (She didn't want to go last year, but now she does...) Lauren decided that she needed something a bit cheaper to run.

Having enjoyed the Puma (and I liked the cheap parts!) we persuaded her to think to about KAs and Fiestas and she picked up a nice 2003 KA Luxury (leather, air-con, electric windows) last Friday.

We just took it to the PH Sunday Service at the Aston factory and it was surprisingly comfortable and refined.

So, still in the small Ford fold, just not in a Puma, for now

M

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Dead to me!

 

[laurenscar]

For now...

M.