Engine Knocking/Tapping Noise

[Walker2686]

Afternoon

So I posted in a thread earlier about a possible manifold/flexi blow.. as my cars been making a funny noise that I've noticed more over the last couple of days.

It's hard to describe, like a tapping noise that gets louder with revs. It's only noticeable at low speeds, when driving past buildings etc and most noticeable in my garage!

I've tried to take some photos of the flexis if it's them that are the problem. One looks like it might have started to go and a bit black but they don't look horrendous. It's sounds like the noise is coming from the front of the block though so I'm not sure?

Also some video clips of the noise.

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[Walker2686]

 

[Walker2686]

Just put the car back into the garage from cold and here's the noise from the drivers driver's seat...

 

[Dumdum]

It’s hard to tell from a video, but the last vid sounds like a follower or little end has gone...

I’d try whipping the alternator belt off after listening to the first video... it’s so hard to tell with a phone mic

 

[Walker2686]

It’s hard to tell from a video, but the last vid sounds like a follower or little end has gone...

I’d try whipping the alternator belt off after listening to the first video... it’s so hard to tell with a phone mic

I'm hoping it's nothing sinister..

The video's pick up the sound really well, and you can hear it as it sounds when next to or sat in the car.

There's no issues with performance and the car is running fine. You can't hear anything whilst driving, just stationary and low speeds.



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[Sean197]

Could be one of the lifters is running dry. First, and least expensive, thing to do is an English flush. Either with a dedicated engine flush or by changing the oil, running the car for a few miles then changing the oil again.

 

[Walker2686]

Could be one of the lifters is running dry. First, and least expensive, thing to do is an English flush. Either with a dedicated engine flush or by changing the oil, running the car for a few miles then changing the oil again.

I don't think it sounds like that though.. the noise location seems to be from the front drivers side, near the belts etc..

I tried to take it to a Renault specialist on the way home from work today.. they shut at 12 on Saturdays but were shut when I got there at 11:30! So I took it to a garage locally I've used a couple of times for different things and the guy said it didn't sound serious and was like it was coming from where I said above..

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[Dumdum]

I don't think it sounds like that though.. the noise location seems to be from the front drivers side, near the belts etc..

I tried to take it to a Renault specialist on the way home from work today.. they shut at 12 on Saturdays but were shut when I got there at 11:30! So I took it to a garage locally I've used a couple of times for different things and the guy said it didn't sound serious and was like it was coming from where I said above..

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Well without wishing to sound rude it could also be the variator pulley (exactly where you say), and where you say is also about three inches from a follower/lifter as we have both said from your video... so not unfeasible to be exactly what we say

 

[Walker2686]

Well without wishing to sound rude it could also be the variator pulley (exactly where you say), and where you say is also about three inches from a follower/lifter as we have both said from your video... so not unfeasible to be exactly what we say

It's fine as I have no clue what a follower/lifter is or where it would be located [emoji85][emoji1787]

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[Dumdum]

It's fine as I have no clue what a follower/lifter is or where it would be located [emoji85][emoji1787]

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So how do you not think it’s that then a follower is at the top of the engine and sits against the cam, it uses oil pressure to stay in touch with the cam and cushion the impact from the top of the valve with the cam itself, if it runs dry and has no oil pressure it sounds just like yours does, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s 5-600 quid as you’d have the cambelt done at the same time

Where your coil pack is, the four tubular black efforts that sit along the top/middle of the engine atop each spark plug... under those coil packs and plugs are four of the sixteen valves in the head, each of those valves will have a follower so the followers live about 3” below the very top of the engine spaced equally across it

 

[Dumdum]

Especially for you... the red arrows point at four followers in a Clio head, the cam pulleys are just to the left of the pic right where your noise is

 

[Walker2686]

To be fair I imagined it to be where you are describing.. As I said though the noise isn't coming from the top of the engine.. it doesn't sound like it is the engine block itself it's coming from the left hand side down the bottom near the belts as far as I can tell.. but I'm obviously no expert!

If it was as your saying surely the mechanic I've just spoken to would've recognised that wouldn't he? I really hope it's not as you're saying it could be though.. what would lead to that and why would it happen? The cambelt has only just been done in May 4k miles ago

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[Walker2686]

View attachment 128340 Especially for you... the red arrows point at four followers in a Clio head, the cam pulleys are just to the left of the pic right where your noise is

Thanks for that [emoji106]. This is what I was picturing.. would there be any other signs if this was happening other than the noise?

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[Foxspeed]

when the lifters in the f4r "fail" the usually have a loud click when the engine is first started and it eventually goes off as the oil pressure takes up the slack...its usually a rare fault with them... its more common for the dephaser to make a noise

if its front lower drivers side you have - water pump / air con pump / alternator - as siad might be best drop off the aux belt & see how it sounds - the only item you cannot eliminate is the water pump as thats driven by the cambelt

 

[Dumdum]

Thanks for that [emoji106]. This is what I was picturing.. would there be any other signs if this was happening other than the noise?

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You wouldn’t until it seized and goes bang (extreme case... if it is what we both think... and it is an if... ), but if it is that it potentially wears the cam out so keeping driving it is risking more than just a replacement follower...

 

[Walker2686]

Are any of these issues likely to throw up a fault code if I plug in my diagnostic tool?

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[Walker2686]

when the lifters in the f4r "fail" the usually have a loud click when the engine is first started and it eventually goes off as the oil pressure takes up the slack...its usually a rare fault with them... its more common for the dephaser to make a noise

if its front lower drivers side you have - water pump / air con pump / alternator - as siad might be best drop off the aux belt & see how it sounds - the only item you cannot eliminate is the water pump as thats driven by the cambelt

Ok thanks for that. I will look how to do that and see then as I wasn't sure when it was suggested earlier!

I've just got a better video of the noise in that area which is just uploading now so I'll post it shortly.. would the air con pump noise change if I turned the air con on? The noise changes slightly when it's on but it's still there just fainter.

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[Walker2686]

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[Walker2686]

I’d try whipping the alternator belt off after listening to the first video...

Is this as easy as it sounds or am I looking at jacking up, wheel off and arch liner?



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[suj]

Mine has started making the same noise, at first I thought it was the injectors (as previously failing injectors on previous cars made a similar noise) but after close inspection it wasn't, so I am now led to believe it could be the same, a sticking hydraulic lifter.

Also I had my manifold done (I bought a spare and had new flexis put in then swapped over), as this was causing an annoying noise, but this noise has started only recently, it's bloody annoying!