Rattle on idle...

[ChrisF1]

Hey all, my 197 seems to vibrate quite a lot at idle (can tell through the wheel and the wing mirrors!), and it seems to have a bit of a rattle which seems to be coming from the exhaust area, maybe towards the back. With the A/C on it's worse, and if you give it even a little revs it cures it. Idle speed is smooth and consistent. I'm figuring it's something to do with the exhaust, maybe a heat shield but if anyone can offer any tips from their experience of things to look at, it'd be helpful! I've had a look at the engine mounts and they don't seem to be upgraded ones. The exhaust is a Milltek catback Non Res.

A video is attached, and when at the end is when I turn the A/C off, you can hear it stops/lessens at that point. Thanks in advance!

 

[link]

The clips on the heat shield rot, fairly common. You can buy new ones from RPD etc. https://www.renaultpartsdirect.co.uk/parts/engine-parts/renault-exhaust-heat-shield-clips/

Also, if you have a powerflex engine mount (usually on torque arm as it's cheaper than a new one) it will rattle like f*ck on idle...

 

[19Zen]

The clips on the heat shield rot, fairly common. You can buy new ones from RPD etc. https://www.renaultpartsdirect.co.uk/parts/engine-parts/renault-exhaust-heat-shield-clips/

Also, if you have a powerflex engine mount (usually on torque arm as it's cheaper than a new one) it will rattle like f*ck on idle...

My first thought was a powerflex bush on the torque arm, which I found caused the steering to shake on idle and was particularly bad with the A/C on.

The video does sound like a heatsheild rattle, which shouldn't cause the steering wheel to vibrate so maybe a couple of things to look at.

 

[Big Ben]

Powerflex engine/gearbox/torque arm mounts will cause vibrations at standstill but disappear once moving. Worth living with imo

 

[ChrisF1]

Cheers all. I don't think it actually has any upgraded mounts, or at least the ones that are easy to see in the engine bay aren't upgraded and there's no receipts in the paperwork (and there's receipts for everything, including floor mats and a steering wheel insert!) so not sure. Did some more poking about and 90% sure the rattle is heat shield related in some way. The vibration isn't unbearable, but you can see the wheel shaking a bit (not so bad when you hold it) and the wing mirrors shake a lot!

 

[Big Ben]

Engine mounts won’t make a noise like that just vibrate. (Sorry only just listened!)

 

[ChrisF1]

Engine mounts won’t make a noise like that just vibrate. (Sorry only just listened!)

Haha no worries, I think it's 2 things...a rattle which the vibration doesn't seem to be helping! However I'm not sure on the vibration as I can't see any upgraded mounts, they all look pretty standard. Maybe it's a normal amount of vibration, I'm not sure...

 

[link]

If any of the engine mounts are yellow or purple there upgraded... The alternative is your engine mounts are that shot there not absorbing the vibration anymore, try rocking the engine by hand it should be fairly solid!

 

[Sideshowfred]

just going to throw this in there re: upgraded engine mounts. Black series bushes are VERY bad for vibration but at a quick glance you wouldn't tell they're upgraded.

 

[ChrisF1]

just going to throw this in there re: upgraded engine mounts. Black series bushes are VERY bad for vibration but at a quick glance you wouldn't tell they're upgraded.

They're definitely not purple or yellow, but they don't look that new or like they've been disturbed either. Any ways of telling if they are upgraded? There's no play in rocking the engine either, for what it's worth.

 

[Sideshowfred]

They're definitely not purple or yellow, but they don't look that new or like they've been disturbed either. Any ways of telling if they are upgraded? There's no play in rocking the engine either, for what it's worth.

Easiest way is to see if the torque arm mount has a bushing showing both sides of it like mine below. If not and it's got a metal collar round one side then it is the standard mounting

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