[Mattyp94]

Hi guys,
Was wondering if anyone has had this problem, my engine sounds very loud from start up even from cold, the car I own is a barn find and hasn’t been started in 3 years, he high oil temp light is on and also the oil clock temp dont work, I’m about to replace to temp sensor underneath, I can’t understand where this noise has come from though could it potentially be a failling pump any help would be appreciated, I have a video of the sound that can’t be missed but for somehow cannot upload it

 

[nocturneblue]

My oil temperature gauge didn't work either. It turned out that a wire at the oil temperature sensor had broken. I just soldered it back together. Have a look at the wires at the oil temperature sensor before replacing the sensor.

Without some better description of this loud sound from your engine it's very hard to guess what is causing it. Can you upload the video to Youtube?

What sort of noise is it? Scraping, ticking, tapping, knocking, squealing etc?

One way to get a better idea where the noise is coming from is to get a mechanic's stethoscope and touch the end to different bits of the engine and listen to where the noise seems loudest. They are cheap to buy. You may have to take off the engine access panel and/or the rear right wheel to get better access.

 

[Mattyp94]

Thanks for the reply, I’ll definitely have a look at the wiring the noise sounds like it’s coming from near the back right wheel, I’ve uploaded 2 different videos on YouTube, one is straight from cold you can hear it properly, and the other one is when I accelerate you can hear it when it quietens down. Hope the video helps in finding a solution to it.
Thank again and appreciate the help

19 March 2021

youtube.com

19 March 2021

youtube.com

 

[davidej]

I am no great expert but it sounds like the hydraulic tappets to me.

I should go away quite soon after starting up ( well less than a minute).

If not, oil is not getting to them so there is a blockage in an oilway somewhere.

 

[Julian Foulger]

Thanks for the reply, I’ll definitely have a look at the wiring the noise sounds like it’s coming from near the back right wheel, I’ve uploaded 2 different videos on YouTube, one is straight from cold you can hear it properly, and the other one is when I accelerate you can hear it when it quietens down. Hope the video helps in finding a solution to it.
Thank again and appreciate the help

19 March 2021

youtube.com

19 March 2021

youtube.com

To me, it sounds perfectly normal. I have had my VVC for 23 years and it is a noisy engine until it gets hot and well driven.

 

[Chris T]

Sounds like a typical VVC rattle, how old is the oil?

 

[Mattyp94]

Hi guys thanks for the wonderful advice, the oil is new as of yesterday, bearing in mind the car has been sitting for 3 years and I only started her last week for the first time, any idea how I can get high temperature oil light off and the clock to work, the wiring from the temp sensor seems fine and the fuse does too, is there anyway to get rid of the noise by any chance, thanks again for the advice guys

 

[Chris T]

Is the oil temperature gauge working properly or at all?

I wouldn’t worry too much about the noise, you may find that it improves as the car is driven. You could at the next oil change try something like Castrol Magnetec as this seems to help quieten down the tappet noise somewhat.

 

[davidej]

I'm glad to say my Trophy is not as noisy as that. I get a bit of tappet noise for the first 0 secs or so and then it settles down.

Mine is under 40k miles so barely run in!

 

[Mattyp94]

The oil temperature is not working at all :/, I’ll try and do that next time but I’ve just changed the oil, and for some reason I started if this morning and it juddered quite a lot then stalled,could it possibly spark plugs ? Coil pack or fuel starvation ? I’ve been reading up and some say th at the oil temp sensor could effect this ? What’s your thoughts

 

[Mattyp94]

Here’s a link to the judder this has only started happening since today, is it cylinder misfire, plugs coil packs ? Or something else what do you guys think, much appreciated

 

[Julian Foulger]

I will be honest, I see an insignificant judder. Again it is no worse than mine and the noise is OK. Once I had 1 spark plug where the cabling was not connected and the judder was very visible - the engine shook and it was clear what the problem was. Much worse than yours and a heavy smell of petrol. Can you smell petrol? What is the idle RPM when cool and hot?

PS: My car has done 63,000 miles and garaged all its life. I have always kept my ear to the engine in case pullies are coming loose or the alternator /air-con compressor bearings are about to fail or the car is losing coolant - the list goes on! It too easy to become paranoid with these cars.

 

[Daveyboyz]

Check all your fuses (does the clock and temp gauge lights come on?)

If the fuse is blown oil light comes on and gauge doesn't work

 

[nocturneblue]

The back right wheel is where the alternator and timing belt are. I am not familiar with the noise a VVC makes - people say it is noiser than a standard non-VVC TF.

Ignoring the VVC aspect, I hear a sort of knocking and a whirring in one of your videos. Of course without being there I could just be picking up on ordinary engine noises exaggerated by the camera, but I'll assume what I think I hear is real.

I have a slight knocking at idle on my TF 135. It is coming from the timing belt cover. I determined this with a mechanic's stethoscope. I believe there may be a clash between the timing belt and the cover, but it strengthens and fades over periods of something like 3-6 seconds. I tried STP oil treatment at first as I thought it was a shell bearing in the bottom end but the STP made no difference as I poured it in and as I said the stethoscope test I did later showed the noise was coming from the cam belt cover. It is completely masked by normal engine noise if the engine is revved.

As for the whirring noise, the alternator is in the same area as the rear right wheel - you can get to it with that wheel removed. I'd have a quick look and see if the alternator belt is OK. Also, you could rule out a worn bearing on the alternator by loosening the alternator tensioning bolt so the alternator belt can't drive the alternator. The car should run OK without the alternator for a while. Don't allow the alternator belt to get caught in anything.

As far as misfires and rough running go, my first port of call would be to replace the spark plugs (and inspect them for condition and appearance). Then replace the two ignition HT leads (relatively cheap IIRC), although you could try messing around with WD40 on them and moving them about to see if anything improves (not guaranteed though). Finally you could replace the two coil packs if the first two things don't work, but they're more expensive.

Spark plugs and HT leads don't last forever so it's a good idea to replace them anyway. Make sure you get the right HT leads (and coil packs if you change them). I found GSF car parts gave me the wrong ones despite me giving them my reg - the ones they gave me were too deep (VVC?).

 

[Julian Foulger]

Nocturneblue - Re your second para - in your shoes, I would fix this as it clearly was not designed to do this

There is a slight belt noise. If on the right side, it is worth checking the cambelt in case the belt is too tight (this happened to me once after the garage replaced the cambelt - they had not tensioned the belt properly as the VVC has a manual tensioner).

If the car has not been used for 3 years, my gut feel is that the car needs to be used a bit. My car stands around for months without being used (albeit in a garage). it sounds unhealthy on first startup but after a 30 km run, it runs as sweet as a nut.

I have a VVC, 23-year-old car and still do not think that the noise is unusual for a car that has been sitting around. I would give it a run for 2 km and check, run for 10 km and check and then do a 30 km run and check. Of course, make sure before you start that you have enough oil in the car and the water is at the correct level.

 

[Mattyp94]

that’s sounds really assuring, I’m going to try the leads and spark plugs with a fuel filter and also oil temp sensor, might get a mechanic out to pressure test everything and plug odb in, I’ve managed to do another video with it being really obvious, if anyone could take a look at this one and tell us there thoughts I don’t wanna run it and do serious damage if that makes sense thanks for all your advice guys much appreciated

 

[nocturneblue]

Julian,

Yes, replacing the timing belt is on my list of things to do this year. The car has been off the road for 18 months whilst I fix stuff, so I only run it at idle for 20 minutes every week or two to drive off any moisture and heat up the passenger compartment.

 

[ArntyR]

Just a couple of thoughts - clutch, release bearing, input bearing, flywheely stuff if on gearbox side, or alternator bearing, drive belt, alternator fixings on the driver's side?

Heat shield fixings above the silencer or near the manifold, too, perhaps?

It does sound to be struggling more on your 2nd video...

 

[YasmineGotham]

thats vvc rattle, its normal and the noise sounds like release Barings