Clinking noise!

[Cockey]

Hi Guys

Annoying one this! The car has developed a clinking noise. Bit hard to describe but it's similar to the 'tink tink' noises you get from the hot exhaust contracting when you turn off the engine - but louder.

I jacked the car up last weekend hoping to find something obvious which was loose, but sadly had no luck.

So far I have determined that:

1. It happens far more when the car is up to temperature.
2. It happens whilst in gear or free wheeling. Even happens with the engine off because it clinked once as I pushed the car out of my garage last weekend. (Therefore hoping it's not drive train related!)
3. Not much help this one, however I'm convinced it's coming from the rear, but my dad seems to think it's nearer the front (I think he's wrong!)
4. Seems to mainly coincide with hitting bumps in the road, but has happened whilst turning slowly on a flat level road (and pushing it out of my level garage).

I don't suppose anyone ever had a similar experience?

Cheers

[Tuscanite]

Stone caught in bodywork somewhere perhaps. Happened in my beemer (especially between disc and backplate) and in my wife's merc. Hazards of a gravel drive!

Other suggestion is a loose nut from, say, boot badge rattling around in boot lid. Just fixed mine.

Bob

[Cockey]

Thanks bob.

It's a very metallic noise and really sounds like it's coming from underneath somewhere.

One question, should the exhaust pipes underneath the car be totally solid? One of them is, I can't move it at all. The other (the one which nearly touches the gearbox) has the tiniest bit of play in it. Only a few mm but it's enough for it to touch the gear box if pushed.

[drivingfroggy]

Could it be the heater flap on the blower? Mine "tinks" unless I have two blower lights on to hold it off its stops.

[wongthecorrupter]

mine did the same and it turned out to be a broken bobbin on the silver oil cooler type thing on the passenger side of the engine bay bolted to chassis, it only made the noise when warm

[Cockey]

I was so adamant the noise was coming from the rear I didn't even take the bonnet off! Will do that tomorrow.

A suggestion from my mechanic (will end up taking the car to him if I can't sort it myself!) was that it could be some sort of shim on the drive shafts.

[Cockey]

Ok, it's definitely from the rear and happens when the rear left wheel goes over a bump. Removed both rearnwheels and used a crow bar to work the suspension but no luck at getting it to make the noise.

Also definitely only makes it when the car is not just warmed up, but hot.

Got a vid I might try to upload.

[Cockey]

Ok I'm a retard. My many videos taken today turned out to be photographs

[drivingfroggy]

What about a worn exhaust hanger? Maybe warms up with the exhaust and goes floppy?

[natben]

I had an annoying noise on my Cerbera that after an age trying to find out what it was turned out to be the brake pads moving in the calipers, maybe as they heat up they are moving, might be worth a check.

[Cockey]

I keep thinking it's the exhaust because of the sound. Strange how it only happens when the suspension is moved on one wheel though. By the way, I realised one of the exhausts has the slightest bit of play in it, where as the other one is rock solid.

Also, what else at the rear would start making noises only when very hot?

Brake pads are a good thought, cheers. They would obviously get hot. Only thing is, the noise appears just as prominent regardless of the side of the car you stand at. I wonder if it were the brake pads, you could tell by getting as close to them as possible.

[NCE 61]

If one of the exhaust is loose, it could be the rear box hanger on that side:-



These can come out of the rubber support and result in the exhaust hitting other items.

[Cockey]

Thanks for the pic. Checked the exhaust and it seems pretty solid in those areas though.

Mentioned the problem to some guy tonight who used to modify cars, and he immediately said anti roll bars. When I said it only happened when hot, he said it would be the heat transferred from the rear brakes. Possible or not?