Elusive Rattle

[Hilux2400]

911 Carrera C2 2003 - 65,000 miles UK Car - Tiptronic.

 

Hello everyone

 

For many years I have been trying to trace an elusive rattle.  Sometimes I think I have it and then, alas, it returns. It's  mainly noticeable at low speeds on a roughish surface.  It might be happening at other times, but I can't be sure.  I've tried many things and I know what's not causing it. The noise seems to come from the driver's side front wheel area (UK Car).  Any thoughts after reading the following will be gratefully received:

 

It's not the fuel cover or cap.

It's not anything below the fuel inlet as I've looked and checked all the pipes behind the cover.

It's not the drop links on the sway bars back or front, or the pivots, as these have been replaced and they are tight - this was the cause of one rattle.

It's not anything in the trunk or tools or spare wheel.

It's nothing in the bulkhead recesses.

It's not the battery or any nearby wires.

It's not the shock absorbers or top link swivels (replaced recently) - the joint between the domed washers and rubber used to squeak, but rubber grease cured that.

It's nothing in the front shroud or anything near the rads.

There are no loose fittings near the pedals.

Nothing loose in the doors or behind the rear side cards.

It's not the window motors

It's not the exhausts (replaced)

Nothing in the seats or underneath the seats

The ties bars and suspension bottom links are tight with no movement.

The brake pads are tight (new) and the calipers firm and so are all the pipes within the front arches.

The wheel lug nuts are up to torque

The wiper motor is firm and so are the drive arms.

It's not the CD holder

There's nothing loose in the headlight cowls

Under trays are fixed

I've had a good poke about in all sorts of areas expecting to find something, but no obvious causes.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if this noise is in my head, as I mainly hear it when I'm in the car going up my driveway.  Perhaps I should move!

 

Thanks for reading

 

H   

[Schnell Gelb]

There is a tool for this problem.It requires a co-pilot to operate it. Search for "Chassis Ear"in U.K. Here is the Colonist Version

 

[wizard]

Front numberplate secure? 

[Ahsai]

Could it be anything close to the right front wheel liner? There are multiple pieces there and also some aluminum hoses in that area with clips on them. Maybe remove the wheel liner temporarily and check if the rattle goes away?

[DBJoe996]

Spare tire and jack secure in the frunk? Battery hold down secure?

[Hilux2400]

20 hours ago, wizard said:

Front numberplate secure? 

Yes - thanks - I put on a new mounting block recently.

[Hilux2400]

3 hours ago, DBJoe996 said:

Spare tire and jack secure in the frunk? Battery hold down secure?

Thanks - I took everything out of the frunk again yesterday, including all the liners and the plastic trims around the ALB block and the servo.  Checked the tools and they're OK. I thought I had found it when I noticed one of the bolts on the CD changer wasn't tight.  But, no joy.

[Hilux2400]

20 hours ago, Ahsai said:

Could it be anything close to the right front wheel liner? There are multiple pieces there and also some aluminum hoses in that area with clips on them. Maybe remove the wheel liner temporarily and check if the rattle goes away?

I had this liner out last year when I had to replace two of the air con tubes that run through here.  I might take it off again. Thanks for the suggestion Ahsai.

 

I know these seems obvious, but it's something I hadn't checked until yesterday.  When driving slowly over a rough road, if I apply the brakes the noise reduces.  It's a sort of clatter.  I am now beginning to think it could be the brake pads.  They feel tight, but when I replaced the pads recently I didn't renew the spring plate, as the old one seemed in good condition.  I have now ordered some new spring plates, which I will put in later this week.  Perhaps this will solve it.

 

Thanks to everyone who's replied.  I'll keep you posted.

 

    

 

[Loren]

Brake pads or stones caught in the brake dust shield.

[Hilux2400]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

 

I have put in new front brake pad retaining springs and new pins and spring clips, but the rattle is still there. I also disconnected the diagonal stabiliser bar from the "coffin arm" to make sure there was no free play, but that is also sound and the flange nut torques up correctly on the yoke.  I am now coming round to thinking it must be the "coffin arm" but it does not show any free play when stressed with a lever.  These arms are the original fitting and now 14 years old.  This job might have to wait until next year.  

 

I might just have to put up with the noise for now.  It's not serious just annoying.

 

Thanks for reading

 

H

Edited August 8, 2017 by Hilux2400
grammar correction

[kirkpayne1]

idea could it be your seat belt slides the plastic on mine was making a nice rattle and found it recently. 

[Hilux2400]

5 hours ago, kirkpayne1 said:

idea could it be your seat belt slides the plastic on mine was making a nice rattle and found it recently. 

Well, that's one I haven't looked at.

 

Thanks

[ma77hewsu11ivan]

do you have built in radar detector? my issue was a loose screw under the instrument cluster cover in the dash lazily left by installer. Thing rolled around in there for a couple years before I finally figured it out. Drove me nuts.


2009 Cayenne S
160,000mi
Chicago

[Hilux2400]

I had a look at both the seat belt slides and they are tight.

 

I am sure now that I have located it. Coming back to an observation I made earlier, the rattle occurs at low speed and stops when I press the brake lightly.  I have been trundling up and down a rough track to try and locate it.  My first thought on this was it could be brake pads, as suggested by Loren.  I put in new springs and pins and the rattle is still there.

 

As it disappears with brake load and I know it's not the pads, shocks or drop links it is obviously something that tightens under load.  I have checked the diagonal tie bars and they are ok.  The next thing is the "coffin" arms.  Although the joints are tight, they must be rattling at low speed.  There are three connections on these arms and I reckon that this is where the problem lies.   I notice that Hartech in the UK do a replacement service for these arms at about £100 per side and I think I'll consider doing this next year. 

[DBJoe996]

Are the brake pads installed with the dampers?  Are they perhaps loose, or the dampers are not bonded to the brake pads?  I have chosen to install my brake pads without the dampers and on occasion, on certain bumpy roads, the pads will rattle in the calipers.  A slight touch of the brake pedal stops the rattle, so I know exactly what it is.

 

See brake pad dampers here http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/supertech/catalog.cgi?action=frameset&return-url=/cgi-bin/supertech/catalog.cgi%3Faction%3Dframeback%26page%3D48&catalog-url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pelicanparts.com%2Fcatalog%2FSuperCat%2F4311%2FPOR_4311_BRKPAD_pg1.htm%3Futm_source%3DSuperTech%23item2

Edited August 13, 2017 by DBJoe996

[wyovino]

I'm not sure if this applies to a coupe as I have a cab,  but check to see if the bolts holding the sun visors are tight. I had a rattle and that was the culprit.

Edited August 13, 2017 by wyovino