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Is this my heatshield playing up?

Linus27

Linus27

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577
Started my EP3 yesterday morning and I heard a metalic noise coming from around the front of the car. It only does it when the car fires up and not heard again. Really hard to describe the sound but its like a very fast short burst of metal rattling. Not a clunk clunk type of noise more of a fast metalic whoosh noise. Only lasts about a second and then does not return even when starting the car after work 8 hours later. Started the car again this morning to go to work and it did it again but a little more. Did not return again even when starting the car in the evening to go home.

I know its not a very good description but does this sound like the heatshield and is it easy to sort?
 
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Heatshields tend to vibrate at a certain rpm and do it all of the time.

This is something related to it being stood for a while, i.e. over night.

My first thought is starter motor. Sometimes they can fail to disengage instantly so you get a metallic noise. This often becomes more prevalent when temperatures start dropping around autumn/winter time.

Second thought is something timing again related, but that is usually more of a rattle. Tensioner can struggle to work at very low oil pressure like when the car is just started, oil is cold and all sat in the bottom of the sump. Can happen more often if the oil level is low, the oil is old and thicker than when it was new or the tensioner is getting tired. Like I said though, more of a rattle as the chain bounces around the guides until the tensioner starts to work and tightens the chain up.
 
Starter motor issue is usually down to a weak battery getting even weaker in the cold.

Good shout Lox.
 
Just checked the oil and its showing about 3/4 on the dip stick so plenty in there. It is very dark though and thick. The car has also been sitting outside for the last 6 hours so I started it and no noise what so ever. So its going to be interesting to see if it makes the noise in the morning when I start it like it has for the last two mornings.
 
Bazzagt4 said:
I would say starter aswell, mine does it when it's damp....crazy car ;-)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input guys. Funny how it was wet for the last two days and it made a noise yet today was dry and no noise. Plus it makes the noise as soon as I turn the key and the cars fires up so it does look like its pointing to the starter motor.

Are they expensive to replace?
 
Spoke to Tom @ TGM about this, he said you can strip them down and clean them which fixes the problem for a bit but they'll do it again eventually. Mine used to do it from time to time, hit it once, that's all I could be bothered to do then just ignored it until I sold the car. Well then I continued to ignore, but you know what I mean. :D
 
Quiet Stu, you're getting in the way of manly men hitting things with hammers in a manly way. Enough of your girly battery talk.
 
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