Opinions on cold idle noise

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone can help...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAt5aUjNutk&feature=youtube_gdata_player


I've got a 56 EP3 CTR, 40k on the clock. For a while now it's been making this odd clunking, sucking, type of noise when idling. It's most noticeable when cold, and not run for a while. You can still hear it when warm but it's not so obvious.

If I put the car under a period of high load (4th gear revs to 5k) the noise pretty much goes.

When I'm listening in the engine bay it sounds like its coming from the intake manifold area. If you're at the front it can be heard through the radiator grill, but louder at the manifold. A friend thought it might be an exhaust leak.

Its most obvious around 15 seconds, that clonking noise. The microphone has distorted the injectors, they don't sound that bad in real life!

I drive the car about once a week, shame I know. Runs on 0w40 mobil 1. Spark plugs have been checked and they are fine.

I'm hoping its nothing serious, car is always serviced well and hasn't been abused. Could it have anything to do with oil needing to get around the engine after a week of not being turned over?

Any suggestions appreciated and thanks for reading!

I believe 5w30 fully synthetic is the correct oil for an ep3 mate.

Also your ep3 is a 56 plate? Thought they stopped making them in 06 and then again I've only seen a couple 06 plate ones

5w40...

Paulos said:

I believe 5w30 fully synthetic is the correct oil for an ep3 mate.

Also your ep3 is a 56 plate? Thought they stopped making them in 06 and then again I've only seen a couple 06 plate ones

Click to expand...

There is a range that it will accept, according to the manual. Tried 5w40 too but think that was before I noticed the noise, so it could help.

Somehow my car got registered on the first Monday to make it a 56 plate. Think the first owner wanted it like that? Manufacture date was a fair few months earlier.

If I remove the aux belt, to see if that's causing a noise, will that be OK for a few moments? If so, how do I do it? Got a torque wrench and sockets that fit the idle wheel pulley.

First have you checked the usual suspects.

Heat shield.

Also check the ivtec cover clears the intake manifold.

Have you had the valve clearances done?

Walkden said:

First have you checked the usual suspects.

Heat shield.

Also check the ivtec cover clears the intake manifold.

Have you had the valve clearances done?

Click to expand...

I will check the heatshield for movement, removed the driveshaft HS and the ivtec cover already.

Valve clearances done a few months ago by TGM.

The sound (i'm concerned with) in the video isn't high pitched, sounds like hollow resonating... From intake/cam cover area. Its quiet around the exhaust manifold