Strange noise

[John]

After a short drive today the car was making a real pronounced metal grinding sound, wasnt constant, would vary in noise in seemingly no pattern whatsoever.

Thought it may be the clutch but there was no change in noise upon application and depression, so who knows :doh:

Oil pressure was normal as was knock, any ideas people?

 

[John]

Just to add its coming from the drivers side. I took the car out for a drive again just to make doubly sure and after jumping out after about 10mins of driving im sure I heard a few splutters from something.

This is a wild guess as I've no idea how the Pulsar timing system works altho I know it uses a timing chain and im basing this guess on another car that uses a timing chain. Is this timing chain lubricated by jets of oil, if it is this may explain the grinding noise as the chain would be unlubricated and possibly the spluttering as the jet is trying to fire oil onto the chain but cant for some reason.

As I say I may and probably am talking utter rubbish as Im no mechanic, just really looking for suggestions from all you knowledgable people!

 

[GTIR-LOZ]

the timing chain is lubricated, i believe just by running in the upper sump of the engine, it may be the tensioner is failing and the chain is slapping about in the engine, or maybe one of the belts has snapped and is wrapped around something, it could be the oil pump failing, the water pump, bearings failing (most likely), alternator, fcked the list goes on there is alot down that side lol

 

[John]

*sigh*

This just isnt what I needed as whenever summit goes wrong it costs a bomb!

 

[GTIR-LOZ]

if you can remove the belt for the waterpump/oil pump you might be able to turn the waterpump pulley by hand see if its smooth or not wobbly

 

[pulsarboby]

as loz said above!
remove drive belts to eliminate the water pump, p/s pump, alternator crank pulley etc! could well be one of those causing the noise.
another thing that have a habit of wearing on these cars is the timing chain guide (banana one) the chain runs on a nylon plastic strip thats fixed to the guide, after a while that wears through and the chain will then hit the metal guide underneath the plastic which causes a lovely rattle, sounds like the engines on its last legs (but its not).
i took a car on the track the other day that has the same rattle but the engine is actually fine.
booger of a job to do with engine in situ though, far easier to remove engine to renew that guide and chain at the same time.
thats assuming it is that, so try the belt thing first;-)

 

[John]

Problem solved, was nothing to worry about, just a part of the aircon had come loose ie sheared a bolt, so its been removed and im a happy chappy again

 

[gsikevin]

good good