Tappet sort of noise

mauricio · 08-10-2016, 12:34 PM

I was driving on the Hume hwy recently and noticed that I have this type of noisy tappet (tap, tap, tap) sound occuring at 100Km speeds. I turned down the radio, it was still there. I changed the box from drive to manual, it was still there. Anyone else have this type of issue? Car is a 2009 TDCi MB Mondeo with about 125,000Km on the Odometer. It's intermittent but it's starting to occur a little more frequently with no real triggers or types of driving conditions to narrow down. Cheers

Binny · 08-10-2016, 04:12 PM

It could be just diesel clatter. It can be more pronounced when it hasn't had an oil change for a while. Does it go away when you accelerate?

mauricio · 08-10-2016, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Binny

It could be just diesel clatter. It can be more pronounced when it hasn't had an oil change for a while. Does it go away when you accelerate?

It's just been serviced, and it was there before the service as well but only started recently (about 10K ago). Hmmm haven't tried accelerating to a) see if it goes away and/or b) if its louder or more pronounced. will do later cheers

cobrin · 08-10-2016, 07:11 PM

So it's not happening unless you're at 100kph?

speeds up as the rpm increases/decreases?

can you record it and hear it no matter how terrible the cabin environment is and post a link. If in doubt open the bonnet and start looking, then move onto bumpers, those flaps in front of the front wheel (part of the underbody lip cover) then the bottom engine cover. If there's one thing I know with some certainty it's pathetic Mechanics forgetting cover bolts and only using four instead of six, or not finishing it off properly, or stripping the nylon clips the screw screws into.

mauricio · 09-10-2016, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobrin

So it's not happening unless you're at 100kph?

speeds up as the rpm increases/decreases?

can you record it and hear it no matter how terrible the cabin environment is and post a link. If in doubt open the bonnet and start looking, then move onto bumpers, those flaps in front of the front wheel (part of the underbody lip cover) then the bottom engine cover. If there's one thing I know with some certainty it's pathetic Mechanics forgetting cover bolts and only using four instead of six, or not finishing it off properly, or stripping the nylon clips the screw screws into.

I've only ever noticed it at highway speeds, my guess is that yes only at 100km/h. As you speed up, the tapping rate does not increase. If I'm doing 100Km/h and the engine is at say 2,000RPM, then I put the car in neutral dropping back to under 700RPM the tapping sound is still there.
I'm about to do more testing some time today but the noise is definitely coming from the engine that I know for sure towards the drivers side footwell. It almost sounds like some electrical tape or something similar flapping against something, or at least I'm hoping that rather than something perhaps more mechanical meaning more $$$. I'll make more observations as soon as I head out. Cheers for advice.

mauricio · 11-10-2016, 07:17 AM

Ok I tried a few things; sped up, slowed down, over bumps, and sifted gears.
The only time the noise stopped was when I applied the brakes. So on the freeway at 110KM/h, applied brakes - noise gone. Noise comes back almost immediately after I resume driving. I guess it's brakes related. Master cylinder maybe? Given the noise is towards the steering wheel area of the engine bay it might be that. Cheers

WagonWheel · 11-10-2016, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mauricio

Ok I tried a few things; sped up, slowed down, over bumps, and sifted gears.
The only time the noise stopped was when I applied the brakes. So on the freeway at 110KM/h, applied brakes - noise gone. Noise comes back almost immediately after I resume driving. I guess it's brakes related. Master cylinder maybe? Given the noise is towards the steering wheel area of the engine bay it might be that. Cheers

I had a noise once in a car which I couldn't locate, so I got my wife to walk outside while I drove slowly and she said it was coming from the wheel area. Inspected and found nothing. We had another listen in the same way and then she said STOP! She bent down and took the hubcap off and found the source of the noise - a snail ... it made more noise then you'd imagine.

I reckon you could ask a mechanic to go for a short drive with you so he can listen and maybe find the source. It's very difficult for a driver to find alone.

sailaway · 11-10-2016, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WagonWheel

I had a noise once in a car which I couldn't locate, so I got my wife to walk outside while I drove slowly and she said it was coming from the wheel area.

Then I hope mauricio's wife can run fast and get to 110Km/h.

rondeo · 11-10-2016, 01:34 PM

I know this isn't very helpful but remember: a noisy noise annoys an oyster,
so probably not a snail, in this case.

WagonWheel · 11-10-2016, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rondeo

I know this isn't very helpful but remember: a noisy noise annoys an oyster,
so probably not a snail, in this case.

The quote is actually: A noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.

Maybe the OP could make a recording (as Cobrin suggested earlier) and we could all play guess the secret sound ... or put a mechanic in the driver's seat, get him to drive and the OP in the passenger seat could let him know when the noise is apparent and see what he thinks.

Or failing that, you could try a ChassisEAR - here's a video by Scotty Kilmer (who is hilarious): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqh1oH8mEqY

mauricio · 22-10-2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WagonWheel

I had a noise once in a car which I couldn't locate, so I got my wife to walk outside while I drove slowly and she said it was coming from the wheel area. Inspected and found nothing. We had another listen in the same way and then she said STOP! She bent down and took the hubcap off and found the source of the noise - a snail ... it made more noise then you'd imagine.

I reckon you could ask a mechanic to go for a short drive with you so he can listen and maybe find the source. It's very difficult for a driver to find alone.

Cheers I prefer to fault find first before going to a mechanic, so far my efforts haven't yielded anything positive yet so workshop is next I think. Lately the car seems to have a few rattles and knocks coming from the engine bay. When I inspected the other day, I couldn't find anything obvious. The last mechanic said the turbo bar was loose and he claims he fixed it.

mauricio · 22-10-2016, 08:10 AM

These issues aside, the fuel economy of this car in incredible. I recently started a new job where most of the travel is highway. 5.4L/100km - I get just under 1100km to a tank. I've had a Pug, Renault diesels and no where near this type of return!

mauricio · 05-11-2016, 07:34 AM

Case closed; the cause of this issue was the broken clips on my pads that were either installed incorrectly 6 months ago by the mechanic, or a manufacturing fault. Pads are less than 6,000km old.