Terrible metallic Rattle at idle- Help Diagnose??

**dirtyserby** · 07-28-2008 10:38 AM

Just came back from a 3000km road trip. (will post pics in a bit)

Car ran (and still does) beautifully, but I noticed this terrible metallic, clickign
rattle from the front.

Sounds like something is dislodged somewhere ...

Hopefully its not a stuck lifter or something internal

.

It only happens at idle, and revving it just a bit gets rid of the noise. Other than that the car still runs fine, gets great mileage and boosts fine.

here is the youtube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLqyXp7HAIw

masters of AZ...help me again

what could it be?

**audipotential** · 07-28-2008 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by dirtyserby

Just came back from a 3000km road trip. (will post pics in a bit)

Car ran (and still does) beautifully, but I noticed this terrible metallic, clickign
rattle from the front.

Sounds like something is dislodged somewhere ...

Hopefully its not a stuck lifter or something internal

.

It only happens at idle, and revving it just a bit gets rid of the noise. Other than that the car still runs fine, gets great mileage and boosts fine.

here is the youtube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLqyXp7HAIw

masters of AZ...help me again

what could it be?

Hmm....is it just when the car starts or no matter what?

**dirtyserby** · 07-28-2008 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by audipotential

Hmm....is it just when the car starts or no matter what?

no... all the time at idle

**PETARDED** · 07-28-2008 11:47 AM

I have a weird one that comes on when its cold, then disappears, it sounds like the exhaust rattling, it is soooooo weird. Car boosts, holds and runs really well! I have no idea what it is!

**gdawg'05a4** · 07-28-2008 11:50 AM

You sure someone didn't replace it with a TDI engine

Check the belt area perhaps, maybe something got lodged in there.

**dirtyserby** · 07-28-2008 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by gdawg'05a4

You sure someone didn't replace it with a TDI engine
Check the belt area perhaps, maybe something got lodged in there.

god tell me about it! so embarrassing.

**bananas** · 07-28-2008 04:59 PM

I had a similar sound http://youtube.com/watch?v=oIhKXCbuOCM (video upload is still processing as I write this). I first checked that I had oil in the valve cover (I did), then replaced the cam chain tensioner and the noise went away. Yours could be oil related since it goes away when you rev the engine (and more oil pressure is created).

**dirtyserby** · 07-28-2008 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by bananas

I had a similar sound http://youtube.com/watch?v=oIhKXCbuOCM (video upload is still processing as I write this). I first checked that I had oil in the valve cover (I did), then replaced the cam chain tensioner and the noise went away. Yours could be oil related since it goes away when you rev the engine (and more oil pressure is created).

sound very similiar

did you take off the valve cover? how did u check ?

**Smiley** · 07-28-2008 05:16 PM

This probably wont help AT ALL..lol but try playin with ur heatshield a little bit

**dirtybrd** · 07-28-2008 07:02 PM

Get a piece of hose, about garden hose size and trim it to about 2 ft. long. Place one end to your ear and move the other end around the eng. until you can isolate the area it's coming from. To me it sounds like the cam chain tensioner on the back of the cyl. head has/is failing.

**dirtyserby** · 07-28-2008 11:09 PM

I found a DIY for the passat AWM cam chain tensioner engines here

http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=215732

what differences if any should I expect for our AMB engines?

**bananas** · 07-29-2008 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by dirtyserby

I found a DIY for the passat AWM cam chain tensioner engines here

http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=215732

what differences if any should I expect for our AMB engines?

That's a nicely illustrated writeup. I can't think of any differences.

**evil_O** · 07-29-2008 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by GtiRSmiley

This probably wont help AT ALL..lol but try playin with ur heatshield a little bit

Heatshield popped into my mind as well.

**Affinitive** · 07-29-2008 04:27 AM

I would definitely take off the valve cover to check out the cam adjuster/chain tensioner. Sounds about right if one of the chan guides is broken. Seen it a few times on both 1.8T's and 2.8's. Could also be possible that the oil is not flowing through the tensioner properly anymore. As in not lubricating the chain on both the top and bottom chain guide. If one of the chain guides is broken, then make sure to inspect the chain very carefully and replace the chain as well if it has rubbed on anything metal.
Pretty nice write on the proceedure, though, I would actually pull both cams and loosen the cam sensor shutter wheel before loosening the T-Belt so you can change the seals and plug as well. Good time to do all timing belt stuff if it hasn't been done before. Pulling both cams makes it pretty easy to change the adjuster as you can just pull both cams with the tensioner, set it all on a bench, change the adjuster and set it all back into the head. Make sure the notches line up and you get the 16 roller count correct. If you have to use the tool off the new unit to remove the old one, just make sure you remove it very carefully from the new one without droping the chain guide and reinstall it very carefully. Also make sure to use a very slight bit of silicone sealer on the end bearing caps. You'll be able to tell where when you take it off.

C