My banger is banging in a new way

Lenin Skynard

Hi all. I have a 2000 Nissan Almera and lately it started making a strange noise, particularly when moving slowly and reversing. It sounds like the exhaust is dragging on the ground but I've checked and it isn't. It's Very much a hollow sounding scrape noise, it has gotten worse over the last couple of days. Only when moving slowly and a little bit when stationary.

Was hoping to hold onto her until the nct in a few months and upgrade if there's too much wrong but I'm worried this could esculate quickly.

Any thoughts or is my description too vague?

Pottler

Any chance your break pads are worn right down? I had this on a Primera and it was the break pads, metal on metal..

Lenin Skynard

Sounds feasible alright. I changed two of the brake pads last year, my mechanic said they were in a bad way. Perhaps the other two have gone the same way? The sound isn't affected when I brake though.

Wicklowandy

Pottlers right, check your brakes, could be a wear indicator on the pad scraping at low speeds or reverse.

I take it when you say changed 2 pads maybe its the other 2, you mean front and rear?

Lenin Skynard

To be honest I've no clue about it, I dropped it into my mechanic last year and he told me to get two brake pads so I got them from a breaker and he was happy enough with them and put them on for me. I'm not sure if they were on the front or back, the car does make the sound a little bit when it's stationary though, and the sound seems to be coming from the front end of the car.

GTDolanator

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

To be honest I've no clue about it, I dropped it into my mechanic last year and he told me to get two brake pads so I got them from a breaker and he was happy enough with them and put them on for me. I'm not sure if they were on the front or back, the car does make the sound a little bit when it's stationary though, and the sound seems to be coming from the front end of the car.

you got brake pads from a breakers yard?

Wicklowandy

Good luck with it
I think it may be worthwhile to buy new pads though.

Not really a good idea, and surprising a mechanic would tell you to get some from a breakers.

New pads from any motor factors are going to be cheap enough anyway.

Wicklowandy

Can i be honest when i read that i got me the shivers....

Lenin Skynard

Thinking back on it, they were brake calipers. I priced them online and they were pricey enough, only a few quid from the breakers yard, I naively posted thinking they were the same thing.

Mycroft H

Don't skimp on brakes for the love of god. I changed the pads on my Clio last weekend for 18 euros. 18 quid for four brand new pads. They're so cheap it's not worth skimping on

Wicklowandy

I was having the thoughts of a mechanic who could fix anything with bits of bent wire, duct tape and a hammer

Glad to hear, hopefully it'll be a simple cheap fix for you..

Lenin Skynard

Wicklowandy wrote: »

I was having the thoughts of a mechanic who could fix anything with bits of bent wire, duct tape and a hammer

Glad to hear, hopefully it'll be a simple cheap fix for you..

Ah the lad is an old family friend who's retired, was a mechanic in the army for forty odd years, he wouldn't have me driving around with bad brakes and he knows I'm only spending the minimal amount to get the thing through the nct for another year as I'll upgrade soon.

They were definitely brake calipers, but I only replaced two of them. Could it be the other two making that sound?

Wicklowandy

Id reckon a 00 almera would have discs front, drums rear, so car would have only 2 calipers (front)

Get the guy to check it out, thats the best to say, It'll be obvious to him when he looks, probably only a pad edge or wear indicator rubbing.

If thats the case it'll be cheap simple and fast for him to fix

Lenin Skynard

Pottler wrote: »

Any chance your break pads are worn right down? I had this on a Primera and it was the break pads, metal on metal..

T'was indeed metal on metal but not the break pads. The heat shield on the exhaust had eroded on one side so it's rattling. The mechanic told me it's not worth worrying about if I'm only keeping the car for another year or so. It may fall off by itself at some stage he says, I hope it does because the noise is driving me mental.

Stheno

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

T'was indeed metal on metal but not the break pads. The heat shield on the exhaust had eroded on one side so it's rattling. The mechanic told me it's not worth worrying about if I'm only keeping the car for another year or so. It may fall off by itself at some stage he says, I hope it does because the noise is driving me mental.

Eh?

Is it due an NCT anytime soon?

slimjimmc

Why wait until it possibly falls off somewhere for some poor sod to drive over? Wouldn't it be so much better for your ears and for the motoring public if you either fix it or just take it off.

Lenin Skynard

slimjimmc wrote: »

Why wait until it possibly falls off somewhere for some poor sod to drive over? Wouldn't it be so much better for your ears and for the motoring public if you either fix it or just take it off.

Yeah fair point, I'll definitely take it off before that happens.

Stheno

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

Yeah fair point, I'll definitely take it off before that happens.

Don't wait, seriously, just get it replaced. You'll be driving along someday and it will fall off and cause an obstruction.

Not to mention the noise!