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Horrible engine noise - Mk3 Mondeo

  • 18-09-2014 9:06pm
    #1
    krank
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭


    My 2005 Mondeo (1.8 Duratec petrol) has suddenly developed a horrid engine sound. It's a cross between a rattle and a train going over tracks. When I first start the engine it isn't there but immediately starts when I move off. It also persists when idling.

    Facing the car the sound is coming from the left of the engine. It sounds close to the swirl flap sound video on YouTube but this problem was sorted before 2003 I thought? Could they have been retrofitted for some unimaginable reason?

    What about the timing chain? There's about 150,000km on the clock.


Comments

  • #2
    Esel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,093 ✭✭✭✭Esel
    Not Your Ornery Onager


    From previous reading (on talkford etc) the swirl flap problem in the MK3 never went away even with the redesign, and the advice was to remove them completely. They say that removing the flaps is a 2-3 hour job for a competent DIYer, so a good independent mechanic shouldn't charge much more than €200 for this.

    You say when you first start the engine it isn't there but immediately starts when you move off, and it also persists when idling. How about if you rev the engine a bit without moving off? Any noise then? Or when you let it idle after that?

    If it sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck then it might well be the swirl flaps...

    If it is, I hope that nothing has been ingested to the cylinders already - hopefully not yet if the noise has just surfaced.

    I have no idea about timing chain noise. IANAM, btw.


    Visit your mechanic asap for an opinion.

    Not your ornery onager



  • #3
    krank
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭krank


    Thanks Esel,

    The chain of events is:

    I arrived back at my car and started it up. No noise. I then moved off and the rattle began. My memory is a bit fuzzy but I think that accelerating did affect the sound. After the short journey I arrived back home and the left my car on idle for a few moments and the rattle persisted. I then switched off the engine. I turned it back on and the rattle was gone. I revved the engine but it still wasn't there. Putting it back into first and moving a few inches up the rattle came back. Anyway I was in a hurry so left it and went inside.

    Later I got back into my car and drove down the road. Same again, no noise when switching on the engine but noise whilst driving. I parked. Turned off the engine. Opened the bonnet and switched the engine back on. This time the noise was there from the get go. The sound is coming from the front left of the engine.

    I came back to my car later and switched it on. I don't remember if the sound was immediate upon starting the engine but it was very loud heading home.

    All of this happened yesterday.


  • #4
    guil
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,534 ✭✭✭✭guil


    I removed the swirl flaps from a 02 mondeo. It is a pita to do haha.
    Sadly though I kept putting it off and a bit broke before I done it.


  • #5
    Harcrid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,310 ✭✭✭Harcrid


    I also removed the flaps on my 02 Mondeo and one had broken off but luckily got jammed and did not go anywhere. One way you can check if its the flaps or not is to remove the vacuum hose on the intake and see if the noise is still there. The flaps are actuated by vacuum and if you disconnect the hose they should get disabled.


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