Calling 16v boffins!

[Ben H]

Things just wouldnt be "right" if there wasnt something a little bit wrong with my 16v! Im up in Edinburgh at the moment - doing about 30 miles a week in my car (if that) as
a) Im cycling into work
b) my motor needs some love

Grubby-handed questions:

1. My car rumbles like hell. The front rumble is at what sounds like the manifold-to-downpipe joint (is this a gasket maybe?). At the back it squeakes like mad at the "bend" (where it goes to the nearside) at the rear of the exhaust (an exhaust hanger?). Is this lot going to be expensive/out of the capabilities of non-specialists? (P.S. its a Mongoose cat-back). Has anybody had this happen to them?

2. Ive got coolant leaking from the bleed screw of the radiator. Not the whole lot, but enough to go from "Max" to "Min" in an 8 hour drive I did to get to bonnie Scotland. Why could this be??

3. Can Dentmaster/whoever get rid of the many tiny door-opening dents Ive picked up in car parks - or is it going to be too expensive to consider??

4. GR has already pointed out some garages for me in Edinburgh - does anybody else know of good tyre/exhaust/MOT places here??

Cheers very much for the help!

GR - am going to investigate the garage contacts you gave me the other day - thanks very much!!

 

[lofty]

Had similar problems with my Magnex exhaust which i sold in the end after having it re-fitted 3 times, the place i used is the quick-fit at the bottom of Gloucester road back here in sunny bristol, the lad in charge there has got a Williams and is a top class fitter but was surronded by useless normal quick-fit types, he said he could make it fit by heating it up a little bit and bending it slightly with a bar, he assured me this was somthing he did regularly, but i decided to go back to standard as im not really in to all that noise,

not sure if that will help you, but thats what i found, and even putting the standard exhaust back on it still blows ever so slightly at the join between middle and back box, but there is nothing that can be done, and its complicated to explain,

my advice would be go into a quick-fit type lace when they are very quiet and ask one of the lads who appears to know what he talking about to line it up, he will happily do it for a few quid in his back pocket, and just un-clamping, re-pasteing and re-alinging might be all that needs doing, and it wont cost much either

good luck

 

[cliocup]

Dont even talk to me about Mongoose exausts! Mine just about fits after re-fitting it so many times. Although it sounds and looks great, it knocks everywhere and because its a bad fit the rubbers are too tight and sqeak at times.

Still sounds like its leaking but i think my maifold to downpipe gasket is blowing.

Sounds like your bleed screw either isnt tight (assume youve checked this) of the threads are knackerd or if theres an O-ring on it its shot.

If there is no sealing ring, get one on there, it may do the trick. Not only are you losing water, you are taking in air. Not good, especially in summer.

Knocking on front could be; ball joint, inner w/bone bush, wheel bearing, dogbone mount, downpipe knocking on shell, CV joint or any number of things.

Ive changed all the above parts and the front end still makes noises from time to time. Roll bar bushes this time i think.

 

[Ben H]

Thanks for the advice.

Cant be mounts as theyve only just been all replaced. It only rumbles at the front when I "blip" the throttle at idle - so I doubt its a ball-joint, CV or bearing. Besides - Ive had all these replaced too!!

Thats why I reckon its got to be the exhaust.

Cheers for the coolant system advice. Where can I get O-rings/sealing rings from and are they easy to fit??

Cheers again

 

[Captain Slarty]

I love this quote LOL

"in an 8 hour drive I did to get to bonnie Scotland. Why could this be??"

I always wondered WHY people want to visit Scotland LOL....

The rumble certainly sounds exhaust related.

Get a tin of white paint spray. any...

go under the motor and spray the white anywhere where you think it migh be toughing...

(Dont worry about cleaning underneath first)

go for a run when the paint has gone off and then look for contact marks, that indicates your problem area, if no marks, suspect the internal baffles or screen for rattling.

Joe

 

[Ben H]

Cheers

Im in Scotland because this is where my job is for the next 10 weeks!! (With the Royal Bank). Id never drive a distance like that if I didnt have to - unless it was all twisty, empty A-roads though