Woody Woodpecker at 1,200rpm.....

[Darren S]

Chaps, I was hoping for some ideas or suggestions as to what a noise could be on my 182.

Basically, at idle, the car makes a tappety noise. It's more noticable in the car than under the bonnet, tbh. I've never really bothered with it much as you have to focus your hearing to hear it in the first place.

However, today was the first time out in my car for a few days. Once I got back outside the house, I listened to the tapping noise. This time however, its more noticable as you gradually increase the rpms - even more so around the 1,200-1,500 rpm mark. Beyond that, the background noise of the engine drowns out the tapping noise - but I presume its still there.

Could it be the cold? Or is it more likely to be something mechanical? I'm loathe to stress the car or use it too much if I'm on the verge of doing something terminal to it.

For the record, it's coming up to 55k and has yet to have the cambelt done. The aux. belt was changed as part of the 36k service. Additional to that, the oil has been changed every 6k. Oh, and its definitely not the engine cover rattling. I got Jain to press down on it while I was dabbling with the throttle!

Any ideas would be great guys.

Thanks,
D.

 

[Russ_16v]

can you hear it when you listen with the bonnet open mate? as in leaning over the engine

 

[Darren S]

I would say so Russ - but the background noise of the engine makes it more difficult to hear properly. Once sat in the driver's seat - you can hear it more 'clearly'.

It sounds around where the oil filler cap area is.

Bit vague, I know.

D.

 

[Russ_16v]

no mate i think i have that too, i can hear it from under the bonnet, or near the car but hear it alot more clear inside, ie when blipping the throttle lightly when sat in the drivers seat, what happens if you hold it at say 1300 rpm does it constantly make this noise? im not sure if the noise on mine goes away or not, but it seems loudest at around 1300, though its always done it and i'v done 25000 miles like it so im not worried

 

[172Ben]

get a vid of the noise?

 

[bing_17]

Mine sometimes sounds rough as truck for a second or two when first starting if its been left for a while, Sounds like the hydraulic tappits in my case.. Just the oil draining away when its stood. Can't comment on yours really without hearing it.

 

[Darren S]

no mate i think i have that too, i can hear it from under the bonnet, or near the car but hear it alot more clear inside, ie when blipping the throttle lightly when sat in the drivers seat, what happens if you hold it at say 1300 rpm does it constantly make this noise? im not sure if the noise on mine goes away or not, but it seems loudest at around 1300, though its always done it and i'v done 25000 miles like it so im not worried

If I hold the throttle at around that rpm - the noise stays continious - though obviously quicker than at idle. The 1,300rpm mark does seem to be there or thereabouts where the rapid 'tapping' is at its loudest. Like I said, I think it's there during the higher rpms, but the overall engine noise just drowns the tapping out.

Today has been the first time I've noticed it. I just hope it's not cams or valves or anything.

get a vid of the noise?

Good call Ben. I'll try and nab one in the morning when its light.

D.

 

[franx]

mind you, the injectors are often heard from the cabin, tappety tap, but when standing over the hood all other noise deletes that sound.

I thought i had a problem with mine once.. were the injectors i was hearing

 

[Darren S]

Mine sometimes sounds rough as truck for a second or two when first starting if its been left for a while, Sounds like the hydraulic tappits in my case.. Just the oil draining away when its stood. Can't comment on yours really without hearing it.

Lol - let's just hope it's all part of being 'a Renault', eh?!

D.

 

[bing_17]

LOL, yea reno crap!

 

[Darren S]

mind you, the injectors are often heard from the cabin, tappety tap, but when standing over the hood all other noise deletes that sound.

I thought i had a problem with mine once.. were the injectors i was hearing

Ah. There's a thought. Would noisy injectors necessarily indicate a problem though? The car itself drives fine - no lumpiness, or stuttering - and has smooth and progressive delivery of power. It also idles spot on. It just taps a lot!

D.

 

[W111ALG]

Dephaser pulley?

 

[Adey.]

id say dephaser pully, but could also be the bottom end knocking, do you hear it quite clearly on rundown say when rolling to a junction in gear?

 

[Nafeun]

nothing serious, 99% sur eits the carbon canister

 

[jesus]

i have the exact same problem - only just noticed it recently though so put it down to the winter months

 

[Brett]

if i hold my car between 1-1.6k i get this tappety noise aswell. Been doing it for over a year now, i'm not worried about it though, the only time you notice it is driving along in 1st gear holding it between 1-1.6ishK in traffic etc. I just put the radio on when it happens.

 

[Darren S]

Dephaser pulley?

What's that?

id say dephaser pully, but could also be the bottom end knocking, do you hear it quite clearly on rundown say when rolling to a junction in gear?

No m8 - just really sat there at idle and blipping the throttle slightly. Bottom end issues = big money?

nothing serious, 99% sur eits the carbon canister

Ah, another idea! Would it make a tapping noise though?

i have the exact same problem - only just noticed it recently though so put it down to the winter months

Get up here m8 and we can compare tapping noises!

if i hold my car between 1-1.6k i get this tappety noise aswell. Been doing it for over a year now, i'm not worried about it though, the only time you notice it is driving along in 1st gear holding it between 1-1.6ishK in traffic etc. I just put the radio on when it happens.

ROFL! Good answer! If its been doing it that long, hopefully its not a major problem then?

D.

 

[Cro]

Had a similar sounding problem myself, turned out just to be a loose spark plug :rasp:

 

[caister]

Mines always done it as well. Unless it sounds similar to diesel i.e your dephaser pulley has gone then I dont think its much to worry about as they are quite noisy engines.

 

[Russ_16v]

agreed, like i said mines done it from the day i bought it, and iv done coming up 26k now, and its still fine, its worried me a few times to be honest mate, but nothing has ever shown up through driving, and it still makes great power

 

[rich_1989]

cabon canister does tick like a beatch

 

[leecup]

Had a similar sounding problem myself, turned out just to be a loose spark plug :rasp:

totally agree check your spark plugs i had the same problem!!!!!

 

[Darren S]

totally agree check your spark plugs i had the same problem!!!!!

Hopefully its not them. I changed them myself for a new set of NGKs a few months back. Such a shame the bloody inlet manifould has to come off to check. Might be worth doing though - cheers!

I would have posted up a sound clip, but its being an arse today. Drove out this afternoon (including a few miles on the motorway) and pulled up. Stereo off, heater off - anything that would make an additional noise - and I couldn't hear it.

Drove back home a bit later and did the same outside the house. This time I could hear it, but only very slightly. I doubt that the camera microphone would have even picked it up, tbh.

One thing I did notice (and this maybe purely coincidental) was that during the self-test bit where the dash dials flip round and the bleeping kicks in - there was an almost identical tapping noise in the background. Not as rapid as when the car was idling, but it sounded SO similar to it. :S

If it definitely makes the same loudness as yesterday again, I'll get the camera out on it.

Thanks for all the replies so far though!

D.

 

[Russ_16v]

iv changed my plugs mate and its not that, the noise is from around the oil filler cap, not plugs, i will grab a vid of mine when i can mate, seriously dont let it worry you

 

[Brett]

Think all clio's do it judging by all of the posts above mate from 1.2 through to 2.0 i'm certainly not worried by it anyway, you have my solution above anyway

 

[Ads_172]

Mine does this on occasion too, more often when I've been sat idling for a while or at low revs in traffic.

The general consensus on here from research seems to be that if it's really quite loud and diesel-sounding then it's the dephaser pulley, which is a pain in the ass job and involves also getting the belts changed (higher £££), whereas if it's just light ticking which increases in speed with the revs and appears to be coming from the passenger footwell then it's the carbon cannister which is a cheaper job to replace and nothing to worry about.

I think...

 

[cliobritt]

Mine does this too. Carbon canister? where is this located? whats it for?