West of Scotland RSOC

This will no doubt be an ongoing topic I took the Fez out today, got 50 yards down the road before I had a horrible vibration grindy noise from the engine bay (that's girl speak for horrible grindy noise!). I got it back to the house ok, no drive problem or gear problem and still ticking over and running ok just with the noise. So I am planning to, for the first time in 15 years, get out the Haynes manual and socket set lol! The noise was definitely related to the engine rather than driveshafts or anything as it changed noise with accelerator.

So I am thinking I just start by removing belt covers etc. and have a good look around. Hopefully it won't be mouse related

I'll keep you all posted and will admit when I give in and end up with the car in bits and my mechanic pissed off with me lol!

good luck Mel and hope its not serious

sounds a good place to start , havin a look to see if anythings hanging off

Aww hen....best of luck...your a braver lass than me!! Hats off for getting the manual out & your hands dirty & hope its not to serious!

Thanks for your optimism Emma, I'm sure my mechanic will be well chuffed when I have it in bit's, none the wiser and having lost a load of bolts/screws etc lol!

Like you say Mikey I may as well have a look to see if anything is obviously hanging off! It will have to wait till weekend for daylight

They arnt a hard engine to work on

Can't think what that could be, my money would have been on the gearbox, when they go it's fairly "grindy" but if you've already ruled that out then it can't be. You say it's doing it at tickover when you're not moving so again that's not likely to be the gearbox so that's my idea out the window! Have a nosey in and around and see what you can find! As mikey says, not a hard engine to work on!

Thanks for the positivity! I'll have a nosey at the weekend and see what I find and try and apply some common sense No doubt I'll be looking for advice

Hard to tell from your description but if there's nothing obvious wrong it could be your release bearing.

To be honest I haven't started it again yet, will have to wait till weekend but I vaguely remember what a release bearing is! I've got a proper old school useful Haynes manual for reference! Fingers crossed its just something silly. It needs a couple of jobs done over winter anyway which I won't be doing myself, rear crank seal, some welding on front chassis leg and new valve stem oil seals and rings for the hell of it! So if I can't figure it out it will be visiting the garage, I want to at least have a look and get oil under my nails

x2 thrust bearing gubbed

Not sure myself Mel as mentioned maybe the release bearing but any grinding noise canny be good. Had a few nasty noises from my old alternator in the past as it had seized, you can check that visually just make sure the belt is turning the alternator pulley round aw right.

Was it definately a grinding noise not a chapping or metal slaping noise as I've seen loose exhaust manifolds cause a wicked vibration and one hell of a noise sounds well nasty the threads go on the head bolts then the manifold slaps off the head you could give them a check with a 13mm socket and a ratchet just make sure they're all tight. There are a couple that are quite hard to get to in between the turbo flange at the bottom of the manifold but worth a try.

Keep us posted

My first though was actually the manifold as it sounded like something vibrating like hell with a bit of a grind and it changes with the revs, I'll check the obvious first and let you all know

Hi Mel,
Just going back to the alternator idea that was mentioned . . . If you were to slacken the alternater off and drop the drive belt off then start the engine and see if the noise has changed with out the alternater attached.

Just out of interest what engine is in your fiesta?

Hope you get it sorted!

Pete

It's a standard Fez Turbo Pete

standard engine fez, peter

If it ever stops bloody raining I may be able to look at it, unfortunately its outside at moment and a woman has limits and that is torrential rain with 50mph winds

mel if your ever near glasgow give me a shout will have alook for ya