A bit of a wrattle coming from somewhere

[Piers Rendell]

Yesterday, I had my first run out since the London to Brighton blat in November. Last year, I repacked the R500 exhaust on my R300K, with the Caterham kit and from somewhere I am getting a very loud rattle at low RPM. It clears at higher RPM. You should also know that I am very hard of hearing and wear hearing aids, that I do not wear in the car and I also use ear plugs to protect what I have left of my hearing. However, yesterday when visiting the battle of Britain Memoral, I left my hearing aids in for the run up to Manston and discovered this severe rattle.

 

I supect the silencer, because it is RPM related. The more RPM the less the rattle. meaning that the baffles in the silencer are held in position by pressure. I am just about to get under the car in my pit and see what I can find and I expect that taking the silencer off and shaking it may find the answer.

 

Has anyone else had this problem.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Piers

[mav]

Worth checking out the header connections and under the bonnet for anything loose.

 

If you are on rbtbs rather than the vvc engine check the plug cover is not loose.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Try thumping silencer with your palm. May be inner perforated tube needs flaring a little to fit one end ? Check exhaust mounting brackets are secure. Check primaries bolted to head ok. Check no cracks round where exhaust goes into front of silencer.

[Piers Rendell]

I have found rather a lot of gravel under the passenger seat that rattle when you thump it from below. The hoover can't reach there, so seats out and the I'll check the exhaust system.

 

Thanks for info.

 

Piers

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

You haven't got him Stuck under the seat ??

[Ian B]

Piers, take the hearing aids out, that'll cure it

 

(sorry, not being much help am I ?)

 

 

[Piers Rendell]

Well, there was rather a lot of gravel under the passenger seat, as well as between the alloy skin and the lower chassis rail, by the engine mounting and under the exhaust pipes, where they exit to the outside. I have cleaned it all out and the rattle seems to have gone - horray.

 

This gravel came for the trip back from Leybourne Castle in June 13, following Paul Head, we had the misfortune to go through some re-tarmacing and both cars got covered in gravel, both inside and out. I though I had cleaned it all out, but not so.

 

I gave the exhaust a good check over but can see no cracks and checked the silencer. I also checked the spark plug cover and that was all tight. I still think the silencer may need re-packing, as the Caterham kit I used last year has no doubt be blow out. I think the is a company in Ashford who make silencers who could do it for me.

 

Ian - sorry I don't know who this guy is - is he the racer who killed a cyclist while on the phone ?

 

Ian B - The lack of hearing. plus the use of ear plugs in means I don't hear all the squeeks, rattles and thumps and it is probably a good thing. Doing 15 miles or so yesterday, with the hearing aids in was awful and the rattle worrying.

 

Thanks all for suggestions

 

 

Piers

R300KWK

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

He was. It was a play on words ...... from thread title