Chris and Kate

We found a fix that eliminates the most annoying noise.

Wait for it!

A 2lb weight wrapped up in an old dishcloth and tied around the tube of the wiper mechanism.

Most of the rattling has gone.

I might try packing it with grease at some time.

It is worst at about 2000rpm and drops of at higher revs up to about 2500rpm.

It sounds like a mechanical vibration and I suspect the wiper mechanism as light thumb pressure on the tube reduces it a lot.

I suspect it is either the spring-drive  in the tube or something close to / attached to the wiper mechanism.

I read another post where the owner filled the mechanism tube up with grease.

I have wondered about a spring or weight to preload the tube just enough to stop it vibrating.

I think it is either the wiper mechanism or something close to it or attached to it. The weekends investigations show that thumb pressure on the linkage reduces it a lot.

It is noticeable at just under 2000rpm to about 2500rpm. Unfortunately an 30mph limit puts the engine right on the maximum resonance.

It is a mechanical vibration.

Over the weekend I tried to isolate it and It reduces a lot if I reach under the dash and put a thumb on the wiper linkage.

So It is either that or something close to / attached to it.

Can anyone help with this?

It sounds like an insect buzzing and is very irritating.

I have taken the bonnet off and looked under the dash and though it is very hard to tell because nearly everything is black I can't see anything obviously loose.

A search of posts and Google reveals some comments about the heater and the wiper mechanism as possibly culprits though I get the impression they are slightly lower frequency than our anoying buzzing vibration.

I swapped the relays for Bosch ones from Arnold Clark as recommended in this thread. It worked.

Just an update in case anyone else has the same issue.

That's what it was. I swapped the middle two blocks in the group of six and it worked.

Update!

I swapped two of the "bocks" around in the electrics box under the passenger dashboard and it worked!

If anyone else has the same issue there are two big "blocks" in the lower row, above that are six smaller "blocks" in two rows of three..

I swapped the middle two "blocks", upper row to lower row, in that group of six smaller "blocks".

The engine starts immediately.

So now I need to work out if this is just luck or if something is going to cause this to happen again. I probably need to find out what the defective "block" is now wired to.

Thanks for all the help.

The engine does not turn. Pressing the start button results in a small electronic hum "mmmmmmm...".

Either the starter motor is faulty or something is stopping it from getting power.

The engine does not turn.

It worked fine the last time the car was driven. It gets taken out every week and was driven 50 miles two days prior to the fault appearing.

Lights and wipers work so I', assuming it is a fuse/wiring/solenoid issue.

The car was driven over 50 miles two days before the fault appeared.

No work on it, not drowned.

The lights work fine so I assume the battery is OK.

I have looked, as much as I can given the very tight spaces, to see if a wire has come off. I've also pushed everything I can reach/feel home.

I suspect it is either the wires to the motor or a fuse/solenoid issue.

Is there a simple fix for this issue?

The car is used every week and ran perfectly last time out.

I put the key in the ignition, turned the key and waved the immobilser black tag thing under the dash.

The immobiliser light went out and I pressed the start button.

Nothing but a faint hum.

I have tried unplugging the battery for ten mins to see if that resets anything but no luck. I have also taken off the solenoid/fuse box cover and checked that everything is pushed home into its socket.

Headlights and wipers work fine.

There are tables of wheel-tyre sizes on the internet, I've looked at tyresizecalculator, and 155/65 isn't recommended for a 5.5 rim. It isn't listed for 5.0 either.

Watanabe do produce a 14 - 4.5 as well as the 14 -5.0. Wheels in these sizes are rare and wheels that actually suit the 160 are rarer still.

So it looks like 155/65 on 14-4.5 or 165/60 on 14-5.0.

For the bigger size it might be a good idea to use a higher ET, maybe 42-45, to keep the width the same as the rear wheels are very close to the edges of the arches.

So it looks as if there isn't much choice if you want a traditional looking wheel.

I've looked all over the internet:

The problem is the wheel size 14 inch x 4.5J - 4x100 - 39ET or 5.0J is very unusual for alloys and, if you draw it out (I'm an engineer, I can't help but think like this), doesn't leave much room for the thicker spokes on alloys anyway.

Traditional Minilite wheels are much lower offset in the narrower sizes. I checked the sizes online for Minilite, Minator, JBW, Compomotive and Image and the offsets are all considerably less than the required ET39. Japan Racing make the JR19 but again ET values are very low.

This is the only Minilite style wheel that I think might fit - Watanabe. They make the 14-05 F8F (aluminium and magnesium versions). Standard Alu ET is 45 with lower values available to special order, the Mag version comes in ET40 which I guess is close enough. Assuming you want silver alloys you'll need to specify that as well which brings the total to £276 (Al) and £303 (Mag). Those figures are based on the manufactures website, I don't know what they'd cost after you pay for shipping or order through a UK distributor.

Volk Racing make the CE28N if you like a modern look. Personally I think Caterhams suite more traditional looking wheels but it fits.

Unfortunately they are also even more expensive than the Watanabes.