Strange rattle appeared overnight :(

[Big_Al 10]

Hey guys,

 

I find myself in need, once again, for the advice of this fine forum.

 

I started my car today and heard a rattle from under the car. Tap the throttle a little and as the revs drop, the noise gets louder for a few seconds.

 

Now, having had something similar happen to my little Ibiza some time ago, I am fearing its the cat :(

 

When I looked under the car, I couldnt see annything but the noise did seem to be coming from the front bulge in the exhaust.

 

So, I am asking, do you agree that this could be/is the case? What replacements would you recommend? Any idea of a price for a genuine part?

 

I ask about replacements as the first on that I bought for me Ibiza was quite cheap at around £90 but was rubbish.... me car whistled all the time. A genuine VW part which I went for in the end was over £400 :(

 

so, over to you guys :)

 

Cheers.

 

Al.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Could be the guard that covers up the cat, i took mine off and never had an issue since

[Big_Al 10]

Good answer.... I like answers like that :-)

 

Please tell me your signature is a car sticker :-)

 

Cheers.

 

Al.

[Mike16v 10]

Had to replace my CAT recently. I was dreading the cost but it only cost me about £55. Think the rules about CATs changed after Corados finished production so they haven't got the quantity of the really expensive metals that modern ones have. Think they are stuffed with straw or something...

 

So might not be as bad as you think.

 

Mine sounded like a tin can containing ball bearings was suspended under the car.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Had you recently been married?

 

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk 2

[Mike16v 10]

It all makes sense now...somebody had squirted shaving foam all over it as well.

[Big_Al 10]

So to add to the confusion, the car has just had its MOT. I advised the little man at the garage that there was a rattling coming from the underside somewhere near the cat.

 

"not to worry, we'll look and let you know......"

 

It passed. No noise coming from the cat, no rattle was heard..... ok, great and all that, but seriously 4 people have heard it but the mechanic/technician (what ever they are called these days) couldnt.....

 

So, I take my nice new MOT over to my car, I start the car and guess what..... the rattle is there. I go and speak to Mr mechnician and he, rather than come over to hear it for himself, advises me that if it gets worse, bring it back.....

 

Dont get me wrong, am happy the old girl passed. Was, if I am honest, dreading the result. but now I have an annoying rattle under my car that apparently isnt there. Grrrr!

 

Anyway, I have done a little looking about and chatted with a friend and it turns out that the cat on a Corrado is a rather simple thing to replace. So I am going to order a new one soon.

 

But, I understand that some of the old cars can be de-catted.... so to speak. My friend says mine is at an age where the law changed. Just wondering if this is the case before I go ordering parts and stuff.

 

Is this the case ? Are there such things as performance upgrades for the cat?

 

She's a K plate which I believe was 92/93.

 

Once again, over to you :)

 

Cheers.

 

Al.

[fendervg 33]

It's probably just a loose heat shield somewhere - there's lots of them under the car. Could also be the exhaust touching some other part at certain revs, or something loose ( a bit of rust, twig, stone, etc) inside one of the silencer boxes. Happens often when you drive through flood water. I reckon a mechanic who just says replace the cat without checking the readings is just being lazy.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Best to get the car up on the ramps and get someone to rise the revs as you lay under enough to tell where the noise is coming from. Not trying to state the obvious :? :)

[Big_Al 10]

The car has been checked over and the cat was definitly shot. This has been replaced and all is well, along with a new handbreak cable which was discovered to need replacing too...... it never seems to end does it :tongue:

 

Many thanks for the pointers guys.

 

Cheers.

 

Al.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Big_Al
school boy spelling errors