Freelander 1 Tapping noise when engine idling. Any pointers?

The Hippo was doing so well, but then the wife drops a "there's a funny noise coming from the car" :-(

I have just been out and she is right. At idle the car sounds like someone is tapping a screw driver on the right hand side of the engine block.

It's a TD4 BMW engine with 145k on the clock.

Just wonder if anyone may have some pointers as to what to check.

Thanks

1.Dodgy injector
2.needs an oil change
3.check the auxiliary drive belt tensioner

Mike

Skinny Mike said:

1.Dodgy injector
2.needs an oil change
3.check the auxiliary drive belt tensioner

Mike

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Hoping it's not injectors as all 4 were replaced last summer with reconditioned ones. It is due an oil change and the belt hasn't been changed for 100k :-O

If I remove the belt will it also be evident if a bearing or the coolant pump is dodgy?

Change the belt and tensioner now, you bad person
Give the other bits a wobble, it's obvious if they need changing. But they're very hard wearing on the td4.
Mike

flanagaj said:

Hoping it's not injectors as all 4 were replaced last summer with reconditioned ones. It is due an oil change and the belt hasn't been changed for 100k :-O

If I remove the belt will it also be evident if a bearing or the coolant pump is dodgy?

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Can you get to it with a mechanics scope to pinpoint it?

..

Skinny Mike said:

Change the belt and tensioner now, you bad person
Give the other bits a wobble, it's obvious if they need changing. But they're very hard wearing on the td4.
Mike

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Will do. Thanks

wammers said:

Can you get to it with a mechanics scope to pinpoint it?

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I think there is room, but are they good at pin pointing where on the engine the noise is originating from? They are < £10 on ebay, so not too much of a purchase and I can always use it to check my ticker after doing exercise.

flanagaj said:

Will do. Thanks

I think there is room, but are they good at pin pointing where on the engine the noise is originating from? They are < £10 on ebay, so not too much of a purchase.

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Yes very good care needed though.

wammers said:

Yes very good care needed though.

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With the belt spinning and pulley I can see you need to be careful when pushing the device around down there.

Main pulley? The usual test being to shine a torch at it and see if there's any metallic particles floating around.

GrumpyGel said:

Main pulley? The usual test being to shine a torch at it and see if there's any metallic particles floating around.

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Thanks for that. I had another look tonight and if I shine a torch in the engine bay by the pulleys it does have a glitter effect.

flanagaj said:

Thanks for that. I had another look tonight and if I shine a torch in the engine bay by the pulleys it does have a glitter effect.

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That tends to suggest that the crank pulley has begun to fail.

Nodge68 said:

That tends to suggest that the crank pulley has begun to fail.

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Ok thanks. Would that explain the noise and if so, are we talking a big job?

Not sure if its a big job - but for just a pulley they are very expensive!

If there is "glitter" or fair dust as I call it, it is bottom pulley then it is not that big of a job but you have to have a way of locking the engin up ,and plenty of muscle the bolt on the pulley is 22mm and if you have a long break bar the better it will be I will check later but off the top of my head it is 190lb torque on doing it up .

To save having to lock the remove the plastic lower arch panel so that on hard lock you can see the crank bolt, then run it to your nearest tyre fitter, slip them a few quid and use a 22mm impact wrench, retighten with a hand tool to drive home, then change pulley and belt.

Tightening is done in 3 stages of degrees, all detailed in Rave. I did the first 30 degrees by hand then marked the pulley and bolt with tippex and completed it back at the tyre centre. Locking the engine requires removal of starter motor and you can damage the ring gear and / or your knuckles !

Many thanks chaps. Really appreciate your help on this one.

I found this novel approach online.

I have had a good look today and it is definitely the lower crank pulley. Question is whether it is ok for the wife to drive it this week to take the kids to school. It's a 40 mile round trip each day so quite a distance. I thought it worthwhile posting a picture which shows the metal on metal wear.

I'd also rather not remover the starter motor when tightening up the bolt. As it is a manual, can I just adopt the 5th gear and brakes pressed hard method to stop the crank turning?