Hello everyone,

I'm hoping to tap into your collective knowledge about my beloved 6!
This morning when I got home from work I noticed a metallic rattling sound from the engine bay. It sounds almost life someones dropped a bb in there.
The sound happens the clutch is half in when the cars in 1st. - ie as if to pull away. The engine speed is about 1200 rpm.

I popped the bonnet and had a listen with the misses replicating the sound with the hand brake on. It sounds like its coming from behind and under the engine on the side of the Aux Belt.

My car is a 2004 1.8 ts.

This noise is really annoying and worrying me that it could be a really serious problem.

Any ideas/ advise would be really appreciated!

I have two videos of the noise:

 

take the wheel and the wheel arch cover off and listen again - my sound system is rubbish but it sounds like either a bearing is totally worn or belt slap (worn belt).

Post a bit more detail as well - e.g. mileage, when was tthe belts last changed etc.

 

Hello cheers for the reply,

The sound only comes on when the clutch is at the bite point and the engine is under load. The noise doesn't come on when the engine is revved in neutral so could it be the tensioner bearing?

I don't know if its been changed before and it's only done 73k.

Cheers for the reply!

 

have had a listen on a better sound system - its not belt slap or the tensioner.

Once the clutch is fully released and the car is moving does the noise stop or continue?

 

Hello cheers for replying man,

It does continue when the clutch is fully released. I reckon the noise is probable constant it's probably gets drowned out by road noise.

It bugged the hell out of me so I dropped it off at the garage this morning fingers crossed that its not too expensive lol