Rattle from Audi A6 engine

Hi,

I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.

A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.

The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.

Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
I not drive it in case something breaks?

TIA. Mark.

"Mark" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>
> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>
> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>
> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>
> TIA. Mark.

Try to locate the noise by holding a piece of tubing in your ear and the
other end against where you think the noise might be coming from. What
you've told us so far is far too vague.

Rob Graham

"Mark" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>
> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>
> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>
> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
> I not drive it in case something breaks?

Without examining the car, its very difficult to tell, but the V6 is prone
to both water pump failure, and cam drive tensioner failure, both of which
can (in case of w/pump) and will (in case of tensioner) lunch the engine, so
personnally I would not drive the car until its been properly checked.

Tim..

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 08:33:13 +0100, Mark > wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>
> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>
> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>
> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>
> TIA. Mark.


IF it's coming from the cambelt tensioner or waterpump, it can wreck the
engine, Ring round your local garages to get a price for a cambelt &
tensioner change before you take it in, the price varies dramatically.

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 09:44:06 +0000 (UTC), "Rob graham"
> wrote:

>
>"Mark" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>>
>> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
>> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
>> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
>> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
>> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
>> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>>
>> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
>> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
>> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>>
>> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
>> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>>
>> TIA. Mark.
>
>Try to locate the noise by holding a piece of tubing in your ear and the
>other end against where you think the noise might be coming from. What
>you've told us so far is far too vague.

I don't really fancy sticking a piece of tube in among the cam belt
and fans! ;-) I guess I'll have to take it to the garage but they
can't look at it until next week :-(

Oh I wish I could get a workshop manual for a UK spec car!

Cheers, Mark

On Mon, 19 Sep 2005 14:20:05 +0100, Mark > wrote:

> On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 09:44:06 +0000 (UTC), "Rob graham"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> "Mark" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>>>
>>> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
>>> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
>>> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
>>> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
>>> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
>>> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>>>
>>> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
>>> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
>>> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>>>
>>> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
>>> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>>>
>>> TIA. Mark.
>>
>> Try to locate the noise by holding a piece of tubing in your ear and the
>> other end against where you think the noise might be coming from. What
>> you've told us so far is far too vague.
>
> I don't really fancy sticking a piece of tube in among the cam belt
> and fans! ;-) I guess I'll have to take it to the garage but they
> can't look at it until next week :-(
>
> Oh I wish I could get a workshop manual for a UK spec car!
>
> Cheers, Mark
>


The US spec manual covers that engine IIRC. If not then you can buy the UK
manual from https://erwin.audi.com/erWinAudi/

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 00:14:15 +0100, Duncanwood >
wrote:

>On Mon, 19 Sep 2005 14:20:05 +0100, Mark > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 09:44:06 +0000 (UTC), "Rob graham"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "Mark" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>>>>
>>>> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
>>>> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
>>>> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
>>>> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
>>>> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
>>>> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>>>>
>>>> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
>>>> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In fact
>>>> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>>>>
>>>> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
>>>> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>>>>
>>>> TIA. Mark.
>>>
>>> Try to locate the noise by holding a piece of tubing in your ear and the
>>> other end against where you think the noise might be coming from. What
>>> you've told us so far is far too vague.
>>
>> I don't really fancy sticking a piece of tube in among the cam belt
>> and fans! ;-) I guess I'll have to take it to the garage but they
>> can't look at it until next week :-(
>>
>> Oh I wish I could get a workshop manual for a UK spec car!
>>
>> Cheers, Mark
>>
>
>
>The US spec manual covers that engine IIRC. If not then you can buy the UK
>manual from https://erwin.audi.com/erWinAudi/

Thanks for the link. Have you used this? I'm a bit wary of spending
that much money when I'm not sure what I would be getting. For
example if I bought the engine document, is it likely to refer to
other documents which I would have to purchase as well?

Cheers, Mark.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 11:32:16 +0100, Mark > wrote:

> On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 00:14:15 +0100, Duncanwood >
> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 19 Sep 2005 14:20:05 +0100, Mark > wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 09:44:06 +0000 (UTC), "Rob graham"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Mark" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>>>>>
>>>>> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
>>>>> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
>>>>> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
>>>>> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
>>>>> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
>>>>> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher
>>>>> speeds.
>>>>>
>>>>> The car had a service a month ago and has not been used much since
>>>>> then. I took the car for a good run but the noise did not go (In
>>>>> fact
>>>>> it may have got slightly worse). The oil level is fine.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there anything I should check before sending in the garage? Should
>>>>> I not drive it in case something breaks?
>>>>>
>>>>> TIA. Mark.
>>>>
>>>> Try to locate the noise by holding a piece of tubing in your ear and
>>>> the
>>>> other end against where you think the noise might be coming from. What
>>>> you've told us so far is far too vague.
>>>
>>> I don't really fancy sticking a piece of tube in among the cam belt
>>> and fans! ;-) I guess I'll have to take it to the garage but they
>>> can't look at it until next week :-(
>>>
>>> Oh I wish I could get a workshop manual for a UK spec car!
>>>
>>> Cheers, Mark
>>>
>>
>>
>> The US spec manual covers that engine IIRC. If not then you can buy the
>> UK
>> manual from https://erwin.audi.com/erWinAudi/
>
> Thanks for the link. Have you used this? I'm a bit wary of spending
> that much money when I'm not sure what I would be getting. For
> example if I bought the engine document, is it likely to refer to
> other documents which I would have to purchase as well?
>
> Cheers, Mark.
>

The engine document only covers the engine mechanics, the fuel injections
a seperate document.
You'd want
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=ac55
& then you buy the engine mechanical & fuel injection & emissions from
erwin. Then you print the erwin ones out to make them easier to use
(nothing to do with the 1 yr subscription)
It's not cheap but real service manuals truly make you dislike Haynes.
Or you can send 10Eu to someone in Croatio & it all turns up on a CD.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 20:55:43 +0100, Duncanwood >
wrote:

>> Thanks for the link. Have you used this? I'm a bit wary of spending
>> that much money when I'm not sure what I would be getting. For
>> example if I bought the engine document, is it likely to refer to
>> other documents which I would have to purchase as well?
>>
>> Cheers, Mark.
>>
>
>The engine document only covers the engine mechanics, the fuel injections
>a seperate document.
>You'd want
>http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=ac55
>& then you buy the engine mechanical & fuel injection & emissions from
>erwin. Then you print the erwin ones out to make them easier to use
>(nothing to do with the 1 yr subscription)
>It's not cheap but real service manuals truly make you dislike Haynes.
>Or you can send 10Eu to someone in Croatio & it all turns up on a CD.

Thanks again for the info.

Mark.

"Mark" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I have an Audi A6 1999 Avant 2.4 petrol. Low milage.
>
> A rattle has just developed yesterday coming from the engine. To me
> it sounds like one or more tappets but the guy from the AA thought it
> might be the water pump or fan belt tensioner (he was called out over
> an unrelated issue btw - dead battery). The noise seems to be coming
> from the front/top nearside of the engine. It is audable while
> driving at low speeds but is drowned out by the wind at higher speeds.
>

Here's a datapoint. I had a noise coming from the left front side of my
engine, sounded nasty and somewhat varied with engine speed.

Turned out to be a bad AC compressor.

Remanufactured unit was $600 plus install.

Lee