Damn car making me paranoid again!

Stu08

Hi everyone,

I have another odd sound coming from my engine. Sounds like its either on the right side of the engine (as your sat in the drivers seat) or coming from the underside of the engine,

I have just had a new Sportex back box and a set of Eibach lowering springs fitted (yesterday)

Today I noticed a weird metallic, blowing, tinkling sound if that makes sense. It only happens under full throttle and the second the revs reach 4000 rpm. Below 4000 it has a nice deep exhaust note from the back box. The car is a vec 2.2 sri, serviced every 6000 miles and always warmed up throughly before it gets taken above 3000 rpm.

Hoping this is nothing too serious!

Cheers for any advice.

astra22bertoneauto

1st Q would be is there a pre-cat still - could be this breaking up in the exhaust pipe just below the manifold.

Hopefully its not a timing / balance chain fella!

Stu08

Hi mate,

car is a Vectra C so I think it has a manicat. The good doc (Atom X) has already replaced my timing chain and oil pump a few months back. Very odd this noise. Didn't notice it before this back box was fitted?

astra22bertoneauto

The Doc does get about! AtomX has performed his surgery skills on my car too. So based on that i would say either when they fitted your exhaust somehow a small piece of metal (nut/washer/flake) got into it and with you revving it you hear it.

Dont know where the cat is on the vec-c sorry. My astra had a pre-cat and a few people on here have experienced that breaking up which eventually blocks the cat.

Stu08

Thanks for the help so far mate. Car runs really nicely.......the only issue I have is if I drive it for a few miles, get the engine warmed and then turn it off again, if I try to restart it within 5 - 15 mins sometimes it just doesn't want to start, or it starts but very weakly and then stalls? Never does this on a cold engine. Could this be something to do with the noise i'm hearing?

astra22bertoneauto

I have had that on mine a couple of times so i just blip the accelerator pedal a little. Ive always assumed its the ecu playing about with the mixture as i know it cant be anything else like plugs etc. Ask AtomX on that 1.

As for the exhaust rattle it could just be a bit of metal in there. I remember once on my old mk2 astra i had a rattle noise under load similar to yours. When i took exhaust off and let the bits drop out i found a small nut! :wtf: Also that was after i had new exhaust fitted. How it got there i could only guess.

Perhaps others on here have some suggestions too......

ATOM_X

I you are happy to drive
bring it up to me I will have a look

Stu08

Wil be more than happy to drive up your way :thumbup:

When would be best for you?