Tapping sound......

[keith2874]

Hello all

I have a t25 LLE 2.1 petrol which recently has started making a fairly loud tapping sound. The noise is not coming from the engine itself - the rate of the tapping noise increases with road speed and it stops instantly if I depress the clutch. It is not audible when the van is stationary with the engine running.

Being the mechanical genius that I am, I was hoping somebody might have an idea of what this might be? My lady is taking 5 of her friends away for a weeks holiday in it soon and the last thing I want is a call to say that the van's let them down.

Any help/ advice much appreciated.

Regards

Keith

[kevtherev]

CV joint or joints

not an immediate job.. but the noise will drive you crazy

[pionte]

maybe worth checking that the Allen key headed bolts that hold the drive shafts to the gearbox havent come loose

[pirate-pete]

maybe worth checking that the Allen key headed bolts that hold the drive shafts to the gearbox havent come loose

Don't forget the ones from drive shaft to the hub at the wheel end. See my other thread where the bolts came loose at outer cv joint.

As mine were not noisy (at least to my hearing) I can't comment on the noise bit. Maybe someone else could say whether a noisy cv joint goes quiet when you engage clutch. What happens if you leave clutch alone and drop gearbox into neutral without clutch? If cv joint I'd have thought changing to neutral would have same effect on them as pressing clutch. If the noise persists when in neutral it would point more to clutch or perhaps gearbox.

[CovKid]

As said, check CV joints, particularly outside ones. The tapping is often the only warning you get before BANG - the remaining CV bolts shear off and you're stranded. The noise is the result of bolts and CV joint clanking around.

[keith2874]

Thanks a lot for your responses and advice - will get my head under the van over the bank holiday!

Regards
K

[CovKid]

They're not easy to get at as you have to get your hand inside the trailing arm from underneath. You'll need to chock the front wheels, jack one side at rear so wheel is free of the ground and make sure handbrake is off. If you have to tighten any, clean out bolt head first to ensure a proper fit whether allen or splined. If it is CV joints causing the tapping (they could just be dry of grease) or loose bolts, it should be evident.