Audi A6 O/S front rattle.

[steeley]

Hi everyone. Just joined this super forum. I have a problem with my 2001 A6 1.8T SE. The car starts fine, ticks over fine, runs fine except for a rattle which is quite loud and noticeable whilst driving along, when i accelerate it is at its loudest, sounds a bit like something could be loose, It appears to be coming from the off/side front, either from behind the wheel or that side of the engine. I have briefly looked at the ball joints, track rod ends etc and all seem fine. Could it be the timing belt, is it on that side ! Any help would be very much appreciated on this matter. Many thanks, steeley.

[Niall76]

Is it related to the speed of the car or the speed of the engine?

My sister in law had a belt tensioner fail and that made a really loud clatter. Like an old diesel taxi but worse.

If it's related to engine speed (it speeds up and slows down with the engine) then I'd get this checked ASAP. It's very costly if the belt lets go

[OldBoy Racer]

Just had a similar problem with my S4. Turned out to be the inner lining (metal) of the exhaust manifold which had worked loose. Engine out to fix it - £400 labour! Hope this helps.

[buster]

Just had a similar problem with my S4. Turned out to be the inner lining (metal) of the exhaust manifold which had worked loose. Engine out to fix it - £400 labour! Hope this helps.

Very interesting

I have an A6 with the S4 engine (2.7 Bi-turbo) and I am getting a rattle from the front, although it appears to be coming from the nearside front.

It appears mostly when cornering to the left i.e. entering a roundabout or turning left, and sounds like something rotary, in a loose bearing.

I have had the wheel bearings, driveshafts, and all of the front suspension checked out to find that there is nothing wrong?

I have had the timing belt changed recently (and had this rattling both before and after the work) and nothing was found amiss then either. The water pump and tensioners were replaced.

There are no faults logged on the puter and I am starting to think that it may be a camshaft or turbo playing up.

Any ideas lads?

[wacky77]

Check the heatsheilds around the engine and exhaust aren't loose

[OldBoy Racer]

Seriously - check out the manifolds! Mine sounded like a loose pulley, or perhaps a large jubilee clip sitting loose on a spinning shaft. I relaced both sides in the end with second hand improved RS4 ones. Noise stopped immediately. There is a sensor in there that can be damaged by the liner rattling about and also you don't want any bits dropping off and getting sucked through the turbos!

Good luck