Hi, i recently bought a subaru impreza WRX bugeye, 2001 80,000miles.

i noticed a rattle coming from back of the engine.
Its been in the garage for nearly two weeks and has been seen by loads of mechanics and a few scooby specialists.

No one can pin point the problem exactly, i have had an oil change to fully syth oil and changed cat exhaust gasket.

My mechanic is now 80% sure its small ends.

The noise is a quietish clacky rattle, BUT i have only been able to hear this when stationary. when i rev it you cannot heat it, only when the revs are dying down before idle. It does not make the noise on idle.

I will get a video on here once i have got it back and i would appreciate anyone who has had similar symtoms to say what was causing theirs.

cheers

 

Long shot but checked the up pipe cat? They are known to break there welds and rattle around under idle/low rpm.

 

Yes, i had read that on another thread earlier, suppose its worth a shot, is it something the mechanic might have missed when he replaced the gasket?

 

Pretty unusual for the little ends to go. Big ends are more common.
As the noise is from the back of the engine, have you dipped the clutch to see if the noise goes? If it does, it's possibly a clutch or gearbox issue.

JohnD

 

the dove from above

 

Dont think it made a difference from what i remember, will check when i get it back tommorow,

cheers

 

Took a video of it, pretty poor quality but you can just about hear it coming off the throttle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwrgB...ature=youtu.be

 

So i took it to a guy i know on friday and he had a poke around and did the old screwdriver trick to listen to it as a stethoscope. The only place its really loud is on the turbo but its boosting as it should and hasnt lost performance.

Then saturday i took it to a Subaru specialist and he really seemed to know what he was talking about, he said he was pretty sure it was a sensor from around the manifold sensor had come loose and had been caught in the cat, he suggested taking off headers and the mani and working his way back until he found the problem.

Wondered if anyone has had this problem or heard of it?

 

For anyone interested or has a similar problem in the future, it was the cat had broken up inside the up-pipe, replaced it and all is well

 

10 points for me Glad you sorted it pal, happened to mine a few years back.

 

The cam as jump mate my w r x as done it 3 weeks ago sill not got it back he is rebueld it now for me

 

Ringo14,
Thanks for taking the trouble to come back and let everyone know what the cure was.
It would be great if everyone who asked for help came back and let us know how they got on.
Much appreciated, mate.

 

I have a 99 uk classic with same problem, took it to subaru experts and spent money on it and they said poss small end. The last owner brought it like that and been using it daily for 7 month and i have been using it daily for 2 month, so surley it can not be something serious or it would of gone by now.
Might be worth getting a de-cat down pipe and giving that a try.

 

He had to replace the uppipe mate not the down pipe, you can check the up pipe to see if the heat shield is rattling from below the car whilst it's on a ramp/ axle stands

 

Where abouts is the up pipe, is that the pipe that goes into turbo. Thanks

 

Does the up pipe on my uk 99 impreza have a cat, just thought the cat might be rattling.