Golf GTI 1.8t knocking or tapping noise.

[fishburgr]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of where to start and how serious this issue is.

When the car is warm and I start it I get a knocking or tapping noise for about 30 seconds at idle. If I rev it it goes away. It is a very loud, noticeable noise.

When I start the car, about 4 seconds after I start the car I hear a solenoid activate and thats when the knocking starts. Does anyone know what that solenoid would be? It definately seems to be related.

Thanks for your time.

[ryana89]

Does it sound like its coming from the right hand side of the engine bay?
In front of the overflow bottle is some weird PCV/emissions canister that makes a loud ticking/tapping noise.

It tricked me into thinking the same thing when I originally bought the car lol

[h100vw]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of where to start and how serious this issue is.

When the car is warm and I start it I get a knocking or tapping noise for about 30 seconds at idle. If I rev it it goes away. It is a very loud, noticeable noise.

When I start the car, about 4 seconds after I start the car I hear a solenoid activate and thats when the knocking starts. Does anyone know what that solenoid would be? It definately seems to be related.

Thanks for your time.

Where is it coming from Clif, the drivers side under the bonnet? I reckon it will be the EVAP canister, N80 solenoid. Google Image Result for http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g213/wolbulldoser/HPIM20881.jpg

gavin

[fishburgr]

Hi Ryan and Gavin,

Thanks for the help. I had a look at the EVAP canister as you mentioned. The noise is definately coming from that area. The thing is I can hear the EVAP canister making a fast ticking noise that sounds pretty standard but the noise Im getting sounds like I'm tapping a screwdriver handle against the frame of the car quite hard, twice a second.
Could th EVAP canister be responsible for that sort of noise?

Where is it coming from Clif, the drivers side under the bonnet? I reckon it will be the EVAP canister, N80 solenoid. Google Image Result for http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g213/wolbulldoser/HPIM20881.jpg

gavin

[ryana89]

Put your finger on top of this when you hear the sound and tell us if you can "feel" the tap.

[fishburgr]

I can feel the soft ticking noise but the noise I'm talking about is much louder than that, it actually isn't doing it now so I'm not sure if I am able to feel it also thru the top.. Im a bit worried my engine might be about to blow up, I think I may take it to a mechanic my next day off.

Coincidentally, the plastic hose running off the small round thing on the EVAP was split at both ends and falling off. And where it connects to at the other end just jiggles around and doesnt seem firmly seated. I taped it up temporarily til I can get another hose. I just don't know enough about moderrn cars to even know where to start.

Thanks again for your help

Put your finger on top of this when you hear the sound and tell us if you can "feel" the tap.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10417[/ATTACH]

[h100vw]

I can feel the soft ticking noise but the noise I'm talking about is much louder than that, it actually isn't doing it now so I'm not sure if I am able to feel it also thru the top.. Im a bit worried my engine might be about to blow up, I think I may take it to a mechanic my next day off.

Coincidentally, the plastic hose running off the small round thing on the EVAP was split at both ends and falling off. And where it connects to at the other end just jiggles around and doesnt seem firmly seated. I taped it up temporarily til I can get another hose. I just don't know enough about moderrn cars to even know where to start.

Thanks again for your help

I have some silicon pipe that is just the right size to fix that split pipe. If you want I can take some to work on Sunday? I'll be at Maccas at 12.

Happy to listen to your noise then too if you like.

Gavin

[fishburgr]

Gavin,

Thats kind of you to offer. I'm actually in the same boat as you though and I am working on sunday from 11:30 onwards. No doubt with the way cars like to make me look silly, if I did bring it to you it wouldn't make the noise haha. One thing I've noticed though is even when its not doing it at idle, it will almost always do it when I drive slowly up my steep driveway.

If I can't get it sorted though sometime soonish it would be awesome if you could have a quick listen to it and I'll try to get it into a local mechanic in the meantime to see what they think.

Thanks mate.

I have some silicon pipe that is just the right size to fix that split pipe. If you want I can take some to work on Sunday? I'll be at Maccas at 12.

Happy to listen to your noise then too if you like.

Gavin

[h100vw]

I could probably look earlier in the day if that would help. I said 12 because I am doing some VCDS coding for a couple of others then.

10 would be ok I reckon. Call me Sunday if that will work for you.

Gavin

Gavin,

Thats kind of you to offer. I'm actually in the same boat as you though and I am working on sunday from 11:30 onwards. No doubt with the way cars like to make me look silly, if I did bring it to you it wouldn't make the noise haha. One thing I've noticed though is even when its not doing it at idle, it will almost always do it when I drive slowly up my steep driveway.

If I can't get it sorted though sometime soonish it would be awesome if you could have a quick listen to it and I'll try to get it into a local mechanic in the meantime to see what they think.

Thanks mate.

[Snail Style]

I'm betting on cam chain tensioner.

[fishburgr]

Hi, that would be awesome if your sure that you don't mind. I'll give you a call about 9 tomorrow morning just to confirm.

Snail, its possible mate but I honestly have no idea at this stage.

Thanks.

I could probably look earlier in the day if that would help. I said 12 because I am doing some VCDS coding for a couple of others then.

10 would be ok I reckon. Call me Sunday if that will work for you.

Gavin

[the_clive]

I'm betting on cam chain tensioner.

im im going to second this. Had it happen to my old GTi where this broke and by some miracle, the belt stayed on but it made an awfully loud ticking/knocking sound, like you were winding something up.

i would not drive and have it towed to your mechanic just to be on the safe side...

[h100vw]

im im going to second this. Had it happen to my old GTi where this broke and by some miracle, the belt stayed on but it made an awfully loud ticking/knocking sound, like you were winding something up.

i would not drive and have it towed to your mechanic just to be on the safe side...

There are 2 things being talked about now, the cam BELT tensioner and the cam CHAIN tensioner. Very different things at opposite ends of the engine.

Either failing could be nasty but I don't think speculating on the internet will diagnose it well.

Gavin

[fishburgr]

Hi Guys,

just wanted to provide some new info to see if it gives anyone an idea.

The last few days the car hasnt been making the knocking noise and I was scratching my head as to why it had stopped.

I've realised that when the climate control is completely off, so that it actually says off on the screen, the solenoid I was talking about never activates and as a result the knocking noise never happens. Keep in mind that when it does happen it only does it for 30 seconds after starting the car or when driving up my steep driveway, slowly in 1st gear.

Is there a fan on the aircon compressor or something that could be loose and hitting something?

Thanks again for all the help.

There are 2 things being talked about now, the cam BELT tensioner and the cam CHAIN tensioner. Very different things at opposite ends of the engine.

Either failing could be nasty but I don't think speculating on the internet will diagnose it well.

Gavin

[h100vw]

Hi Guys,

just wanted to provide some new info to see if it gives anyone an idea.

The last few days the car hasnt been making the knocking noise and I was scratching my head as to why it had stopped.

I've realised that when the climate control is completely off, so that it actually says off on the screen, the solenoid I was talking about never activates and as a result the knocking noise never happens. Keep in mind that when it does happen it only does it for 30 seconds after starting the car or when driving up my steep driveway, slowly in 1st gear.

Is there a fan on the aircon compressor or something that could be loose and hitting something?

Thanks again for all the help.

With the aircon running the radiator fans run to pull air through the condenser. Could easily be something in there that's touching? Or maybe the compressor or poly v belt/tensioner. So hard to say without seeing it first hand.

Gavin