Lude Generation

Hi Guys

So I've had this issue with my 97 5g 2.2 manual for quite a while now, but it's driving me nuts so It's time to fix it. Basically I'm getting a strange creaking noise from the front left corner (I think) when the engine is put under load. It's worse when the car warms up, and can be heard when pottering along at slow speed when getting on and off the throttle. I don't think bumps in the road effect it, but it's hard to tell. It also occasionally causes a rattling sound when I start the engine.

What do people think this could be? Drop links? Engine mount? Cv Joint?

I've attached a video below which I've uploaded from Imgur, so I really hope it works! Let me know if it doesn't though and I'll try to fix it.

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Cheers
Chris

As the car is not moving, I don't think it will be CV joint or drop links. Can you rock the engine by hand? Are you able to jack the car up on one side and check the exhaust? I'm thinking it could be something simple, like a snapped exhaust manifold bracket that rattles under RPM.

Hard to tell - but it wont be suspension or CV related as the car isn't moving.

I'm not sure what kind of noise a failing harmonic balancer would make, but it could be similar. My PS pump went dry once (Cheers leaky pipe), but I don't think it sounded like that.

You'd get a much better sense where its coming from with the bonnet open - you can always blip the linkage on the throttle body.

I did have the engine mount on that side decide to lose a bolt all by itself, the engine was just hanging in on one bolt that had back out half an inch and was bent, but there was no noise whatsoever and i was lucky to pick it up in my weekly checks (when the car was a daily).

Thanks for the help so far guys, I don't have access to a jack at the moment, but I can check under the bonnet tomorrow. One thing to add, it doesn't make this sound if I simply rev the engine in neutral, this only happens when I'm in gear and applying load to the engine right as I go to pull away and release the clutch. I changed the exhaust myself over the summer to a second hand powerflow system, but didn't notice anything that could cause a noise like this.

oh right, its hard to tell from the video but I guess I can hear you going into gear and going backwards now you mention it.

still hard to pinpoint. If you can jack it up and get it safely onto stands, give the CV joints a good jostle to check the diff bearings.

If your still stuck let everyone know where you are based, I'm sure someone local can help with a jack and second opinion.

+1 on exhaust mount.. possibly the one from back of engine down to before flexi?

Update! I found the problem! At the suggestion of Merlin, I tried rocking the engine with my hands, and was surprised to find that I could replicate the noise by doing that. I eventually traced it to the passenger side engine mount, where I found that all 3 bolts holding it to the car were barely even finger tight . Nipped them up and the noise has vanished now.

I can only assume that when I had the belts and water pump done last year the garage didn't tighten the bolts up properly, but ah well, no harm done!

Good to hear and that it was an easy fix.

Was it where the lower part of the engine mount bolted to the inner wing? Those tend to be pretty stiff so if someone was using a torque wrench I guess it might not be tight enough.

Mine was loose on the top part, and no noise at all to warn me.

Glad it was a cheap fix!

Lo
3 bolt's
Blimous
Glad You found the problem
Cheers
Toadster