rattle from underneath

[jdl1981]

Hi,

My cupra has developed a lovely rattle from underneath, it happens at very low revs, and seems to dissapear after about 2k or so. It's very loud and annoying. It appears to be coming from what looks like a heat shield in the midle of the car roughly in line with the drivers seat.

Is this another common problem with these cars?

 

[sheffboy]

get underneath and see if one of the exhaust brackets has sheered off. Its a very common fault on the oem exhausts. If you have an after market exhaust, Ignore everything I've just written. lol.

 

[jdl1981]

Thanks for the reply mate, it's a standard exhaust so i will have a closer look at it. There seems to be quite a few faults with these cars, a bit like my TVR!

 

[Slimy]

There is a heatshield on the centre section, and yes it is roughly in line with the drivers seat. It's fixed by spacers, one at each corner, but they're very vulnerable fixings and can break. The two rear ones rusted away on mine, leaving the shield to bounce up and down and resonate at certain low frequencies.

I fixed it with some steel cable ties, it stopped that rattle no problem. Unfortunately it's revealed another that was a bit quieter, and I've not tracked that one down yet!

 

[jdl1981]

without wishing to sound stupid, can you take it off and just not park it on grass etc?

 

[Muttley]

Small but significant risk of car going up in flames from parking on top of something flammable, or gatting it blown under there by the wind.

 

[jdl1981]

Small but significant risk of car going up in flames from parking on top of something flammable, or gatting it blown under there by the wind.

I thought it wouldn't be advisable, i will have a go at fixing it to stop the annoying rattle......!

 

[Andrewcupra TDI]

the shield fixings are pennies to buy fro the dealers around 12p each , i just bought what they had left
X9 of them , as they are a shite metal and rust and break , , i would personally keep the shield , it keep sthe heat off the car , nowt to do with parking on grass , as if you think back its car - shield then exhaust , grass can still touch exhaust with or without the shield

I have this rattle still , also have the clips , but i hope tonight to fitt them , they are pi$$ easy to fit too , just push over the thread

 

[Slimy]

I took one look at the fixings and decided to use straps. I couldn't even tell what the fixings were meant to look like they were so rusted!

 

[Andrewcupra TDI]

il get a pic if i remeber ,

and tried last nite , in theory its meant to be easy , but i couldnt get mine to push up

 

[Muttley]

You have a TDI, the catalyst doesn't get hot enough to warrant a heat shield. The original poster has an LC, which has an attached heat shield underneath the catalyst. LCR's have a two-part heat shield which completely encloses the dual catalysts.

 

[Andrewcupra TDI]

ah right , i assumed he meant the one that fixed the the underside of the car , then the exhaust over it

as for cat , not one ther to heat up