Vectra rattle

[coldzero]

Hi,

I just wanted to know if anyone with a Vectra has the same problem as I've had with my car since I bought it.

Basically when at low revs in 2nd or 3rd gear and I accelerate I get a loud rattle noise from the car, typically this happens when slowing down for speed humps then accelerating away etc . At first I thought it was the gerabox but I've had this replaced by Holden twice and they have since washed their hands of it and said it is an acceptable noise as far as they are concerned. Typical bloody Holden

Anyway I've since had it looked at by another garage and still cannot find the source of the noise, and its one of those that only happen when the car is in motion. It has had the exhaust manifold removed as this was rusted to buggery, had a new exhaust (from the cat back) but alas I still had the annoying noise.

Anyway does anyone else have this issue?

Cheers

[Kippa-Dee]

Does this happen in other gears? Can you induce it if you want to at a certain throttle position?

Sounds like it might be pinging, sound like a coin in a can?

Try running some injector cleaner throughout when you top up with a tank of high octane (after running near to empty) and you SHOULD see it stop.

[Lt Ketch]

had a new exhaust (from the cat back) but alas I still had the annoying noise.

The CAT! Try that!

[auzvectra]

the cat should rattle all the time if it is the cat, an trust me they make 1 hell of a horrid noise.

[Greggy]

staying on the lines of cats etc - I have had similar noises where the heat sheilds on teh exhaust has either come un welded or loose. It causes the same / similar noises as described......I tend to usualy remove the heat shield and all was sorted noise wise ;)

Hope this helps !

[auzvectra]

yeah good idea, i did this to my pulsar years ago, uneeded weight neway :).
mind you i stripped every bit i could out of that car :).

[platypus]

i'd be looking at engine mounts, in particular the rear engine mount...
if it were pinging it would keep going as the rpm went up with the advance

when they collapse they transfer movement and rattles into the cabin

otherwise i'd also look at where the rattle comes from... if its outside the cabin, i'd def look at the heat sheild

[InsaneAsylum]

i have the same noise...

it's definetly not pinging, i believe greggy is spot on. a common issue was the exhaust shield coming unstuck

haven't had a chance to get it looked at, and it's coming from underneath the car, not the engine bay

does this sound like yours?

[Greggy]

i have the same noise...

it's definetly not pinging, i believe greggy is spot on. a common issue was the exhaust shield coming unstuck

haven't had a chance to get it looked at, and it's coming from underneath the car, not the engine bay

does this sound like yours?

I usually end up hanging on to the wheel, revving and letting the blood rush to my head while I listen and look under that car......once located ite either a case of trying to fix it back up, or get the tins snips out...once done its a whole new car again ..

Should all be good after that !! ;)

[coldzero]

Cheers for all the replies guys.

I've had the heatshield removed already but this didn't resolve the problem.

Problem is I can only get the noise to occur when I'm driving. Happens everytime I pull away in second or third below 3000 revs, get a horrible rattling pinging noise.

InsaneAsylum - Yep it does sound like the noise is coming from underneath the can and not from the engine. I've actually had all the engine mounts replaced about 18 months ago so it isn't that and I've had the same noise ever since I've had the car from new.

I've been told that something else to try is a piece of mesh pipe that joins two exhaust pipes together I'm not sure what the part is called but it is in the middle of the car. The mesh is to give the exhaust a bit of flexability.
Anyway it costs about $100 to replace and can't justify it 'just in case' it works.

If I ever find out what it is I'll let you all know. Feel free to keep the suggestions coming thought, all greatly recieved.

[Lt Ketch]

I have had what sounds like this rattle since I got my car, I find it best to not stay in this rpm range to long :D

[platypus]

I've been told that something else to try is a piece of mesh pipe that joins two exhaust pipes together I'm not sure what the part is called but it is in the middle of the car. The mesh is to give the exhaust a bit of flexability.
Anyway it costs about $100 to replace and can't justify it 'just in case' it works.

If I ever find out what it is I'll let you all know. Feel free to keep the suggestions coming thought, all greatly recieved.
its called a flex joint... and i can't belive i didn't think of it before seeing you said you had aftermarket!

without it the exhaust will rock with the engine, and will foul on the car body under load...
i had to get one on my last car, as the exhaust was taking so much vibration that it regularly snapped the manifold bolts!
but that was with 95 durometer engine mounts and a good usable bit of NA tuning! (full exhaust, headers, hi flow, and complete CAI +general tuning)

[karen]

Hi,

I have had exactly the same problem with my 2001 2.6L v6 vectra.

It began on boxing day, very bad rattle when accelerating. The next day it began blowing smoke and stalling when the engine was cold. I would have to literally start the car 2 or 3 times and rev the engine.

I had only purchased the car from a holden dealer 2 months prior so I took the car in under warranty to be fixed.

As it stands, the car has been at the dealers for a month now. They have checked and replaced the knock sensors, cleaned the valves, checked the throttle and blamed me for putting unleaded fuel in a car that only takes premium unleaded fuel, which I did not do.

They are now at the stage of removing the engine from the car and stripping it. Last week I was told it was the big end bearings in the engine and they guaranteed I would have the car back on the 25th of January. Today I was told that replacing the entire set of bearings had in fact not fixed the car and now they would have to check the engine rods - it will now be another week before I *possibly* see my car.

I am at a loss as to what to do with these guys. Has anyone been in a similar situation or can anyone offer any suggestions?

[auzvectra]

damn thats a bad 1 karen :(.
doesnt surpise me that they dont know bout it, it is a rare motor the 2.6L.
where abouts are you, what dealer?

[karen]

I'm in Perth, the dealer is Gibbons Holden.

At the moment I'm feeling very screwed over! :mad:

[RobotWarrior]

Hey guys and Gals,

I have been getting a very similar noise in my 2.6 L except I find it only happens on really sh**y roads I was under the impression that my suspension was to blame as it only presented itself once I changed from the stock 15" rims to 17" rims, At first I thought it was the exhaust banging against body but now Im totally confused! LOL I will have to see if I have a flex installed on my aftermarket exhaust. Any thoughts on this angle are welcomed by me at least! (And yes it sounds like a stone in a can a real toonk toonk noise, frustrates the hell out of me!)

[auzvectra]

i'll have a look when i see u next robot, oh and wouldnt surprise me if the shocks are rooted, we just did vectraguy's, cost just aver $500 for slightly stiffer then stock shocks.
the increase in handling was amazing too :).

karen is that all under waranty?
also the car's manual will state that you can use 91ron fuel as a temporary fuel neway!!!!, dont let em play you.

[platypus]

hmm something else came up on another forum... when your gearbox was replaced was the flywheel balanced or just machined?

that will cause this to happen!

[karen]

Yep, still under the 3 month/5000km warranty that came with the car. I paid for a 3 year extended warranty on top of that too, thankfully.

[auzvectra]

hhmm luckily