[Engine] 2.0 HDi Ticking noise from cold in timing belt area -Solved

[mangocrazy]

My 55 plate Berlingo MPV (2.0 HDi engine) has recently started to make a 'ticking' or 'tapping' noise when cold. Once fully warm it seems to go away. I've put the car into my local independent garage and they can only offer that it seems to be coming from the general timing chain area. I bought the car about 18 months ago and the vendor agreed to fit a new timing chain kit and water pump as part  of the purchase price. Since then I've done about 5000 miles in it.

Does anyone have any ideas what the noise might be, or has anyone experienced something similar on this engine?

[Blackshuck]

Timing chain ??
Do you mean timing / cam belt ?

[mangocrazy]

Timing chain ??
Do you mean timing / cam belt ?

Hi, I was under the (probably mistaken) impression that the 2.0HDi engines had a timing/cam chain not a belt. But if it has a cam/timing belt, then that is the area I believe the noise is coming from.

[Sol]

It's a belt, and my tuppence worth would be, get the garage to whip off the belt cover and check the tensioner hasn't worked itself slightly away  from its original tension setting point. This can happen and produces a ticking or tapping sound as the tensioner bounces along on the belt as it runs. If that's what has happened, it needs tensioned and locked in place sharpish before it jumps some teeth.

Next up is some HDi engines have a sort of dual mass crank pulley, they can fail and while less serious initially, still needs sorting before it gets bad. That makes a rattly noise in tune with the engine rpm.

Pretty sure a decent garage can check both of these, and not just say "it's coming from that end" - not much use that, is it?

[mangocrazy]

It's a belt, and my tuppence worth would be, get the garage to whip off the belt cover and check the tensioner hasn't worked itself slightly away  from its original tension setting point. This can happen and produces a ticking or tapping sound as the tensioner bounces along on the belt as it runs. If that's what has happened, it needs tensioned and locked in place sharpish before it jumps some teeth.

Next up is some HDi engines have a sort of dual mass crank pulley, they can fail and while less serious initially, still needs sorting before it gets bad. That makes a rattly noise in tune with the engine rpm.

Pretty sure a decent garage can check both of these, and not just say "it's coming from that end" - not much use that, is it?

Thanks - that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. The car is with my indy garage, and I'll be on the phone first thing to relay what you've posted to them.

Thanks again.

[Sol]

One other thing to remember, these engines have hydraulic valve lifters so it is possible that one is not lifting (gummed up / no oil inside it) but the ticking would be noticeably "top end" sounding as the cam cover is plastic.. again the garage should find that.

If you don't get it sorted immediately, post a video of the sound?

[mangocrazy]

The garage will investigate further in the timing belt area. It doesn't sound top-endish; I first became aware of it in the recent very hot weather when I was driving with all the windows down and I pulled up alongside another car to my right and the ticking/tapping sound bounced off the other car and was very obvious. The mechanic did observe that it seemed to be more pronounced when the steering was on full lock, but couldn't be absolutely certain as the noise does tend to come and go intermittently. Could this point the finger of blame at the auxiliary belt (I assume there is one?)

The people I take my vehicles to are predominantly Volvo specialists, but will work on most vehicles. The mechanic suggested trying to find a Renault/Peugeot specialist in the area and see if they could positively identify the sound to save pulling half the engine apart chasing a culprit. Does anyone know of a specialist in the Sheffield area for these cars? Mine is the 2.0 HDi engine, as mentioned earlier.

Many thanks for all the responses so far, by the way.

[oilyrag]

Could be alternator belt  /tensioner as the alternator will be under heavier load from a cold start-up. Easy enough to look at the belt & check tension without going to a garage.

[mangocrazy]

Could be alternator belt  /tensioner as the alternator will be under heavier load from a cold start-up. Easy enough to look at the belt & check tension without going to a garage.

I've passed that on to Rob. He'll be checking it out later this afternoon so hopefully will know something more today.

[mangocrazy]

Further developments. With the engine 'making the noise', Rob then removed the V belt driving the ancillaries to see if the noise persisted or not. It didn't - all was normal. In Rob's view this exonerated the timing belt/tensioner assembly and pointed the finger at something running off the V-belt. He checked (as best he could) the operation and status of everything running off the belt, but was suspicious of the bottom pulley. Apparently this is a composite metal/rubber affair (after the fashion of a DMF) and are known to cause regular problems on Fords.

The previous week (when I took the car in) his occasional oppo made the comment that it sounded just like a Mondeo bottom pulley does when it's on the way out, and Jason has had quite some experience in this regard. Rob also tapped the pulley with a spanner and it made a sound that he wouldn't expect to hear. There's no obvious visual problem with the bottom pulley, but I'm prepared to go with Rob's instinct and get them to order in a new one and fit it.

It should arrive and get fitted tomorrow, so more news as it happens...