ZT190 Engine knocking/rattle help
 

Hey guys,

Driving along a duel carriageway yesterday my engine suddenly starting making a rattle/knocking noise and cut out at 70mph, so I coasted into a layby. It restarted and got me five minutes down the road before cutting out again, but restarted and I limped home.

Looking now its low on oil but no oil warning light, no engine warning light and no fault codes when scanned with torque. When I started from cold to take the video below it was very noisy, more a banging that a rattle for about 3 seconds before quietening down. You can hear the noise when it's revved in the video below.

https://vimeo.com/353334808

Any help much appreciated!

Cheers, Dom

Suggest you fill oil to near max before anything else ,

Hello Don,

First of all, be careful when measuring the oil level on your KV6. It should be done with the engine at normal operating temperature and after waiting five minutes for the oil to drain down into the sump. Here's the official MG Rover procedure to be followed.

I've listened to your video. It's significant that the noise subsides a few seconds after a cold start. I've had this on two occasions to varying degrees. I'd say that you might have a belt tensioner on the way out. The fact that the engine cut out is worrying and you say that you "limped" home. Was that because the engine's performance was severely reduced or were you just driving very carefully?

Simon

I would perform an oil pressure test before I did anything else, sounds just like my old 75 saloon just before it suffered catastrophic bottom end failure.

Scary noise :o
I'd take the cambelt cover off, and check the belts are tight and intact.

The cambelt covers can't be removed without major dismantling Mat but that's what, in effect, I am suggesting the OP should do.

Simon

Thanks everyone for your replies. How can I do an oil pressure check, will the diagnostics be able to tell me?

I will check and top up oil level as suggested above this morning.

When I say limped home, I'd say its down on power but I was trying to be very gentle with it as obviously don't want to cause further damage. It only cut out at low revs ie when I was coming up to the back of standing traffic etc.

How involved would it be to check the belt tensioners?

Thanks again, dom

The built in diagnostics won't help with the oil pressure, you'll need to get a proper pressure gauge (or find someone who has one), unscrew the oil pressure switch (just above the oil filter), and screw in the gauge. You can access it via the off side front wheel arch, but may have to pull the arch liner back to help with access.

A lot of work I'm afraid. Thing is though, if it is a tensioner, it could cost you the engine if it it lets go :( .

Cliff

Removing 3 x 8mm A/F set screws from the front plastic cover and peeling it back is all that is required to establish if the belt is turning/one-piece/failing/slack and/or slipped a tooth. It won’t allow you to see much deeper to other timing parts such as the tensioner though.

Cheers, maybe I'll give that a go first then. Oil is being delivered in an hour so I'll sort that first, then take the cover off and report back.

Thanks again guys, forums like this is what keeps me into "older" cars!!

Dom