[tarpaz]

Hi hope you can help me.
My Italian dealer couldn't find the source of this heavy rattling noise. My lotus friends tell me to turno on the radio....

I have to find it!!!!!!!!!

On my S2 Rover Elise every bumo is a pain.
There's this rattling sound like a cable beating on the alluminium. So loud that even girls can notice that!!!!!!!!!!!

I've removed the boot cover
I've removed the rear clam
I've torqued all possible bolts
I've removed the fuel tank and put some foam around the electric cables that goes from the engine to the central tunnel
I've put foam around all the cables under the car (gear, parking brakes,...)

NOTHING!!!
Belive me I did almost everything, but the rattling noise is alwyas there.

I need fresh ideas.

Could it be something in the exaust system? What else???

I'm so disappointed!!!!

cheers,
andrea

 

[Flash G]

TADTS

It's a Lotus, not a Lexus.

I have two and they both rattle, squeak and buzz.

My solution... I put a stage II exhaust on both cars.

Now I can't hear a thing!

 

[tarpaz]

ahahhaha, I KNEW the answer!!!

believe me it's really loud and defenitely not normal, also for a lotus!!!
The dealer was scared hearing that rattling!!

Come on.... think!!!!

TADTS

It's a Lotus, not a Lexus.

I have two and they both rattle, squeak and buzz.

My solution... I put a stage II exhaust on both cars.

Now I can't hear a thing!

 

[Cthulhu]

It's probably something harmless: like a tattered fuel line cable beating against an exposed hot lead...

 

[xtn]

I found a rattle on my car that I don't think has been mentioned in any of the other rattle threads.

Where the diffuser bolts to the rear subframe cross member, there is some foam tape in between the two. It's stuck to the cross member. Mine was mostly gone, and the diffuser was rattling against the cross member at certain loads and rpms.

Does your rattle seem dependent on a certain rpm range? On certain speed range? Only when on bumpy roads?

xtn

 

[Uncle Sam]

I'll make a few suggestions, but they may not be close. Check your seat belt ends. If you have race belts or just the regular passenger belt, the metal tips can hit the aluminum tub. Also, check under the dashboard- footrest passenger side, pedal assembly, etc. If not in the interior, The exhaust system is at the top of the list, especially the heat shields. Hope you find it. Ciao!

 

[kestrel74]

I found one of these in the boot.....got rid of it, never heard the rattle again !! :up::up:

 

[mcoupe]

I had a rattle on the rear driver side as well. Ended up being the exhaust. Have it checked by dealer.

 

[buzzy]

NACA duct loose on the undertray?

Mine was rattling like crazy, and then it flew out through the wheel arch and the rattling went away

 

[MikeinAlexandria]

I had a rattle in the center console. I have committed sacrilidge... added some Dynamat liner to the inside of the console and the rear object holder, along with lining the under-seat area and under the floor mats. Things are definitely a bit quieter. I'd like to use dynamat between the engine and the passenger area, but it looks way too complicated to remove stuff.

I am changing out my diffuser bolts for 1/4 turn ones, so I will definitely check out the diffuser rattle, good call on that.

 

[Cthulhu]

Try pushing on all your underbody panels, see if they rattle against other panels or the chassis. Also, there are plastic fittings on the second underbody panel from the rear (ahead of the diffuser pan). They're plastic triangular air scooping things below the engine. If one of those got knocked loose, it might slide and rattle like hell.

Personally, I'd take all of the underbody panels off and put them back on after a good cleaning... but I like taking stuff apart. I would also be certain that it wasn't something stupid, like a rock or bolt jumping up and down on an underbody panel.

Other things I'd check after I did that are the roof and the seats. If you don't take your top off often, blue locktite the bolts. To check the seats, grab them by the headrest and shake them forward and back really hard. If they're bolted down tight, and they still go CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK!!! then it's definately a Lotus you're driving.

 

[MattG]

Check the two bolts in the middle of the engine undertray, those can come loose and make quite a rattle.

I'd also check your swaybar endlinks up front, make sure they're tight, also check where the swaybar bushings mount to the chassis.

 

[Dragon]

First thing I'd check if it's in the rear is engine mounts...

 

[Cthulhu]

You could accomplish most of the things we are asking you to do by following a simple TSB I outlined in another thread. Try the "Turn it upside-down and shake it" procedure:

Remove your roof. Ensure your vehicle is fitted with a roll bar or roll cage before attempting the following:

Park under a large tree with a thick, secure branch above the vehicle. Make sure the branch is 1.5 vehicle widths adjacent from the side you are jacking up. If you are jacking the right side, the branch should be 1.5 vehicle widths to the LEFT.

Remove the front and rear under body trays using ramps. Remove all ramps. Next, use the rear rail jack point (the 50-50 balance one) to raise one side of the car with a low profile jack, using a hockey puck to protect the coated metal rail. Then, place a ramp under the raised wheels, lower the low profile jack, and replace it with a full sized hydraulic truck jack or any other jack capable of lifting 2ft+. Remember to use a hockey puck to protect the vehicle from scratches and sliding. Once you reach the limits of the larger jack, place an old twin mattress or two on the ground, with the thin side between the front and back wheels of the non-raised side. Ensure the mattress is centered beneath the tree limb. Secure a chain around the tree limb using a heavy duty screw-locking D ring Carabiner or equivalent.

Tip: ask a friend to help you with the following step.

Gently roll your vehicle off of the jack onto the mattress. Your vehicle should now be gently resting on top of the mattress with most of the weight applied directly to the roll cage or roll bar. Secure several climbing ropes around the far front and far rear jack points, using figure 8 knots and a safety. Connect a second Carabiner to a hand operated winch. Connect the opposing end to the chain, suspended from the tree branch with a third Carabiner.

Lift the upside-down car completely from the mattress by about 3 ft. With the help of your friends, lift the car until there is slack in the chain, winch cable, or rope harness. Count to 3 with your friends and abruptly let go of the car, letting it fall until tension is restored to the chain.

Start with only a slight amount of slack in the lines, repeating this process as necessary until all leaves have been shaken loose from the radiator.

:nanner:

 

[dasmoofler]

I've had the undertray Allen bolts back out and the undertray rattled like crazy. Also had the hose for the Fix-a-Flat bang on the wheel well. My front ventilated panels rattled until I wrapped tape around the pins making a snug fit into the holes they fit in.

 

[Hethel8]

Andrea

I'm not sure if you got this problem resolved, but I had exactly the same thing and it has taken months to find the cause.

On the right side of the chassis, the coolant pipe from the motor runs forward to the radiator within the chassis sill.

On my car, when it became warm, the rubber elbow section which enters the chassis near the engine became soft and pliable, allowing the metal section of the pipe inside the chassis to hit the inside of the sill causing the rattle.

What I did was to use exhaust wrap bandage to wrap as much as I could of the pipe elbow, which you can access from the open end of the chassis rail which is next to the rear wheel.

It is difficult to do and you need the hands of a 5 year old, but it is well worth the effort!

Good Luck!

Simon

 

[sturgeongeneral]

I would look at exhaust heat Shields first. Then, there was a thread recently about someone had their undertray flexing and making noise. Remove your under tray and take it for a ride.

 

[David Craig]

You could accomplish most of the things we are asking you to do by following a simple TSB I outlined in another thread. Try the "Turn it upside-down and shake it" procedure:

I had been struggling with a "rolling object" sound for about six months. I'd actually thought that if there had been a way to flip the car upside down that might have cured it. Anyways the object seems to have disappeared on its own. My guess is that it was a stone, perhaps on top of the gas tank.

I hope you find your rattle. These sort of noises suck all the fun out of the driving experience.