Downpipe Rattling On Anit Roll Bar

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Right basically I've just picked the car up from the garage that replaced the alternator.

 

They told me the exhaust was blowing from the standard manifold to the downpipe (also standard). So kindly they've replaced the gasket and tightened it. But apparently they said before sorting the blowing issue out, the downpipe was sat on the ARB all the time, but after tightening it, it now knocks on it.

 

I'm certainly not doubting the integrity of the garage I used as I'm a regular customer and do appreciate them sorting the blowing issue out.

 

But I don't get why a standard wonpipe is rattling against the ARB? I've looked under neath the car when it's parked up on the road and I can see it tapping slightly. It's worst in the cockpit as you can sort of feel it through the pedals.

 

How do I stop it, as it just doesn't make sense. Only non stadard bits are the Magnex centre section and backbox.

 

Help and advice appreciated if you can

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Is the rest of the exhaust on the hangers? maybe raising them up will move the downpipe up slightly.

[Flix 0]

Perished or weak engine mounts could cause it.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Perished or weak engine mounts could cause it.

 

Presume the mounts would drop the engine slightly, thus causing the downpipe to rattle.

 

Don't suppose I could pop to yours one day next week for a gander, then get an idea of anything that would need replacing?

 

Hangers are all ok AFAIK.

[Flix 0]

No problem Andy, will have to be after the bank hol though.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

No problem Andy, will have to be after the bank hol though.

 

No worries, whenever you have an hour spare mate. Would appreciate it. Baker BM do a set for £86 - club discount for Group N ones. Best raid the piggy bank if it is the engine mounts.

[kyepan 291]

when the lower engine mount begins to deteriorate it allows the engine to move when you accelerate, hence the exhaust touching the cross member, would advise against a solid one, but a replacement part without the metal bit is quite cheap, any garage with a press will press out the old and in the new for a tenner.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

when the lower engine mount begins to deteriorate it allows the engine to move when you accelerate, hence the exhaust touching the cross member, would advise against a solid one, but a replacement part without the metal bit is quite cheap, any garage with a press will press out the old and in the new for a tenner.

 

Thanks for that. Will bear it in mind. The engine does seem to vibrate a lot, so I'm wondering if it is dead mounts.

 

How many are there on a 205 XU9JA engine?

[timb1046 1]

3. gearbox (RH side under Battery tray), lower (back of engine, RH driveshaft goes through it), and upper (cam belt side), same as the rest of the 205 engines

[Anthony 1,000]

Might sound silly, but the ARB is fitted the correct way, isn't it? There's a bend in it to clear the downpipe, and if you put it on the car the wrong way around, the bend is in the wrong place and the downpipe will be very close (if not touching) to the ARB....

[willmounsey 1]

Might sound silly, but the ARB is fitted the correct way, isn't it? There's a bend in it to clear the downpipe, and if you put it on the car the wrong way around, the bend is in the wrong place and the downpipe will be very close (if not touching) to the ARB....

 

lol i'll bear that in mind when i re-fit mine

 

I got the Baker mounts myself but i've beent told that if you use a standard lower mount (the one at the rear) there will be less vibrations from the engine as to the solid rubber one which would make it nicer for everyday use.

 

Will

[Masekwm 2]

when the lower engine mount begins to deteriorate it allows the engine to move when you accelerate, hence the exhaust touching the cross member, would advise against a solid one, but a replacement part without the metal bit is quite cheap, any garage with a press will press out the old and in the new for a tenner.

 

Whatever you do, don't get them from ECP. Or like me after a few hundred miles you'll be pressing in another one, this time bought from Peugeot.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Might sound silly, but the ARB is fitted the correct way, isn't it? There's a bend in it to clear the downpipe, and if you put it on the car the wrong way around, the bend is in the wrong place and the downpipe will be very close (if not touching) to the ARB....

 

I presume so, but knowing the previous owner, I'll check when I get the chance

[sideways danny 0]

mine hit when i replaced gaskets and mounts due to having grounded out and bent. Is yours low?

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

mine hit when i replaced gaskets and mounts due to having grounded out and bent. Is yours low?

 

It has lowering springs about 30-40mm on the front, so nothing o.t.t.

 

Didn't vibrate before going to the garage but as said, was told this is because it was permanently sat on the ARB, not it taps it when the engine vibrates.

 

Hopefully is engine mounts, and may need to change rubbers. Going to my mates next week one afternoon for a thorough investigation.

[welshpug 1,627]

is it an olive type system? I had a similar problem with my zx and fixed it by replacing the clamps, the old ones had let the centre section and cat sag down and it would vibrate badly on the downpipe when given some in 2nd and 3rd, engine mounts aren't knackered but are old.

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

It could be a cheap pattern exhaust thats been formed badly.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

The exhaust is a sleeve fitment type Magnex. Was a striaght fit onto the original downpipe and thus a 3 piece system. The quality of it is excellent to be fair, just the annoying vibrations which is terrible setting off.

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

would investing in a 4-2-1 Magnex downpipe be an option?

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

If it's a sleeve try pushing the centre box and downpipe together more (slcken off the centre clamp and retigthen whilst holding them together), this should in theory pull the down pipe further back (if this is the right way it needs to go!).

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

would investing in a 4-2-1 Magnex downpipe be an option?

 

Financially at the moment, no. But I'd love to get hold of one, especially compared to the cracked standard one on there now

 

If it's the engine mounts, I'd like to replace them first with some Baker BM ones as I know they will last the test of time.

 

C W, I'm gonna try this on Thursday when I pop to Chris' (Flix) house in the afternoon.

 

Got the tapping on the downpipe to assess and also a irritating idle issue too - the joys of owning one of these classics eh?

[Maccer 0]

If you do the bottom mount, as others have said I'd steer well clear of a solid one and get a standard pug one.

I spent last Friday putting a solid Grp N Pugracing one on, then yesterday taking it back off! Vibration and noise are really unbearable in a road car, I would say easily about 4-5 times louder inside the car, and very little difference in the drive.

(I was just lucky I had a spare standard one in good nick off a shell I just broke, otherwise I would have been paddle-less up a creek!)

Edited May 5, 2009 by Maccer

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

It has been said lots of times, but the Gp N lower mounts are bad when new, however give them 1000 miles to settle in a bit and then they are no noisier than a standard one.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Well I had the car at my mates today, to have a look around and see whats what.

 

The downpipe is rattling the cross member which I assumed was the ARB. I can see the difference now, as the ARB has a bend to fit round the downpipe. Chris commented on how low the center section seemed to be on the floor also. We had a fiddle with the top mount on the drivers side. The mount itself is pushed well back with a sizeable gap between the front rubber buffer, and no gap at all on the rear buffer of the mount.

 

Couldn't see the gearbox mount under the battery, but had a fiddle also with the lower mount. Seems to be a lot of play (5-8mm) on both the fork bush and the circular mount itself.

 

We do both think this is the issue and it's caused the engine to droop slightly backwards and downwards particularly in the drivers side corner of the engine bay near the bulkhead.

 

We're 75%-25% in favour of perished mounts, and I would like to get the Baker BM set for £86 (+ £16 for the fork bush). but monies tight currently and I was contemplating on finding out Peugeot's prices for standard replacements.

 

Anyone any information on this like prices or part numbers? The Baker kit looks good for the money, and I'm getting tired of the horrible vibrations going through the car when driving and setting off anywhere. It's like the worst ever clutch judder you ever did feel

 

The exhaust rubbers seem to be all in good condition so can rule them out. Maybe get som polythurene ones slightly shorter than standard jobbies, but I think this will make zero difference to be fair.

 

Wisdom appreciated guys!

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Another update on this....

 

Since having my comedy exhaust on, it's been blowing really bad from under the engine bay. At Chris' today we saw that the blowing is coming from the gasket on the manifold/downpipe connection.

 

I have a feeling that the downpipe is the problem here all along. It seems the wrong shape with too sharp a bend in it. This would explain it rattling on the cross member as it has to sharp a angle in it, and also explain why the centre section is soo low to the ground.

 

Rather than shell out for engine mounts, I think now I'm gonna source a second hand downpipe, fit that and see what the difference is between the 2. It just looks wrong and you can see by looking from the side of the engine bay, that it doesn't meet the manifold flush, which leaves a gap for fumes to blow out of the gasket rim.

 

If I can I'll get a pic to illustrate this. Must be for a different car me thinks.