Fiesta Zs Cold/rev Engine Noise Problem

[ashleylewis]

Afternoon, having a bit of trouble with finding a solution to an engine noise I've got right now. When I start the car up from cold it's super loud - sounds like a tapping or knocking sound that will eventually fade off when the car heats up.

There's also a similar sound when you rev the engine either cold or ran in, and it'll make a loud noise as it's dropping revs.

If you can imagine accelerating from 1,500 - 3,500 revs and then changing gear - as you're changing gear and the revs fade down whilst you slot into the next gear up it'll make this raspy growl. It's also audible when revving the engine in neutral on a cold start at the same spot as you take your foot off the accelerator and the revs go down.

I've filmed a short video last night of the sounds as best as I could. The engine noise is audible once the window is down on the recording, although in real life you can hear it inside the vehicle with the windows up. The rev sound is there too. You might have to turn it up to hear the engine rev sound as it's just as it's coming down after revving. It's the same engine knocking getting louder and then at the very bottom end of the rev it's like an rrrrrr sound.

The car is a 2009/59 plate Ford Fiesta Zetec S with just over 50,000 miles on the clock.

Recently serviced and has had replacement air and oil filters, replacement oil and new spark plugs within the last 250 miles. The guys that did the service listened to it and couldn't hear anything off, but I KNOW it's not right. I also took one on a drive where I forced the noises to happen but he said he couldn't hear it.

I've had the car 18 months and it didn't sound like this when I got it. Admittedly I do drive fast but don't usually take the vehicle to breaking point but I fear that my driving style might have caused this. :(

Link to video is: http://youtu.be/X3dBOb-PUPc

[PhillFocus]

That's not right what is it and do u no if it has tappets

[sambooka]

ive just converted to a petrol zs from a diesel and noticed today mine sounds the same but have only noticed it when the car is cold so maybe it just needs time to circulate the oil . going to get it checked next week as I have a courtesy car for now.

[PhillFocus]

If it has tappets they need to be adjusted this would explain if it only does on cold

[ashleylewis]

ive just converted to a petrol zs from a diesel and noticed today mine sounds the same but have only noticed it when the car is cold so maybe it just needs time to circulate the oil . going to get it checked next week as I have a courtesy car for now.

Mine is also a petrol, and it's super obvious when starting cold. You should have a listen to yours and see if it makes the same type of tapping noise when your in between gears and accelerating between 2,500-3,500 revs and in neutral whilst shifting. Just as it is dropping whilst you switch gears.

If it has tappets they need to be adjusted this would explain if it only does on cold

I'm not sure if this vehicle has tappets or not but my car makes the sound on cold as well as when changing gear if you're at a higher RPM. It makes the RRRRRR sound you hear on the come down of the rev in the video until you put it back into gear and continue accelerating.

Should I try starting the car and putting it in gear straight away without letting it warm up and see if the noise persists even when in gear? It's really annoying as it's been to 2 people that are both trained mechanics and very familiar with cars, consumer and race track and both said it's nothing but I'm certain something is up.

Thank you for the replies so far. :)

[Nathan_M]

Mine does this when cold it's the tappets jiggling so long as it disappears when warm your fine, the oil is very light in these engines and will always run to the sump when left, take into account also that you have the lights on which increases the idle slightly to account for the increased electrical power draw. That's a tap only worry when it goes knock knock knock.

[PhillFocus]

What engine is it

[ashleylewis]

What engine is it

The standard 1.6 Petrol.

Mine does this when cold it's the tappets jiggling so long as it disappears when warm your fine, the oil is very light in these engines and will always run to the sump when left, take into account also that you have the lights on which increases the idle slightly to account for the increased electrical power draw. That's a tap only worry when it goes knock knock knock.

As I said above, my engine makes the noise on a cold startup. Having the lights on will slightly increase the revs the car idles at like it should, but the engine noise will remain a constant if you have the lights on or off it doesn't increase or decrease in intensity depending on lights or electrics.

The car also makes the same noise when the engine is warm and between gear changes. If you listen to the video, when I rev the engine - as I lift off the gas and the revs return to idle theres a short growl that is an accelerated tapping noise. The car will make this noise when in the neutral area between gears whilst shifting up.

The car is never left sitting for more than 36 hours without use, and it will take a good 7 or 8 minutes for the noise to die down to a respectable level - the gear change noise will happen regardless of length of time the car has been running. It's not like the car is left to sit for days on end with no use where the liquids would retract to their tanks as it's used regularly.

[Nathan_M]

The oil will return to the sump minutes after being switched off when warm it's very light weight, and as said so long as it quietens down after getting warm it's not a problem, 90% of mk6 and 7 fiestas and even the mk2 and 3 focuses with the sigma engine will make the noise regardless of capacity it's due to the design, the engine is mainly aluminium and so is tappy by nature, knocking is what you don't want.

[Ivan1988]

Hi Ashley. Did you manage to find out what the problem is? Mine does exactly the same as yours. I've had a listen to my friends car and it sounds normal (no tapping) from cold start or gear change

[Ivan1988]

Hi the video below is the sound of mine on the cold start which fully disappears when warm but my friends car sounds nothing like it. Just had engine flush, oil and filter done by a reputable company. Can't get the noise of gear change on video as it's very quite 

 

[Christopher0451]

Hi I have a ford fiesta 1.4 petrol i have the same problem so I have had the tappets change and timing belt change as well.

But its still tapping any  Solutions