Hi guys, I've a 2008 1.8L Focus with 66K miles on the clock that is developing a weird engine noise problem. When under load, going up hill etc, around 2,000 revs it makes a noise like "taka taka taka taka taka" (best way I can describe it) pretty quickly but it doesn't speed up with the engine revs, and disappears soon after. Sounds like it is coming from near my right foot, but there are no vibrations! It's weird as hell.

• Never happens when setting off - has not happened in first gear ever
• Cannot reproduce the noise when not moving. Never happens when parked up and I rev the engine
• More prominent in 2nd and 3rd if going up a steep hill or if put my foot down after revs have slowed, so when engine is under stress
• Seems to happen around 2K revs and disappears between 2.5-3K
• No vibrations, no loss of power, no noticable difference in MPG etc
• No EML
• Car had a full service last week -- there were the odd noise a couple of weeks prior but it's getting worse
• Current clutch etc is only 9K miles old
• I run it on standard, not premium, unleaded

Any ideas? I'm not the most mechanically minded, but can have a look around the engine bay etc. I think my car has those underbody panel things on because I had a look under the car yesterday to see if any heat shields were loose but couldn't even see any of the exhaust.

Over to you guys before I send it to a garage!

Just dropped the Mrs off at work and it did the noise but only ever so slightly. There are no noises going over bumps etc, it's bamboozling!

 

Can you post a video?

"Taka taka taka" sounds like a song made by Shakira.

When they changed the clutch, did they do the flywheel too?

Honestly though, if you're just going to take it to a garage then don't waste your time on here. The garage will do their own diagnosis as we're just making wild guesses on here at the end of the day...

I have a 2013 Ford Focus st and i don't know if this helps but i had a similar noise - never happened when stationary, only when accelerating initially or going over bumps and came from the right side. It was a worn engine mounting, my car is right hand drive.

 

Stu c  2

Posted 13 hours ago

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Hi all I no it’s an old thread but I started getting knocking noise when pulling away recently and thought I’d share what I found. checked the steering suspension, the usual stuff thought it mite be outer tie rods as there original ones      
but turn out to be exhaust clamp next to flex pipe will post some pictures got a new clamp hope this makes sense and helps you out

Update bracket on knocking no more. bit fiddly to put on job done 😁

Managed to capture the sound on my phone so will figure out how to upload that.

EML came on yesterday, put my ForScan on and it three up P0400 error code. Could the two things be linked?