Got a rattle

[richmills]

Hi all,

I seem to have developed a rattle (must be my age...)

I can only hear it with the window down, and it happens whenever I go over a speed bump or some uneven ground. It sounds a bit like someone giving a can full of small bolts a brief shake, and I think it sounds more like it comes from the rear than the front, although it's a bit hard to be sure exactly where it's located when you're sat inside.

I've tried giving the exhaust a wiggle to see if that's loose but it seems quite firm to me. Anyone got any ideas what it could be?

Cheers, Rich.

[mutley]

It is a wild stab in the dark here, but I would say check the heat shields around the exhaust/ cats. They are only held on with little bolts that corrode and break leaving the
heat shields to rattle about.

HTH
Jim

[jonathanolney]

Another common cause of rattles is the trim around the air intakes behind the doors & typically you only hear it with the window down. Both mine rattle & I am told it is particularly tedious to fix.

John

[Senninha]

Another common cause of rattles is the trim around the air intakes behind the doors & typically you only hear it with the window down. Both mine rattle & I am told it is particularly tedious to fix.

John

Are you referring to the side vents in the rear wings? If yes then these are an easy(ish) fix. You will need to get the back end in the air, drop the liner and then you can access and tigthen by hand the lock nuts. These are of a star type design hence the ability to tighten by hand. Reverse the access proces and job done.

I would also suggest as Jim has done, to check the heat shields / CATS for source of rattles.

Regards, Paul

[Metabro]

i also hat a rattle when going over bumps, which suspension do you use?
i changed my bistein dampers to a TEIN suspension and the rattle was gone

[richmills]

i also hat a rattle when going over bumps, which suspension do you use?
i changed my bistein dampers to a TEIN suspension and the rattle was gone

The entire car is OEM, so standard suspension. Some good suggestions here chaps thanks, I'll let you all know what I find.

Cheers, Rich.

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

Hi, Rich.
May be it's too late for any further suggestions but I'll try.

As Jm mentioned, small stone trapped inside the heatshield around the exhaust especially near the Cat.

Drive shaft clicking nosie depending on how you drive through the speed bump.
Common failure on our NSX with leaked grease especially on the right side. I'll be re-furbishing the drive shaft for one of the member here very soon.

Eng/MT/AT mounts. Any crack/split? Very unlikely as you'll hear the noise even with the window closed if these were damaged.

Brake calliper. On the rear, later model doesn't have the pad spring. Not sure the model year of your NSX....
As you mentioned, the rattling noise seemed to just started so this is very unlikely to be the cause but you can try driving through the speed bump with small brake pressure applied to check the noise.

Any services/works carried out recently at the rear end of the car?


Regards,
Kaz

[richmills]

Brake calliper. On the rear, later model doesn't have the pad spring. Not sure the model year of your NSX....
As you mentioned, the rattling noise seemed to just started so this is very unlikely to be the cause but you can try driving through the speed bump with small brake pressure applied to check the noise.

Any services/works carried out recently at the rear end of the car?


It's a 2003 car. I had the brake pads changed all round about 6 months ago, not sure if that really counts as recently though :)

Cheers, Rich.

[richmills]

As promised I'd post when I got this sorted. It went in for its service to Norton Way on Friday and they found the exhaust heat shield was indeed loose due to a missing bolt. It's all sorted now :)

Cheers, Rich.