Mr2 Mk3 Tapping Noise

[greycatracer]

My MR2 makes a tapping noise from the engine compartment area when driving.

With the engine running but stood still there is no noise even when reving the engine.

As soon as I start to drive the tapping starts, but only when on the throttle. When coasting or running at constant speed the noise is not noticeable, but as soon as I begin gentle acceleration the noise starts. This happens straightaway from cold but is still there when warm.

It is difficult to tell exactly where the noise is as it only occurs on the move. I even tried jacking the car up and running in gear but the noise was not there.

[T600]

My MR2 makes a tapping noise from the engine compartment area when driving.

With the engine running but stood still there is no noise even when reving the engine.

As soon as I start to drive the tapping starts, but only when on the throttle. When coasting or running at constant speed the noise is not noticeable, but as soon as I begin gentle acceleration the noise starts. This happens straightaway from cold but is still there when warm.

It is difficult to tell exactly where the noise is as it only occurs on the move. I even tried jacking the car up and running in gear but the noise was not there.

At first I was thinking maybe stone chip in a tyre - but that would almost certainly occur when coasting too.

Is the frequency road speed or engine speed dependant i.e. at 20 in second is the frequency constant. What about same speed in a different gear?

Also, under load the engine will twist slightly forward on its mountings. I'd look to see if that would result in anything making occasional contact.

Have you tried it stationary but handbrake on in gear as if about to set off, and realease clutch to point where car is trying just about trying to move forward against the handbrake - that will cause the same twist on the engine as accelerating on the move.

If that doesn't cause the same noise then I'd be thinking maybe CV joints?

HTH

Tony

[greycatracer]

Thanks CV joints sounds possible.

The noise does appear to be more road speed than engine speed related. Though its gets masked by other road noise as speed increases.

I can feel some play in the CV joints both twisting and longitudinal, more on the drivers side.

I didn't know if any play at all was acceptable. Should there be no movement?

Can individual joints be replaced or is it best to replace the whole shaft and joint together.

[bgorman]

Thanks CV joints sounds possible.

The noise does appear to be more road speed than engine speed related. Though its gets masked by other road noise as speed increases.

I can feel some play in the CV joints both twisting and longitudinal, more on the drivers side.

I didn't know if any play at all was acceptable. Should there be no movement?

Can individual joints be replaced or is it best to replace the whole shaft and joint together.

Hi, It is quite normal to have a SMALL amount of axial and rotational play on a driveshaft/cv assy.

Mine is about 1mm or less (and always has been).

Are you certain that you haven`t go a nail in a tyre?

Nearly all cv`s are supplied only with the shaft as a unit these days, I should imagine that Toyota`s are the same.

I would expect the CV`s to last a very long time on the roadster due to the joints working over such a small angle (suspention travel), as opposed to those in a front wheel drive car.

good luck, Bob.

[GIDDLEPIN]

Hi and welcome to the club

Tapping from the engine room is never a good thing and describing it can be difficult.

I very much doubt it could be a C/V joint problem, but here are a couple of questions that might give an idea

Does the tapping only come on when under acceleration?

Is the noise like a single tap (as if a tappet has come loose)?

Does it sound like a C/V joint rattle under acceleration?

Does the noise increase with road speed or engine speed?

Les

[newymr2]

Ive recently had what sounds like the same problem with the tapping sound only when the engine was put under load and also experienced slight loss of power to begin with hardly noticable but over 3 to 4 days got much worse. i took my car to my local ealer and they had the car for a day but could not find a problem even though they could also hear the tapping and told me to keep running the car around. 2 days later i took the car bk to the dealer with massive power loss. the problem was diagnosed as pre cat failure the extra back preassure caused by the collapsed cat causing the skirt of the piston to rattle in the barrel. i would advise all roadster owners to remove pre cats as they do not affect main cat performance or legal levels but can cause serious damage to engine when they fail. im currnetly waiting for toyota to fit a new engine as parts from the pre cat blew bk into the engine and mangled it completly.

hope this is of help

[GIDDLEPIN]

Ive recently had what sounds like the same problem with the tapping sound only when the engine was put under load and also experienced slight loss of power to begin with hardly noticable but over 3 to 4 days got much worse. i took my car to my local ealer and they had the car for a day but could not find a problem even though they could also hear the tapping and told me to keep running the car around. 2 days later i took the car bk to the dealer with massive power loss. the problem was diagnosed as pre cat failure the extra back preassure caused by the collapsed cat causing the skirt of the piston to rattle in the barrel. i would advise all roadster owners to remove pre cats as they do not affect main cat performance or legal levels but can cause serious damage to engine when they fail. im currnetly waiting for toyota to fit a new engine as parts from the pre cat blew bk into the engine and mangled it completly.

hope this is of help

Have they actually put it down in writing that it was pre cat failure and what year is your car out of interest?

Welcome to the club by the way

Les

[newymr2]

Have they actually put it down in writing that it was pre cat failure and what year is your car out of interest?

Welcome to the club by the way

Les

Thanks for the welcome

The dealer has not yet given me the details in writing but saying that they also still have my car waiting for a new engine to come in. My car is a 2002 model possibly pre registered as it does not have the facelift front bumper.

I have read on the australian forum SPYDER CHAT that this is a common problem with pre 2002 models have you heard anything similar and would you know of any other thigs i should look out for.

Having only owned the car for only 3 months and now 2 new engines with the first being replaced due to big end failure im getting very cautious.

Leigh

[cfc1]

If it is your pre-cats that have gone, make sure they also replace the main cat too.