Series 3 irregular rattle noise
 

This rattle sound has been annoying me the whole time I've owned this car. Doesn't seem to translate to anything performance wise; it's just constantly annoying. Sounds a bit like exhaust baffles ratteling. Does Anybody know what this is? I've heard it from other S3 Jags but personally I've no idea the cause.

I couldn't hear the rattle, but your car is beautiful.

remove the exhaust side cam cover and check the Tappets and to see if the tappet holdown kit has been installed.

if the tappet holdown kit is fitted, then it sounds like the timing chain adjuster has lost its vinyl piece. Time to inspect the timing chain.

I had a similar rattle but mine wasnt all time, which made it hard to locate, mine ended up being the rivets on the flex plate, found a newer one online without the rivets, apparently it was a common issue, some people had luck simply staking the rivets, I however did not..
hopefully yours isn't this as either engine or trans have to come out to replace...

Most of mine sounded like that at the start of ownership.

Tappet adjustment cured 98% of the tappetty noise I hear in that video.

The 2 S2 cars had erratic rattles, and eventually the exhaust side bucket guides were found to be moving, ever so slightly, so stake down kits fitted, and ALL the XK engines became silent.

Top chain adjustment is also a rattler if too loose, and a "whirring" if to tight, so a balance needs to found.

Yours sounds VERY "tappetty" and that needs addressing, and whilst in there do teh stake down if its not already done.

I hear fan rattle, or what sounds like fan rattle. I have the same. Even after a new fan and clutch. I wish I knew a cure.

Rob

I also had a rattle sound and eventually traced it to loose nuts on the exhaust manifold to downpipe flanges. Most of it has gone, but I could not find a way to tighten one of the nuts properly without removing a bunch of other stuff.

Engine noises don't always come out right on videos, in my experience.

That said......

What MY ears are mostly hearing sounds like a pulley bearing rattling and grinding. Water pump, alternator.....

This is like having 6 people witness a crime and each sees something different :)

Cheers
DD

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I obviously hope it's the pulley rattle or something less critical like that. Will chase it down. :)

Cheers.

An $8 mechanics stethoscope might be very helpful

Cheers
DD

the metal splash guard under the radiator area and the metal heat shield over the manifolds is also known to rattle at certain rpm, aka as "sympatetic resonance".(something like that). I read somewhere that William Lyons and the engineers at Jaguar noticed this when the first XJ were built.

Any updates??

In my car, I note three things in that respect.

1. At times I get a ratte. It seems related to "how" the bonnet seats when closed. It "looks" right, buy may not be fully latched??

2. The valence under the radiator in my car is pretty hefty metal. So much so that I used it to fasten the lower part of the E fan shroud!!

3. The hanger for the left resonator was askew. I managed to lever it back n place...

Carl