Been getting worse over the last few days, and I can't put my finger on it...
Sounds like two tablespoons being banged together, fairly high pitch, but distinct clink clink clink noise.
I figure it could be a whole host of things, but I was hoping that maybe I wasn't the first

Here's when it happens:

-It's intermittent.
-Not revs related, doesn't happen at standstill, revving engine makes no difference when the noise is there.
-Was originally only during coasting, following light application of the brakes.
-Now it does happen under mild power (possibly can't hear it on full boost due to induction/wind noise).
-Happens both on smooth and uneven roads.
-Clutch down/up, neutral or in gear - no difference.
-Suspension feels/looks ok.

Here's what I have checked:

-Crawled under the car front and back, can't see any major items missing or loose, same under-bonnet.
-Drove with left, then right, then both windows open, can't tell which side, however it feels like right hand side.
-Exhaust and propshaft are clear.
-Tightened exhaust to turbo housing bolts yesterday (were a little loose), no difference.
-Drive shafts and propshafts aren't moving (no sideways movement).
-Engine mounts look ok.

The only thing I can think of, is that the brake pads are on the 3 to 5 mm thickness, and the brake pedal feels a little spongy. Car brakes fine, but I was thinking that maybe one of the pads is rattling in the caliper due to lack of overall thickness

Any ideas most welcome

 

check the front prop u j as the grease inside goes off due to exhaust heat and the weather!

 

Cv joint?

 

Sounds like front prop,would also check rear one too.

 

Thanks guys, I'll have a closer look at the props.

In the mean time, I checked wheel bearings, they are fine, also drove car in circles left and right, didn't make any difference, no noise

If it was the driveshafts, would you not expect some play in them ? They are rock solid when I try to wiggle them

 

Right, thought about it some more and driven the car today.

If it was the driveshaft or propshafts, I expect the frequency of the rattle would decrease as the car slows down, and yet, it doesn't.
Sometimes it's a really fast rattle, it slows down, stops, then starts again, totally out of control.

It actually sounds like a metal plate rattling about

I am thinking it may be the gearbox now... shifting from 3rd to 4th and back to 3rd repeatedly at a standstill, engine off, the noise is sort of there, clink, clink with every shift

Could something have rattled loose in the gearbox causing the noise ?

 

what turbo damper do you have fitted??

 

Erm, none I think, it's a 4x4

The turbo damper on our 2wd did loosen up a while ago, and it sort of sounded the same though

 

Could be the clutch bearing.

Mine does that.

next time it does it put your foot down on the clutch and see if it dissapears.

Stephen

 

Will try that too thanks

 

Well, it could any or all of the above, I simply will never know

The noise has gone away now, so either something's fallen off for good, or, it put itself back in place til next time

I did find a loose headlamp clip in the engine bay, lodged between wires below the coil, so maybe that's what it was, but it looks a little too small to make such a noise

Thanks for the help peeps

 

Quick update - Turned out to be the propshaft that goes from transfer box to front diff.

THe knuckle near the front diff (and close to the exhaust) was all dry and rusted and there was loads of play in it.

Now replaced and greased up and is all noisless

 

Nice easy fix eventually.

 

Easy in theory, but I had a nightmare swapping it !

Took it off ok, except that I need to get longer hex bits. Then realised it wasn't coming off without the exhaust out of the way, so needed to buy a proper trolley jack to get the height I needed.

Got the prop off and back on, then the exhaust and only then realised that the exhaust clamp wouldn't make it past the prop, so off with the exhaust again.
Rounded off one of the allen bolts when removing the prop second time, so had to drill and extract it , get a new set of bolts and do it properly all over again !

Oh well, it's on now, and I've got some shiny new tools as a result

Another one of those simple jobs that turned into a bit of a marathon !

 

Result on the tool front then

 

Its always the same 1 simple job turns into a right nightmare.