My new W168 A160

[MonEleG]

Hi all

Have just bought a 1998 A160 SA and am getting to grips with it. Seems like a good solid car - with quite low mileage for year - (just 73K) backed up by service and MOTs.

Anyway - it does make a noise which seems to be coming from the engine compartment - sort of behind the central air vents. My wife and I had a difference of opinion on the sound - I said it sounded a bit like a stone rattling in a brake disc cover - she says it sounds like muffled cow-bells . Anyway - it can not be heard at tickover, or wehn revving when stationary - or in/out of gear - but is heard only when driving - and it does not seem to be speed related. Any ideas?

Many thanks in advance

 

[npuk]

Sorry cant help but it is worth bookmarking and looking at the site below. It has a wealth of info on the w168.

Albert Rowe, Lofty's homepage

 

[MonEleG]

Thanks for the tip. I found Lofty's site the other day and you are right - a wealth of great and helpful information.

I couldn't find anything that matched my issue though so would be great if anyone does have any other ideas. I'm wondering if it is wind-noise related - seeing as it only occurs on the move. There seems a lot of wind noise round the side windows too - but it is the cow-bell noise I'd most like to solve!

Thanks again - any other thoughts?

 

[MonEleG]

Further to earlier posts, the car now seems to have a minor water leak and I am not sure if the noise and this are related.

The water seems clear - (doesn't appear to have coolant in it) - and is dripping from a low point near the exhaust at the back of the engine. Could the noise and leak be water pump?

Another thought (thanks to Lofty's site) is that the rear washer is leaking as the rear screen wash doesn't operate and neither does the boot lock. I checked the vacuum pump and this is bone dry - as is the boot in general - so next is to check rear door panel. So one thought - could the water leak be rear screen washer liquid leakig from somewhere other than the boot?

Sorry for all these questions from a panicky new owner!

 

[portzy]

The water that you are seeing outside, just at the back of the engine area, could well be the condensate run off from the a/c system. Have you had your a/c on? its been quite humid today, all the necessary ingredients for condensate to drip from the underside and is quite normal

Cheers.
Portzy.

 

[MonEleG]

Aha - you are a star!! Yes the air con has been on and that makes perfect sense - hopefully I can stop panicking now!

I have also just been outside investigating the rear washer - and after getting my wife to operate the button - witnessed all the screenwahs dripping out the back of the boot onto the drive. So I'm rather happy now - as I should be able to fix this - and the dripping from the underside sounds like no problem.

Thanks again Portzy

 

[portzy]

Very good. Thought that might be it, good luck with the washer problem.

Portzy.

 

[DuncanM]

Broken spring noise

The noise you describe sounds to me very like a broken front suspension spring- all too common on A class cars for some reason . They tend to fracture just a short way up from the bottom. I'd bet that is what you are hearing! The broken-off bit is rattling around as you travel. It (the broken off bit) will escape and fall off soon, so be aware!

 

[MonEleG]

Thanks for the tip Duncan - just rolled about under the car and the springs seem fine - I also checked the documents I have and the springs were replaced in March 2008 - less than 20,000 miles ago. I checked the rears too and they are sound too.

Any other thoughts as I am stumped by this As mentioned before, it does not seem speed related and cannot be heard when stationary - whether ticking over or gently revved??

 

[EDZ649]

Aha - you are a star!! Yes the air con has been on and that makes perfect sense - hopefully I can stop panicking now!

I have also just been outside investigating the rear washer - and after getting my wife to operate the button - witnessed all the screenwahs dripping out the back of the boot onto the drive. So I'm rather happy now - as I should be able to fix this - and the dripping from the underside sounds like no problem.

Thanks again Portzy

I have just fixed the same rear washer problem on my partners car. The plastic pipe that carries the washer fluid had come off the end where the jet is located. The pipe is very hard plastic and is a real pig to try and push back on. I found a small piece of flexible rubber tube from a central locking vacuum line that was a tight fit over the plastic pipe and works perfectly.

You may need to pull the rubber sleeve away were the tailgaite is hinged to gain access to the pipe so that you can wiggle it out of the hole where the jet is fitted.

I may even have another piece of the rubber vacuum line if you need a bit, just let me know.

 

[MonEleG]

Thanks EDZ - think I will be tackiling this delightful little job this weekend - weather permitting - so may take you up on your kind offer!

In the meantime, anyone else have any thoughts on the strange noise I have?

Thanks again all