Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Mon 30 Jul 2018 14:03
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - dac1

Hi,

I have a 2006 (Mk2) Ford Focus 1.6 LX (petrol). It's done 82k miles. The major work it's had done is a new slave cyclinder and clutch at 45k miles (slave cylinder failure). A new power sterring hose at 56k miles (design fault I understand). Two new wheel bearings at 70k miles.

I've owned this cars for years and use it every day without problems but...
4 months ago I started the engine and there was a loud rattling noise coming from the engine. It lasted 3 before I switched the engine off. When I switched it back on again then was no noise. It just started normally.
6 weeks ago I switched the engine on and noticed the same noise. I managed to switch it off after just a single second. When switched back on there was no noise.
Last week I switched the engine on and the noise happened for a split second and then stopped with the engine continuing on as usual. I didn't need to switch the engine off on this occasion.

The noise is quite loud. I'm no mechanic (I haven't a clue) but I know there are pistons going up and down in an engine. Having a guess I could believe the sound was like the pistons ramming up against a metal plate. Or the sound of a spitfire when it first starts up (but of course no where near as loud).

Does anyone have an idea on what this noise is?

It's only happened 3 times but considering I haven't heard it in all the years prior I wonder if it is something that will get worse/more frequent.

Thanks.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Jul 2018 14:43
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - madf

Use of a cheap oil filter without a non return valve means oil drains from bearings when switched off. The noise you hear is teh bearings without oil coming into metal to metal contact with other parts.

Likely to lead to premature engine failure.

This is a well known issue going back decades and it is inconceivable your mechanic is ignorant of it...(or he is incompetent)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Jul 2018 15:51
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - bathtub tom

Use of a cheap oil filter without a non return valve means oil drains from bearings when switched off. The noise you hear is teh bearings without oil coming into metal to metal contact with other parts.

Only if the noise persists after the oil pressure light has gone off. I had a draining oil filter on a BL 'B' series engine, the only symptom was it took ages for the oil pressure light to go out.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Jul 2018 15:52
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - Andrew-T

I would have thought (intuitively) that if this was the cause it would happen almost every time, and be worse the longer the engine had been left idle. The OP implies that it is occasional and very noticeable when it happens?

Anything to do with the timing belt?

Edited by Andrew-T on 30/07/2018 at 15:53

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Jul 2018 21:45
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - elekie&a/c doctor

Can't see any mention of the engine oil level being checked .Perhaps this would be a good place to start.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 31 Jul 2018 10:39
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - dac1

Thank you for your replies.

I checked the oil level this morning, after it had time to settle over night, and the level was at mid point between the min and max levels.

The last oil and oil filter change was back in February. The first time I heard the noise was in April. The oil was changed at National Tyres. I've found this particular branch more helpful than others. I've had my oil changed at this place for the past three years. So if it is due to a cheap oil filter then they've gone cheap in the past year as I've had no problem before-hand with their oil changes.

Edited by dac1 on 31/07/2018 at 10:40

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 31 Jul 2018 11:22
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - madf

All you need is one faulty oil filter return valve..sticking open occasionally.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2018 11:06
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - dac1

I am looking to replace the oil filter and oil next week.

The 3 occurances of the engine rattling noise I've mentioned, and their durations, will this likely to have caused permanent engine damage or are the number of occurances not enough to have damaged the engine?
Just wondering what may need doing to the car now as a result.

I must add, at no point has the oil light, on my dashboard, lit up.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2018 17:21
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - bathtub tom

I must add, at no point has the oil light, on my dashboard, lit up.

Then I'd suggest it's nothing to do with the oil filter or non-return valve. The problem could be anywhere there's moving parts.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Aug 2018 20:40
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - sammy1

Totally agree with tom it's mechanical and could be rattling anywhere intermittantly. To speculate about the oil filter is just that. I would think that any so called oil starvation for a brief second would be unlikely as the engine is swimming in oil at the bottom end. I would be looking at maybe a grumbling starter motor after all these years.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 Aug 2018 10:56
Ford Focus - Engine rattling noise on start up - dac1

To clarify, the only time the dashboard oil light is lit is at the same time as all the other lights are lit during the turing on of the ignition. Once I switch the engine on they all go out.

My friend has an Toyota Auris. Same year as my Focus. Same engine size (1.6 petrol), same level of luxuries, has done the same mileage give or take 1-2k, and has done the same type of driving (responsible driving on a mixture of A roads and traffic). Yet, his Auris has not required a single part replacing. All he has replaced is the oil, brakes and tyres when needed.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide