Engine making worrying noises

MouldyOldDough

My 1.0 Suzuki engine boosterjet engine is making worrying noises 
The car is 5 years old and has done less than 15,000.miles 
It has been serviced annually by the main dealers 
It sounds "tappety" /rattly at  the top end - especially at tick over 
The oil level is fine 
What could it be? 

pogofish

I once has an annoying/very worrying top-end rattle develop on my car.  Which was old enough that if it had had anything major, I would have had to scrap it as I couldn't afford the repair.

After several months of praying it wouldn't die and studiously ignoring the noise, I was doing something else under the bonnet and suddenly it struck me - "Oh, that's where I left that mole wrench" - triangular water pump and I'd hung the wrench on top of it whilst doing something else.

Removed it and the rattle was gone..!    

MouldyOldDough

pogofish said:

I once has an annoying/very worrying top-end rattle develop on my car.  Which was old enough that if it had had anything major, I would have had to scrap it as I couldn't afford the repair.

After several months of praying it wouldn't die and studiously ignoring the noise, I was doing something else under the bonnet and suddenly it struck me - "Oh, that's where I left that mole wrench" - triangular water pump and I'd hung the wrench on top of it whilst doing something else.

Removed it and the rattle was gone..!    

This is "INTERNAL"

Herzlos

What condition is the oil in?

If you're only doing 3000 miles a year, you may need to service it more often than annually.

I'd get a local garage to have a look at it just to be safe, though.

peter3hg

Likely to be either the injectors "clicking" or the hydraulic lifters.
Can you narrow down the noise? Putting something like a screwdriver to your ear and touching it to the engine should help to locate it.

It isn't uncommon for modern engines to have some noises like this at idle. BMWs often get tappity lifters and other cars can have clicking injectors. It isn't necessarily an issue unless it is getting worse.

Benny2020

If he takes it to a main dealer they will find a problem.

Nobbie1967

Maybe a sticking hydraulic lifter? The low mileage might be a contributing factor. You can get treatments that you drop in the oil to help free it and then take it for a good hard drive to get the oil hot. Of course if it’s a different fault then this is probably not a good idea as it may cause damage.

MouldyOldDough

Herzlos said:

What condition is the oil in?

If you're only doing 3000 miles a year, you may need to service it more often than annually.

I'd get a local garage to have a look at it just to be safe, though.

It was serviced 2 months ago

MouldyOldDough

peter3hg said:

Likely to be either the injectors "clicking" or the hydraulic lifters.
Can you narrow down the noise? Putting something like a screwdriver to your ear and touching it to the engine should help to locate it.

It isn't uncommon for modern engines to have some noises like this at idle. BMWs often get tappity lifters and other cars can have clicking injectors. It isn't necessarily an issue unless it is getting worse.

It sounds as if its in the head 

MouldyOldDough

OK today took car to Suzuki main dealers who diagnosed an air con issue - the noise ceased when air con off..
The problem is now that the aircon doesn't operate now. - only discovered on way back home. It's totally dead.
So what causes a noise and non operational aircon?
Aircon has never been serviced in 5 years of main dealer servicing
I guess a recharge minimum? 

MouldyOldDough

Any suggestions?