Rattle under load when engine is hot

[gtimk5]

I have found most rattling in mk3s to be the heat shield on the engine pipe.
Thats 99% of the time. A hose clamp around the base of it fixes that rattling every time.
Andrew

[Jmac]

Ah thats right mate it is too right at the base of the downpipe a 60mm ish hose clamp will be the go, yeah the little tacks break and they rattle like hell. Good one man its been a while since i did one of them. Back in VW nearly had to fit a clamp to EVERY one
Cheers
Jmac

[jmystaki]

Thanks for all the advice.

More to add to the story:

First took the car to a VW “specialist” without looking at the car, said yep, it’s a ping. He said that head is full of carbon, you have a hot spot and the compression is increased. $1000 to pull the head off, clean the carbon and open the ports up.

Somewhat shocked, I took the card to HiTech in Alexandria. We took the car for a drive, he said he has seen many pinging Golfs and my car was not pinging…..

Frustrating….

I have dropped the car back to the specialist this morning and he was still insisting that it is a ping, I have agreed that he will test the car today.

Regarding the spark plugs, it was 100k and they had the originals (I think), in any case I replaced these with the new Bosch Plat/Iridium plugs ($90 for the set)

I have some clamps at home and will attempt to put one on the base like it has been suggested thanks !

Question:

How can I prove one way or the other that there is a ping?

Given I have taken this to a few people and there seems to be disagreement……

[gtimk5]

I get a heap of Mk3 golfs in my workshop and none of them ping, I would be flat out replacing pistons and heads if they were.
I had a Mk2 GTI with a 2E motor in it and that pinged a bit in trraffic if the temperature got up a bit. Thats lot of stop/go type stuff. It was fine when driving normally.
Mk3 golfs run a cooler thermostat to the earlier golfs.
Andrew

[Biggles]

We have the same model with just under 100K, except it's the 2.0 auto. It has pinged under load as long as we've had it (4 years I think). It's far more prevelant when a/c on and at fairly low revs. Knock it back to 3rd and it goes away. Is more prevalent with 91RON. Hope yours is no more serious than that. Cheers.

[jmystaki]

Heard back from the VW specialist... said the car was pinging.... don't know what to believe.....

[gtimk5]

The motors arent designed for 91 octane. Its a false economy not using 95.
Your car will go better and get a lot greater consumption using 95 octane.
The extra cost of 95 is a saving in the long run.
Pinging causes major damage to the head and pistons in virtually no time so I guess you have been lucky Biggles.
Andrew

[jmystaki]

I have booked the car in to have it professionally decarbonised with a PetroJect machine in the next 2 days

Will attempt to put a clamp on the exhaust tonight

I will update on the progress.

Cheers

[Jmac]

Andy thats right mate, 98 ron for sure and like i say most engines ping from time to time that you dont hear and the stuff you do hear is the worry. Drain the tank and fill with 98ron and fit a new filter and start a fresh. Crap fuel does them no good either.
Cheers
Jmac

[Pullstarter]

Good point on the crap fuel Jmac, copping a ****ty tank full is more common than most people think.