2003 D2 Td5 Auto
Okay, have put up with this tinny rattling sound (like sound of vibrating piece of sheet metal) for weeks now - certainly not loud and unable to hear anything at all when inside the vehicle. No vibration, and no effects on performance or driving. Sound "seems" to come from the passenger side front (low down and towards rear) of the engine bay.
Have been attending to other matters, so let it be and did other things around the house and attended to other cars when I had time.
I was thinking! I was pulling the trailer several months ago and at one point I got stuck and reversed out of a very tight spot - the trailer almost jack-knifed. I noticed later that a chunk of plastic/rubber had been taken out of the trailer jockey wheel. I surmised that the end of the exhaust pipe had gouged out this chunk from the wheel. Was that what started the tinny rattle? Stress on the exhaust system? The noise pretty much coincided with this event in retrospect.
Anyway, had a look at the exhaust system in RAVE for a Td5 and noticed it shows two silencers/mufflers with four rubber mounts. About time I looked again, so put her up on stands at the front and went under. Checked the exhaust from front to back - not like shown in RAVE schematic for a Td5 though! The four rubber mounts are there, but I have a small silencer at the front, then a larger silencer, and then another small silencer (three silencers/mufflers in total) before the tail pipe.
The pipe can move a bit (1 inch or so) when I hold it/shake it underneath, but I guess it's supposed to do that - the four rubber mounts are intact and seem to work well. There are two heat shrouds in place to stop heat radiating upwards - they can be moved up and down, but I don't think they would be producing the noise?
The front passenger side wheel arch looks/feels fine (inspection hatches) - nothing loose!
Not front brake mud guards. Not turbo heat shield.
Will maybe open that little inspection hatch with the three bolts on the bell housing - something in there I should be looking at? (Torque converter is in there I believe?)
Will just have to keep looking/listening! No more ideas?