Mk5 170 knocking/rattling

[a.j.baker14]

Hi guys I'm asking this question on behalf of my brother who has a mk5 170 that over the last couple of weeks has developed a rather loud knocking/rattling noise that we think is coming from the engine bay, at 1st we were hoping it was something as simple as a heat shield but what we have established is that parked on the drive with the hand break on whilst in 1st gear just slowley letting your foot off the clutch just as it wants to bite there it is the noise a quick rattle tap knock. This is the best info I can supply and hopefully it sounds familier to some of you, just to add that when the car is moving with the windows down you can here it hence thinking it might have been a heat shield. Thanks for your time in reading this and answers and questions are much appriciated.

[Degudodger]

Does it happen when the engine is cold in neutral and goes away when you push the clutch peddle down?

Sounds like the DMF is on the way out.

[a.j.baker14]

Yes it happens when the engine is cold or hot but it's not making the noise on tick over it's just on the clutch when it wants to bite or when in motion 

[Degudodger]

Confident it is the DMF but first i would rule out the easy stuff by checking the heat shields round the exhaust and everything else.

If the noise is still there when the car is in motion it could be the gearbox. 

[a.j.baker14]

Yea 99% sure it's not a heat shield spent a good hour checking them all and pulling them away from discs etc,, spoke to a few garages and explained as best as I could and 3 out of 4 have said it sounds like a fly wheel problem would this be accurate??

[GrayMK5GTI]

I agree, that sounds like the DMF.

Another way of diagnosing it is to leave the car idling in neutral with foot off the clutch. Switch off the engine and listen for a chattering noise as the engine stops. If you hear that then the DMF is failing 

[a.j.baker14]

Ok will give that a go and let you know how we get on, cheers for the replies

[a.j.baker14]

Thanks for the reply guys my bro took the car to a garage this morning and after searching all day they found that it was a gaurd around the driveshaft and only charged him £20 the mechanic said it was the 1st time he had come accross such a thing in 23 years doing the job. Thanks again lads

[Degudodger]

Pleased you got it sort. There is nothing as annoying and time consuming as trying to track down a rattle 

[DDM]

at the front of the engine bay where the cold air intake comes off the front panel theres a top cover that clips into place, and it can't clip into place if the air intake pipe isn't correctly lined up on its tag, had this happen on mine and it made a right rattle on the lower rev range, i also thought it was dmf on its way

[a.j.baker14]

Yea it is surprising what silly noises come from silly things I must have spoke to 4 or 5 mechanics and they all said dmf so relived it was just the gaurd which has just been taken off now as it doesn't have any fixings I think it must have had a couple of spot welds wich have broke I'm guessing due to the sh*t roads around the country