1.6d making too much noise, scary loud. *Now with Video!

[sprstu]

I have owned my mk1 caddy for 4 years now and have done a huge amount of work and modifications. The block is the original 1.6d with a 12mm head, it was re-ringed and the rod bearings were replaced 8k ago. Currently I am running a K03 from a TDi with an aaz intake and exhaust manifold, modified mk3 2.5" downpipe,  a 1.6td pump and 1.6td injectors, an FMIC and an ACN 5spd trans swap.
Now, I have taken this engine apart a few times, replacing blown headgaskets due to the head being warped and now a new "known straight" 12mm head with original material HG. I run an EGT, Boost and Oil pressure gauge to keep my mind at ease.

3 nights ago I was driving on the highway at 65mph cruising along just fine, and then the engine started getting very shaky. There was so much vibration that the things in my glove box were hopping up and down where before they were not. The vibration came and went for a few miles and then the engine started getting VERY loud, a DB meter measured 102 decibels. Along with the scary loud noise came more vibration, so much so that it rattled my crank pulley bolts loose and kicked 3 of them out at speed on the road, 3/4 of my axle bolts were hand loose and one of my exhaust bolts started backing out. I learned all of this on the side of the road where I waited for tools and new bolts thinking that the noise and vibration were coming from the now wicked loose crank pulley, I got everything back tight and started it up again, same sound, less vibration. I limped the car back home the 5 remaining miles.
I was able to drive at 50mph with no problem, my boost gauge, egt and oil pressure gauges were all reading normal, I did not push hard at all so I can not say 100% that the power was all there. When I got home it was running fine, except for the noise. My first though was injectors, i knew my 1.6td injectors needed to be re-nozzled so I went to bed thinking that was the issue, just severely worn nozzles. I have a set of 1.6na running but 150xxx mile injectors that I swapped in for the time being just to test, same noise. It sounds just like it should except 4x as loud. Much more like an all fuel tractor than old VW.

I check my timing today and everything is legit. Cam, flywheel and pump are all where I left them. There is oil on the cam and when I rotate it by hand new oil gets pumped up. it starts up every time, just like normal from cold leading me to believe that the compression is good. The fuel in the system is only 6 weeks old.

Anyone have an idea? Would a dying pump cause a running driving engine to sound like it was fueled by demons? Serious valve clatter that get amplified under the valve cover?
i will try and get a video of it running tomorrow.

[sprstu]

Any ideas, anyone?

[Vincent Waldon]

Fastest approach for the group diagnosis of funny noises over the interwebs is:

get a video of it running

 

[sprstu]

Yes yes, a good point indeed. I will do this tomorrow morning.
Also, how dare you use my own words to mock me!

[Vanagoner]

Is it possible that some flywheel bolts are coming out?  The massive vibration could break your downpipe or manifold studs, causing the noise.  Just guessing.

[hotroddr]

How do the motor mounts look?  If you had a completely wasted motor mount the thing would likely shake itself to death like you are experiencing.

[Smokey Eddy]

I just built an AAZ and it shakes the bolts loose too. I think its motor mount related but that's without hearing the noise.

Describe the noise. What does it sound like? examples? descriptions?
ie. It sounds like a train. Or... It sounds like a drier with wet clothes in it all lobbed to one side so it goes thump thump thump.
Is the sound constant? does it sound like its part of some rotating mass? is it intermitant like a ticking sound?

[sprstu]

Ok, here is the video of it running. It sounds "mostly" normal except for some clanging metal sounds and the huge amount of extra volume. My iPhone DB meter showed just over 98DB. After this video I drove it out of my driveway and into the street, power (at slow speeds) seems "normal". The injectors are currently my known good stock 1.6NA instead of the 1.6TD that were in there when this started to happen.

1.6TD is TOO loud

[theman53]

sounds normal to me.

[ShoulderMan]

sounds pretty normal to me as well.  sounds like mine. but with a slight additional clatter or almost like a piston slap.
 One thing you might check, check you tires, once I had severe cupping of my tires on a toyota , and the faster I went the louder and more vibrations went thorugh out the car,  almost like you were on a washboard. the tires looked like they had waves in them.

[goon]

yes i mean i hate to say that sounds odd... i wish i could have heard how "quiet" it was before because whatever your experiencing is how mine is always sounded..

[theman53]

I would also add that running one without the timing belt cover is tough. The only thing I think I hear is the little clips that hold on the cover bouncing around. Look at the IM shaft and see if it is going in and out while it is running. I had a rabbit that had some serious trouble that way.

[sprstu]

Trust me, its ***ing terrifying. And thats what gets me, it DOES sound normal, but IRL it is as if demons have taken over my engine.

[veedubcanuck]

Check your clutch/flywheel ASAP!

[gldgti]

yeah - if the noise goes away when you depress the clutch forget about it, i've had too many noisy clutches in vw's to care any more.

however, I will say that i reckon a likely candidate for the noise is actually, believe it or not, you water pump. bearing could be stuffed. mine went and sounded just like that.