Another Problem

[Hendry]

Hi again guys, just thought I'd enquire about another problem my old fella has been having.

Basically when reversing or moving off at slow speeds he was having this loud rattling noise, so I thought it maybe be the engine undertray was loose, had a look under the car and it was fine, completely secured. However, noticed that underneath the car, almost totally in the middle of the car (both length and width wise) there was this bit of sheet metal hanging loose more to the nearside than offside right next to where the exhaust centrebox is, it looked as though it had originally been bolted to the underside of the car as there were nuts/bolts holding something black in colour to the underside of the car, and where the nuts bolts were there were holes in this piece of sheet metal in exactly the same places, which looked like the heat had expanded the holes causing it too fall off of the nuts and bolts.

I kinda bent it back into shape and the noise has gone but just wondering what this part was as it didnt look like it actually served any purpose.

[ditchp]

could have been a piece of heat sheilding that has dropped down matey......

[old cruiser]

I would agree on that, a heat shield.
Cheers Pete

[GARY3306]

I suspect this is a VAG vehicle (more probably a Passat). Am I right? If so, it isn't a heat shield, it's a thin (as in width, not thickness) bar, that spans the tunnel into which the exhaust runs along. It is there as a first line of defence for the exhaust, should you bottom it out. They always get clattered and rip the bolts out and bend the bar. Lost count of the amount I have taken off and straightened at work

[Hendry]

no mate its not a VAG, its a 54 plate Vectra 2 litre diesel