What is this noise?

[Martian]

Hi,

Im stuck trying to find the source of this noise that has appeared this week.

I have heard similar twice, and both times they were seals not done up properly, a bolt or two I forgot when I resealed my rocker cover, and the up pipe were it meets the manifold when I changed my turbo, I forgot to do those up.

My exhaust is leaking somewhere engine side, i took it to a small garage friday last week who couldnt find it but suspected the manifold.

I have recently done two (out of the ordinary for the car) long journeys, several hundred miles in the pouring rain with a HKS pod filter, stupid i know.

On one of those journeys on monday just gone I hit what appeared to be a cast iron bit of pipe, i couldnt dodge it due to traffic and a pothole. It made a bang, I checked my sump and drove on. Also after these journeys I checked my oil and it was on the bottom of the dipstick, it didnt take much to top up to full. It was on the full mark before the journeys.

The noise is barely audible when the engine is cold, but once it gets to operating temperature it gets louder until its clearly audible inside and outside the car.

I have checked the manifold, rocker covers and turbo upipe as best i can, the manifold has heat shields I cant remove due to excessive rust on the passenger side, but i have used a torch to check for soot marks and cant see any. On the drivers side, no soot marks and no loose bolts.

Im starting to panic a bit now that it is internal.

Any help would be appreciated!

https://youtu.be/kk5IVBKEje8

[Martian]

Found it!

It was a loose sparkplug. Evidenced by black soot all over it and being able to get it out by hand.

All cleaned up and purring like a kitten