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Hey guys, yesterday I noticed a knocking on my avant. Can you tell me what the item is? It's on drivers side, in the rear arch. Looks like a shield around a petrol tank. Is my guess correct and do I need it? I'm thinking of taking it off n leaving it off!
id guess at at a heatshield knoching on the exhaust or something.
one option if it is is to fix it down again. sometimes a large jubilee clip around it if possible can help. otherwise removing and fitting with some heatproof/foil sheeting does the trick
It's just a sheiks knocking on a plastic tank of some kind under car just behind the rear arch lining and nowhere near the exhaust. Not overly bothered by it and was gonna take it off but thought would check nothing was gonna explode before i did it!
There is a metal shroud to the petrol tank that locates in the wheel arch. This element tends to rust in two - hence the knocking noise - just a quess !!!
If it is the heat shield in the rear of the arch near the petrol cap then you would probably need to replace it. If I can remember correctly that shield is attached with a ground strap to the filler neck.
I assumed that it was there because there is the potential for static build up from the rotating tire?
That sounds more like the broken thing under my car! Ok any suggestions where a complete one ie not in 2 halves can b gained from? And not an a4 one, something that fits is preferrable. Or I'm gonna have to get my friendly fabricator to make me one. Unless, is it really an important part?
its not that critical - I removed the rusty bottom half of mine and kept the top half which has an earth attaching it to the filler neck. I think the risk Audi was worried about was a spark being generated from the fuel nozzle going into the tank filler neck as the 2 bashed together was the spark risk.
The shroud allows that spark energy to go to the chassis.
The fuel tank is now slightly exposed to the elements and from debris being thrown up form the tyre - but these fuel tanks are thick hdpe, they're tough than a pair of tough old boots! Shouldn't overly worry if I was you.
The image shows (none too clearly) how I have only left the top half of the shield in place. (The powder coaters thought I was having a laugh when I took it to them - I just told them to coat whatever metal was left )
Oh btw - this part is NLA - one of the other tank shields is available but not that one
I cut mine in half too, well it actually fell apart so i tidied up the edge. I was given a new one by a friend but its a slightly different shape, spent over an hour trying to get it to fit then discovered the plastic inner wheel arch wouldn't fit over it
91CQ20v - Gone to a new home
93UR-S4 - The Magic Carpet
94S2Bus - The Emerald Express
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