Timing chain noise? (1.8TSI)

[clamberer]

Basically what noise should the timing chain on a 1.8TSI (or similar, timing chain equipped engines) make?

I ask, as all previous cars of mine have had belts, and I have only recently bought a 1.8TSI Octavia (57 plate, 74000 miles)

There is a certain mechanical whine which rises in pitch with engine revs. I can hear it from outside the car at idle, or with increasing revs at low speeds, particularly with the windows open (don't notice it at higher speeds as road noise drowns it out).

Is this noise most likely to be the chain, and is it healthy? or a symptom of a tensioner, idler or pump being on its way out?

Cheers

[JD52]

I think your car has an engine with a timing belt - not chain.

Cheers

[mikey vrs]

The 1.8 tsi has a chain not a belt,a chain would make more a rattling noise,maybe the noise you can hear is a bearing in the alternator or aux belt tensioner.I dont know if the 1.8 suffers with the chain tensioner problem like some tsi vrs's have,if in doubt id get it checked by a garage.

[clamberer]

Anyone with this engine who can report on whether the normal idling and low speed running noise has much of a "whine" component?

I might ask a mechanic as I may be going to one to investigate wheel bearing noise.. (I REALLY hope I haven't bought a lemon)

[Flying]

No whining on mine but it is under 10k miles

[ruffday]

Hard to say without listening to it but they do sound a bit tappety but that is normal and not the tappets.

Get a dealer to listen to it if you are worried but I did 98k in 2 years in mine with no engine problems.

[D@z]

Head of whining on the TSI engines before, caused by the waterpump seals

[clamberer]

Thanks, I'll have a look through the service book, see what's been done, then have a good listen to try to locate the noise more accurately.

While the chain its-self should last the life of the vehicle, are the other bits which would be in a belt kit (water pump, idler/tensioner etc.) scheduled service parts for a car with a chain?

Cheers

[PC1212]

Paranoia can set in if you listen to the engine with bonnet up!

All sorts of noises, but if it pulls and drives ok then it is ok

[clamberer]

Paranoia can set in if you listen to the engine with bonnet up!

All sorts of noises, but if it pulls and drives ok then it is ok

If I had a full Skoda warranty, this is probably the attitude I'd take.. however I don't have that, so I'd rather ensure a potentially cheap job doesn't turn into a very expensive one if at all possible.

It does drive fine, but the noise is with the bonnet down.

[D@z]

is it louder with the bonnet up? stick your head to the side of the engine, seem louder on one side than the other?

[Matt Pez]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but SWMBOs 1.8TSI has started to have engine whine recently, its just over 5yrs old, recently serviced and only done 28k, so was wondering if the OP has any more feed back?

[Gazman]

I get a whine from mine sometime when starting off and have suspected that it's either the fact that i am turning at the time and thus power steering, or that the climate control is on and it's an issue with maybe a belt..  

[Matt Pez]

I think I have narrowed it down to when the radiator fans cut in, must be the extra drain on the alternator, or maybe even just a noisy fan motor. Having read the pinned thread on cam chain failures, I'm defo worried about the cam chain tensioners though, its on a 2009 model so we probably have the original design so maybe the noise is the ticking of the time bomb lurking inside the engine!

[Gazman]

Wonder how much an Indy would charge to replace the tensioner ?. To be honest I don't go out thinking is my tensioner going to fail today as I think the problem affects the 2.0 tsi engines more than the 1.8 units, however if it was not an expensive item to have replaced I might consider getting it done...

[RGKTSi]

I'm in the same boat Gazman and Matt Pez. We have a Dec 09 1.8 TSi so maybe old style tensioner etc. I try not to think about it as it seems to affect 2.0 TSi engine more. I have a listen and all seems very smooth, engine has done 27k miles now. I always use good quality oil at variable spec 504.00 (long life) and change it every 6 months regardless of mileage. I do about 8k miles a year. Over the top but everything works and oil comes out clean.

Be interested to know price of tensioner change, question would be, do you change the timing chain as well at relatively low mileage?

[Matt Pez]

Not sure on cost of tensioner replacement at an indy but read elsewhere Skoda charge about £600 which includes 2 yr warranty on the work so poss worth considering as would effectively cover engine replacement up to 8 yr old, assuming we got the work done at 6yr service, otherwise have started warming SWMBO up about changing at 6yr old when good will cover expires via SOGA. Don't really want to change though as only done 28k, Jul 09 registered and owned since new. Not sure what it would be worth as trade in, WBAC quoting £5,500, but seen some similar on Skoda Used site for over £9,000 !!

[Gobsheene]

Get the car up onto a ramp, I have a metalic ticking noise coming from the timing chain area when the car is on the ground. 

 

Once up onto the ramp it sounds like it's coming from the turbo area. It's just a noisy waste-gate/actuator on mine, it could be similar on the 1.8. 

 

Look at this VW TPI for the 2.0 engine: 

 

http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/attachment.php?attachmentid=7308&d=1283040573

Edited 14 August, 2014 by Gobsheene