Over the last few weeks i have noticed that when pulling away, i get a sort of groaning noise coming from the front end somewhere. I can feel it through the steering and it only does it at low revs. Ihave checked the wheel bearings and there is no play.I have also replaced both wishbones and still the noise is there.:(It sounds like a loose heat shield ,but again nothing is loose.I noticed it just after i had the cambelt kit done,so do you think something was left out when it was done ? Any ideas very much appreciated as its driving me nuts:eek:. By the way its on a 90 bhp octy.thanks

Cambelt covers or pulleys?

Maybe worth checking.

Its not the missus sat in passenger seat is it?

On second thoughts, maybe thats a whinging noise?

Being serious now.

I know vauxhalls tend to make a groaning noise as you pull away for the first time after a complete restart. This is the ABS system doing its self check, dont know if skoda's perform in the same manner though.

Also what are the condition of the engine mounts and have they been retightened correctly?

I know yours is a Mk1, but before i bought my Mk2 it would make a vibration noise which in fact was because a engine mount and gearbox mount was shot.

Leading to the exhaust vibrating against the underside of the car.

The gf's sisters pug 206 stopped in the middle lane leading up to a roundabout a coupled months ago, vibrations and then the gearbox locked etc etc. Turned out there wasn't any bolts holding the gearbox mount, resulted in the car going back to the dealer for replacement parts inc the mount sorting and new driveshafts.

To add insult to injury the car was suppose to have been MOT'D before it was picked up!

Edited 19 August, 200817 yr by Browny_37

I had new bolts fitted in the offside front engine mount,and have fitted a new dog -bone gearbox mount .Come to think of it ,i also had a new catalytic converter fitted at the same time as the cambelt but again ive tried to trace anything loose underneath and cant find anything

I had something like that. Main dealer swapped all sorts of bits under warranty and it made no difference. Then a real mechanic got a grip of the front coil springs and told me to turn to the steering wheel slowly from side to side while he got hold of the front coil springs. He told me to get out and get a grip of the near side one while he turned the wheel. I could feel it twanging as it turned. He said it was a top bush or something. Whatever it was swapping it fixed the problem. All the bits the main dealer swapped smartened up the handling too.

You could give that a test, its easy enough.

Was the idlers, tensioners changed as part of the kit?

Also was the waterpump done at the same time?

I would expect the waterpump to groan most of the time if it wasn't replaced with the belt.

New tensioners put extra load on the old waterpump, which in the end causes excessive wear to the bearings. Then the pump fails.

Are the engine covers fastened correctly, all studs intact?

yes ,all the tensioners and waterpump were changed ,but i havent got round to checking the covers.Willdo that this weekend, weather permitting lol!

I have similar groaning noise tdi 110 82k have had front o/side w bearing done noise still there,mechanic think it may be a rouge bearing we'll see,

Sam the man