Hello all,

I have a 2001 1.4 MPI 68hp fabia. The engine has a serious ticking sound when the engine gets warmer and the oil is not fresh ( about 1000 km after the oil change ). As far as I know it is due to the timing chain. These engines ( also 1.4 MPi 60 hp ) have no chain tensioners which personaly I think is a design fault. These engines came from Favorit and Felcia, improved but all these models have been known for this chain sound.

It's not just mine, I happen to know another 10 cars with 68hp that have the same sound. My car has 35.000 km. Others got the sound earlier, some later on at arround 50.000 km. The chain can be replaced but the sound seems to reapear on the new chain. I've seen a chain and it is very solid, but due to the fact it has no tensioner the montage is loose and gets even more loose after usage.

The sound does not seem to apear at 1.4 MPi engines (60 hp), only on 68hp. It is an ugly sound, but the engine runs perfecty ( no errors on scan or other ways ).

Had anyone the same problem? Are there any newer versions available? Please help. Thank you in advance.

Does anyone have an ideea on this?

Yes the Felicia 1.3MPI did this but look on it this way, I would prefer a noisey chain than a belt that can break any day.

Yes I prefer the noisy chain to a belt. I was just wondering if there is a new version of chains that are not so noisy. I wonder this because the 1.4 MPi ( 60 HP ) which is basicaly the same engine as the MPI ( 68 HP ) doesn't have that noise, or at least I know a couple that don't and none that do. 68 HPs I hear everyday on the streets due to their distinctive noise.

The 60 HP came later than the 68 HP in 2002 and I thought they have a new version of chain, still no tensioner. Anyway Skoda doesn't use 1.4 gas engines anymore. Is it to allign the cars from VAG which are basicaly the same? They've also took out the 1.4s from other brands like Seat and maybe VW Polo. As far as I know the 1.2HTP also has a chain but with hydraulic tensioner, much more professional . Also leading automotive brands like BMW are nowadays using timing chains.

Do you know actual reason of taking out the 1.4?

Does anyone have a service procedure about how to change the timing chain on fabia/felicia/favorit? Since they have the same timing chain things should be the same. Also if not about the timing chain but maybe how to lower the engine so I can get access to the left side (seeing the car from front to tail)of the engine?

That would be great!

If you go to the following forum you might get a lot of info and possibly some good technical info about parts etc:

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/forum/

Post under "VW water-cooled" as they should be able to help, especially John@heathrow who is one of the parts guys and is a real font of knowledge.

You may find an answer a bit slow to come back, but be patient and they usually get back to you,

hope this helps

Whats VAG?

Whats VAG?

A lot of people will tell you it stands for "Volkswagon, Audi Group" but it actually means Volkswagon AG (german for Ltd IIRC)

Just being a smarty pants due to being confined to home at the moment

Ok, I've ordered my timing parts and they wait for the proper time to be changed.

I've discovered something else while I was examining the operation I'll have to do in order to change the timing chain. I saw that the alternator belt has small cracks on the guiding stripes. I took it off and noticed that the water pump pulley has a small movement. As far as I know on my engine there is no tensioner for the belt, it's done by the altenator mounting. Since the pulley is next to the timing cover it may also come from that pulley bearing. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

Theese are the sounds I'm talking about. They are from two cars.

my car:

http://img13.exs.cx/img13/5892/onobeka139kkm3jy.jpg

second car:

http://img13.exs.cx/img13/1334/term167kkm0ay.jpg

http://img13.exs.cx/img13/2093/term267kkm9le.jpg

both are AME 1.4 MPI 68PS.

ATTENTION!! The files are not jpegs as they seem. They are .WAV. Please use save as to download them. In case of IE the browser should redirect them properly.

Please give me an opinion, maybe you've heared this before.

I've posted another message with the same content ( but not same text ) since I did not see my message after I've checked for replies. After writing he second one I was able to see the first ( and this was not a problem of refreshing the browser ). Sorry for that.

The edit removed the old message.

Hi, Akebono,

I listened to the .wav of your car and I could hear the chain flailing and clattering in the backround, at half engine speed of course. A ticking noise would be something else IMHO.

If you put a timing light on your car (though it may not have any convenient timing marks) you would see the mark dancing around at idle. Under load it doesn't seem to matter, probably because all the slack in the chain goes to the side of the chain that is not under tension.

I don't consider this a design fault because the chain is (or rather it was on Estelles and Favorits) duplex and very short. I remember on an old Standard Vanguard I once had, the blade tensioner broke and smashed a hole in the timing cover. Oil everywhere, though the engine still ran. Tensioners are a source of trouble and I've never actually heard of a loose Skoda camchain breaking. The noise is embarrassing, however. The old BMC minis were the same.

I replaced one on an Estelle 120LSE I had. Very easy because of the access, and the chain and two sprockets as a kit cost