Hey all,

Well, im still here with the idle issue, which also seems to be linked to me not having any power through the gears. Today, I was doing 75 on the motorway, and a small incline had the car slowing down to 55 mph until I pulled in!! AAAHHH

This is what I have done so far

Cleaned the throttle body (it was clean anyway)

Changed the spark plugs

Changed the air filter

Changed the thermostat (this was new anyway)

I am getting a Knock Sensor High value when I read the codes, but other than that, all seems well.

The lambda probe is next, but I unhooked that and started the engine and it run just as it did before hand, so I doubt its that.

Its going in to skoda next week, it only cost me £2000 so I dont want to spend a grand finding out whats up with it, does anyone have any more ideas as a last ditch attempt?

Injectors poss? I dunno lol.

Knock sensor could be the problem, maybe it's causing the ECU to back off the ignition timing to "limp mode" ?

I have seen one that had a similar lack of power. The timing chain and timing gears were the problem, rattling away and setting off the knock sensor.

I have seen one that had a similar lack of power. The timing chain and timing gears were the problem, rattling away and setting off the knock sensor.

The salesman who sold me the car said it had a timing chain done before I had it, and there was a receipt to prove it. But it wasnt dont by skoda. Weird.

What if this chain went wrong ? Could it have caused damage to the engine.

The chain usually gives plenty of notice in the way of rattling before it goes and I have never seen one break yet. The worst I have seen is on a Felicia, where the teeth on the gears were so worn that the chain jumped some teeth and there was a metallic sludge in the bottom of the sump. This car was a real pig to start and was towed into us as a non runner. Once replaced and timed up, the engine was fine.

Last week my colleague replaced the timing chain and gears on a MPi Fabia, using genuine Skoda parts, during which he pointed out to me that the timing dot on the new crankshaft gear was out by one tooth relative to the locating keyway when compared to the old gear. After a bit of deliberation this mark was ignored and it was assembled using the keyway as a reference - the car ran as before (with less noise), proving that this was the correct decision.

If your car has had these problems from day 1 of your ownership, it could be possible that the valve timing is out, due to the aforementioned timing mark discrepency.

What would happen if you temporarily disconnected the knock sensor?

The chain usually gives plenty of notice in the way of rattling before it goes and I have never seen one break yet. The worst I have seen is on a Felicia, where the teeth on the gears were so worn that the chain jumped some teeth and there was a metallic sludge in the bottom of the sump. This car was a real pig to start and was towed into us as a non runner. Once replaced and timed up, the engine was fine.

Last week my colleague replaced the timing chain and gears on a MPi Fabia, using genuine Skoda parts, during which he pointed out to me that the timing dot on the new crankshaft gear was out by one tooth relative to the locating keyway when compared to the old gear. After a bit of deliberation this mark was ignored and it was assembled using the keyway as a reference - the car ran as before (with less noise), proving that this was the correct decision.

If your car has had these problems from day 1 of your ownership, it could be possible that the valve timing is out, due to the aforementioned timing mark discrepency.

What would happen if you temporarily disconnected the knock sensor?

Thanks for the reply, I dont know, what would happen lol?

SHould I do it?

The chain usually gives plenty of notice in the way of rattling before it goes and I have never seen one break yet. The worst I have seen is on a Felicia, where the teeth on the gears were so worn that the chain jumped some teeth and there was a metallic sludge in the bottom of the sump. This car was a real pig to start and was towed into us as a non runner. Once replaced and timed up, the engine was fine.

Last week my colleague replaced the timing chain and gears on a MPi Fabia, using genuine Skoda parts, during which he pointed out to me that the timing dot on the new crankshaft gear was out by one tooth relative to the locating keyway when compared to the old gear. After a bit of deliberation this mark was ignored and it was assembled using the keyway as a reference - the car ran as before (with less noise), proving that this was the correct decision.

If your car has had these problems from day 1 of your ownership, it could be possible that the valve timing is out, due to the aforementioned timing mark discrepency.

What would happen if you temporarily disconnected the knock sensor?

:OHmmm. I've recently replaced the chain on my mums Fabia 1.4 and now she's getting the same symptoms as the OP...the engine ran well before. I've done countless Estelle/Rapid/Favorit/Felicia chains [basically the same] so it's not like I don't know how to time them up. However, I didn't think to check the timing dots were correctly marked on the new sprockets..I just took it for granted they were correct and did the usual 12 links thing. Looks like I need to strip the engine again!

Anyone else had this happen?

:)Well, I'm at the garage and this thread has intrigued me to the point where I just HAD to strip down this engine before I went home!

I have a new timing chain in stock, and compared the lower sprocket on that one to the one I fitted on my mums car a couple of weeks ago...that was supplied by a Skoda dealer.

Guess what...the new sprocket has been marked 1 tooth out!!

Thank you fordfan for saving the day!

Not the best quality pics, but I guess you can see the problem.

has this sorted the issue out on the car tho? how is it idling?

:)I've just roadtested the car and it runs beautifully! I cleared the stored codes before the 20 mile roadtest, checked again afterwards and they haven't returned. The engine used to idle roughly and give the impression it was about to stall occasionally, though it never actually did. Now it idles as well as any 8 valve Fabia...ie a bit shaky but as well as they ever do!

:)I've just roadtested the car and it runs beautifully! I cleared the stored codes before the 20 mile roadtest, checked again afterwards and they haven't returned. The engine used to idle roughly and give the impression it was about to stall occasionally, though it never actually did. Now it idles as well as any 8 valve Fabia...ie a bit shaky but as well as they ever do!

HI there, thanks for answering!!

Well, mine is idling roughly, but also seems to sort of misfire when driving, especially in 2nd and 3rd gear. I am about to take mine in for the timing chain to be checked, but its going to set me back £140!! - Did yours do the same?

I think it is so weird because mine had a chain about a month before I had it, not by skoda.

Edited 22 June, 200916 yr by aircanman

Oh yer, one other thing. Which cog picture was the right correct one?

Thanks for any replies!

:)It wasn't quite a misfire, more of a flat spot like you used to get on older cars with a blocked carburettor jet.

The top picture shows the incorrectly marked sprocket.

:)It wasn't quite a misfire, more of a flat spot like you used to get on older cars with a blocked carburettor jet.

The top picture shows the incorrectly marked sprocket.

Yer this is what I thought, it isnt a misfire either, misfiring is worse, its exactly as you describe. If this isnt the problem I will eat my hat, all clues point to it. £140 I will have to kiss goodbye to, but if it is the timing chain. I owe you a drink kind sir. !

:)Well, I'm at the garage and this thread has intrigued me to the point where I just HAD to strip down this engine before I went home!

I have a new timing chain in stock, and compared the lower sprocket on that one to the one I fitted on my mums car a couple of weeks ago...that was supplied by a Skoda dealer.

Guess what...the new sprocket has been marked 1 tooth out!!

Thank you fordfan for saving the day!

I'm happy that you found my post useful. If at work we had to do the job a second time, we would seriously consider logging a warranty claim with Skoda for the additional labour as the parts that they supplied were incorrect to specification.

I'm happy that you found my post useful. If at work we had to do the job a second time, we would seriously consider logging a warranty claim with Skoda for the additional labour as the parts that they supplied were incorrect to specification.

I cant wait til monday now to see what has gone on in mine. Fingers crossed its the issue!! -

I cant wait til monday now to see what has gone on in mine. Fingers crossed its the issue!! -

:)Please let us know! I got a call from my mum teling me how her car has been transformed since I corrected the timing issue.

Well, car is in the garage.

The small cog's dot is after the 3rd tooth (like the first pic u posted) - Cant remember if its described as between the 3rd cog or 4th, anyway, its not the same as the second pic. So its being put back together and I will know tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

Well, a couple hundred quid later, the timing chain put in the right place!!

The car is GREAT!! - Its still a little lumpy, but its not putting the knock sensor off like it used to, there is a load more torque in the engine, and it is now driving very very nicely. Its alot quicker so I have to hold back on the accellerator!

All this, after about £700 worth of troubleshooting, not even Skoda could find the issue.

Guys, once again, the forum lifestyle has shown us the way forward!!

Thanks to allllll!!

:)Excellent news!

Anyone else had this problem?

Good news all round.

Well this is strange but glad it was sorted.

I changed mine over 6 months ago now (maybe even longer) and I don't remember having any problems with timing marks... maybe because we just took the old chain off and put the new one on exactly as we took the old one off and all has been great.

Seem to remember checking the marks though and all seemed to line up so maybe just a dodgy batch!?

Would definately be onto skoda about getting some money back for this though!

Phil

Not the best quality pics, but I guess you can see the problem.

witch one is the correct sproket, the top one or the bottom one ?

let me know cus i think i have the same problem and i want to sort it out while i have time to complaint where i bought the part

edit.

I just checked Autodata CD 3.18 and it seems that the bottom one is the correct one, please confirm

Edited 11 April, 201016 yr by Cepheuz

witch one is the correct sproket, the top one or the bottom one ?

let me know cus i think i have the same problem and i want to sort it out while i have time to complaint where i bought the part

edit.

I just checked Autodata CD 3.18 and it seems that the bottom one is the correct one, please confirm

Yes, the bottom one is correct.