Noisy injectors (UPDATE with video)

[myjalopy]

If I leave the car running, the gauge operates normally and the fans cut in when they should. If I drive the car though, the temp never seems to move off the bottom. Plenty of hot air from the vents though. Idle speed is about 800rpm, is this right?

The knocking is noticeable when going along over little bumps and things, sounds like from the offside front. It sounds like a bush is gone or something, will try to get under it tomorrow to have a look. I hear that the struts can suffer with play at the top end, so maybe it's this? One thing I have noticed, although unconnected I'm sure, is that the counterweight on the offside driveshaft is free to spin around the shaft. I see that Jorily sell the bushes for this, so i gather it must be a common issue.

As for brakes, well I would be unhappy if they needed replacing as the MOT is only 2 months old. Still no big problem, just annoying.

The mayo in the cap, hmmm. It's worrying me too. I noticed it when I bough the car, but the seller convinced me it was down to short trips and being garaged, which is quite possible. Things is, i wiped it off yesterday, took a quick 6 mile trip and noticed there was a small fingernail sized splodge on the cap again. I haven't checked the water bottle yet, will do so tomorrow.

Is there a surefire way of diagnosing gasket failure? If it is this, I would be looking to find out quickly and getting the car back to the seller ! :(

Edited 22 January, 2010 by myjalopy

[djaychela]

If I leave the car running, the gauge operates normally and the fans cut in when they should. If I drive the car though, the temp never seems to move off the bottom. Plenty of hot air from the vents though. Idle speed is about 800rpm, is this right?

Don't worry about it, the gauges often under-read, and they can run cool. As long as it cycles OK, it should be fine, although the thermostat might be duff meaning you're using more fuel than you should.

The knocking is noticeable when going along over little bumps and things, sounds like from the offside front. It sounds like a bush is gone or something, will try to get under it tomorrow to have a look. I hear that the struts can suffer with play at the top end, so maybe it's this?

Yeah, the top mounts can get noisy, easy and cheap to fix.

One thing I have noticed, although unconnected I'm sure, is that the counterweight on the offside driveshaft is free to spin around the shaft. I see that Jorily sell the bushes for this, so i gather it must be a common issue.

It's supposed to spin.

As for brakes, well I would be unhappy if they needed replacing as the MOT is only 2 months old. Still no big problem, just annoying.

If they grind, they need something doing to them!

The mayo in the cap, hmmm. It's worrying me too. I noticed it when I bough the car, but the seller convinced me it was down to short trips and being garaged, which is quite possible. Things is, i wiped it off yesterday, took a quick 6 mile trip and noticed there was a small fingernail sized splodge on the cap again. I haven't checked the water bottle yet, will do so tomorrow.

If it's really badly mayo-ed up in there, then just wiping the cap will only have got rid of a fraction of what's in there, so it will reappear. You'd need to get the top cover off and clean it out, and then see what happens after an oil change to be sure.

Is there a surefire way of diagnosing gasket failure? If it is this, I would be looking to find out quickly and getting the car back to the seller ! :(

A compression test usually does the trick, although sometimes results can be misleading. You can get testers for the water to see if combustion products are in there. I've never had a HG go that didn't show up on the compression test, though.

[myjalopy]

The temp gauge is under reading to the extreme, as in not really registering at all when being driven. Only after a while parked up, engine running, does it operate as it should.

I'll probably just change the stat anyway, see what happens.

Interestingly, I downloaded the MOT history and the one before last said that the NEARSIDE strut was tested as having some play, but I would swear that the noise is coming from the offside. I assume that the top mounts can be changed/adjusted on their own though, not the whole strut?

As for the counterweight, well there isn't a smily for embarrassed! My Scenic one doesn't spin though, I' m sure.

I'll look at the brakes tomorrow, changing pads is no real hassle I trust but as I say, I will not be happy as the MOT is so new. Funny thing is, the Scenic has also started to grind, just on the back discs since the salt has been on the roads, then goes away after a couple of brake applications.

Looks like a trip to my local tuning chap after all, to check compression.

Will be getting a manual soon, looks like Skodas need 'em.

[myjalopy]

Meant to say, thanks for all your help.

[daverapid]

Sounds to me like the thermostat/housing is faulty, making the engine run too cool when driving, which in turn will create the mayo in your rocker cover as the engine is not warming up. It's usually necessary to replace the thermostat housing complete as it breaks internally and allows permanent coolant flow to the radiator.

[myjalopy]

If the engine isn't getting up to temp. , how come I get plenty of hot air from the vents? I have tried to work this out and can't. I would just buy a stat, but have just found out they are £20 so not keen to do that unless needed.

[djaychela]

Up to temp for hot air doesn't mean engine coolant is at proper working temp - that's about 85-100 degrees, and my recce Fel has had a broken stat (confirmed when I changed it) and the heater has always worked like a good 'un. And it also cycled happily on the fan switch when ticking over.

But having said that, even though I've replaced the stat (and the sender), it still gives really ****ty gas mileage, and the gauge never goes up.

[myjalopy]

Not driven mine enough to check the MPG, but am expecting good figures, that's why I bought it.. Must say the heaters are brilliant though, you could make toast by dangling bread in front of them

Is Jorily the best or cheapest place for Skoda bits, seem they are mentioned here a fair bit? I would like to change the stat, but can only find the full housing which is a bit dear to buy on the chance it fixes the issue.

[djaychela]

Yes, Graham's the best guy to get bits off. You're missing the point with the thermostat - it's the housing which breaks, so that's why the way to do it is to get the complete housing which is redesigned to use a circlip instead of two tabs of plastic which break off leading to the permanent bypass problem.

[myjalopy]

I see. Well looks like a new housing then

While idling it on the drive today to see what happens, I noticed that the the top hose seems to get hot same time as bottom hose, so i suppose that confirms that the stat is open?

I also had a look around the bushes and suspension, the nearside and offside top of strut is movable when the car is on jacks, not so when the weight of the car is on the wheels. Looks easy to get at, but I haven't done so yet. I imagine it's a case of undoing the cross brace and there should be a nut underneath the strut cap. Either this needs tightening or the rubbers need replacing?

[djaychela]

I doubt the nut on the strut top needs tightening, but it's worth checking. I don't use standard strut tops any more, but when I did they were basically service items, they'd break with regularity, so I'd replace the lot, it's about £10 for all the parts, but the strut needs to come out and you need spring compressors to take the tension as the nut you've described takes the tension of the spring when it's off the car.

[myjalopy]

OK, thanks for the tip. Where do you source your bits from?

[djaychela]

Mostly from Jorily for standard Skoda bits.

[myjalopy]

Right, cold engine and I've had the rocker cover off to check the valve clearances. They are supposed to be .20mm and .25mm I believe. Turning the engine over using the jacked up method, I am watching the arms open and close the valves to see when one is closed so i can adjust the open one using the rule of 9.

I have found that they all seem to be OK or maybe too tight, as i am of the understanding that the feeler guage should be a tight sliding fit, which is an understatement on a couple of them.

If the valve clearances are OK, does this definately mean that the timing chain is making all that noise? It sounds like a tappety noise to me, but as I have never heard the noise a worn chain makes, I could be wrong.

I know it's not expensive, but reading through the Haynes manual it does sound like a right pain to do the chain so I was hoping for it to be just the tappets. :(

[felicia16v]

have a listen with a long screwdriver as a stethascope with the engine idling, try it on the rockercover and on the timing cover (being careful of the belt and your fingers lol), not at all unusual for timing chain to be noisey at 40k as there is no tensioner at all on it to take any slack up

[myjalopy]

Funny enough, I have already had my, ahem, stethoscope on it. Felt a right plonker, but happy to hear that it is a recognised proceedure!

Gawd, the noises that an engine makes ! The rocker cover is fairly quiet, but as it is isolated from the main engine by a rubber gasket I suppose it would be. The injector bar sounds like a mass of tiny pixies tapping away with tiny hammers!

I put it on the timing cover, I presume, but cannot hear any untoward noises. The clattering/tapping seems to be coming from the backside of the engine and I noticed just now that once the car is up to temp, which is something it never does on the road as the stat is broken, the noises seem to be less harsh ?

New stat and housing ordered the other day, so if this keeps the car up to temp, maybe I will see a difference, but I expect I am just holding out for an easy fix.

[felicia16v]

well you may be surprised if it warms up to temp as the alloy block must expand a bit, maybe it takes up some slack?.

i have a proper stethascope at work for pinpointing noise and it is very surprising what you can hear sometimes, try it on the altenator :S .

you may pickup more chain noise from "listening" on the web of the block at the back..

or you could remove the oilpump drive on top of the timing cover and get a long pick inside to see how slack the chain is, bit of welding wire with a small hook on works well

[myjalopy]

or you could remove the oilpump drive on top of the timing cover and get a long pick inside to see how slack the chain is, bit of welding wire with a small hook on works well

Thing is, I wouldn't know how much slack I should be getting, if any? Handy tip though and I will give it a try.

[djaychela]

You shouldn't get any really.

On the last knackered one I did, there was about an inch of play in it, and looking at the bottom sprocket the teeth were bent over there was that much wear in it!

[myjalopy]

I don't seem to see many Felicias in my area, but I think I am going to look at another Felicia when I can. See how it compares. I just get the feeling I am expecting too much from these little cars.

Bought it believing there was a fair bit of VW involvement, but this seems not to be the case. In fact, I saw it described somewhere as a warmed over Favorit.

Anyway, I paid my money, took my choice and will stand by it. Mechanical things can be fixed and as there is no rot on it apart from the beginnings on the lip of rear arches, it probably is a keeper for now.

[djaychela]

It -is- a warmed over favorit. The pre-RB ones were very similar mechanically in that the subframes and the chassis were far more like Favorit, whereas the RB ones were different at the front with altered chassis legs and bulkhead (and a LOT stiffer shells). The engine and box are the same as in the Favorit, as are the basics of the layout. But the electrics are infinitely better (The fav's were a joke, had loads of problems with mine), as is the build quality.

Still a way better car than a Ford or Vauxhall of a similar age/price!

[myjalopy]

RB?

[djaychela]

Reinforced Body. The later Felicias are RB, and a LOT sturdier - the difference between them is really noticeable when giving them some grief with decent suspension on!

[myjalopy]

ah, I see.

You race Felicias? I must say that I would not have thought it possible, but then again I expect you have had to uprate most of the critical components. Is this rally or track? I would be interested in seeing this if local. I live in the Bristol/Bath area.

[djaychela]

Rally. Forestry, 'cos although it was fun on tarmac for a bit, it's not really going to set the world alight, whereas doing 80 in a forest is more than enough to get you going. I'm in Bournemouth. If you want to see what I've been up to, go to www.skodarallyblog.com