Hi, 1.9 Tdi with 174,000 on the clock.

I noticed recently that I have got a noise, usually when the car is first started. I investigated and found out that it stopped when I turned the air con off. I can not be certain but it seems to coming from the pump (if that is what it is?) running on the belt right at the top of the engine.

Can anyone give me any info on this part? How much to replace.

I am not that happy to say that I had the Timing belt and water pump changed around 9 months ago at Skoda. I was advised by someone to do the water pump at the same time because the new belt can cause them to fail after. I guess this may be what has happened to this item now.

My main concern is if it fails is it likely to take the belt out with it?

What are your views?

Cheers

Shappy

The aircon is driven from the aux belt, not the cambelt. It might be your auto-tensioner unit is failing (that is at the top of the belt loop), or maybe the clutch is close to givng up the ghost on the aircon pump.

Most likely cause is the clutch is coming loose. The nut that holds the clutch in place can work loose. Check now or you could lose the clutch.

At 174k it could be anything on the aux belt including the tensioner or the belt itself.

Try leaving the A/C off and turn the steering wheel as you start. Does it do the same?

Edited 23 May, 201016 yr by rwbaldwin

Hi, you say the bolt can work loose, is this something that can be tightened up in situe. Could you explain briefly where about it is? Is it holding the pulley on which the belt drives?

I am going to have a look. And leave the air con off for now. I had both tie rods fitted at Skoda the other day and I need to go back for re-adjustment to re-centre the steering wheel. I will ask them to have a quick look if possible.

Thanks for both of your replies.

Cheers

Shappy

The bolt is on the end of the aircon pump (at the bottom of the aux drive belt loop), and can be tightened in place I believe.

You might need to remove the under-engine tray (if fitted) to get to the pump/pulley assembly.

The A/C has a magnetic clutch. The clutch disk sits inside the pulley of the A/C compressor and is a disk with a triangle in the middle. The nut can come loose and the clutch disk can fall out. If it isn't caught by the undertray, it goes bouncing down the road. The nut is a self-locking type and the torque is 15Nm. The clutch disk can be put back without removing the compressor.

Update. I went to the dealer today; they were re-centering the tracking for me after having had the inner track rods renewed. I asked if he could listen to the A/C to see if he could find anything wrong, he came back and said there was nothing visual and I would be better to live with the noise for now, he said it would probably require a compressor to fix it. And that is £500 + just for the part.

I am just wondering, I have never had the A/C topped up, if it was low on pressure could this cause the pump to switching on and off thus causing the noise.

I may have the A/C Re-Gassed what do you think?

Cheers

Shappy