Hi,I have recently bought a 2001 ,143k ,1.9 SDI fabia estate ,during the test drive everything seem good,how ever since getting it home(we have only cover 70 ish miles) there is a noticeable clunk from the suspension at the front.

But more worrying is the gearbox or clutch.

When sat in neutral there is a rumbling noise its not hugely noisy but you can defiantly notice it, when you press the clutch down the noise disappears.

You can hear it inside the car more than outside with the bonnet up.

I am going the have the oil level checked this week.

Any body know if this noise is something that been heard of before with the 1.9 sdi gearboxes,or should I start to regret buying this car ??.

I have no problem operating the gears they are very good,I can not hear the sound while driving as there is to much engine noise to know if it is still there.

If I put it in gear and lift the clutch to biting point the sound is still there.

The clutch was changed at 96k in 2006.

Thanks.

Edited 6 September, 201015 yr by ferty

release bearing not doing it's job properly?

Not sure if these engines have one, but wobbly DMF?

Hi my vRS had a rattle from the gearbox area....

I believed it was just a dodgy on its way out dual mass flywheel!

It was not however and the main shaft in the gearbox ate itself!

I would get it looked at sooner rather as later! Just so you know what the issue is whether its flywheel or gearbox related

I'd expect a release bearing to get noisy when you press the pedal, not the other way round. Your problem could be gearbox bearings, at worst. I do know that some of the SDI gearboxes are not the strongest.

It will be input shaft front bearing that's rumbling. Could do many miles like this, or fall to bits tomorrow.

It will be input shaft front bearing that's rumbling. Could do many miles like this, or fall to bits tomorrow.

Mines did 30k then went POP!

Hi,does anyone know if it is the gearbox bearing weather it is fixable or will it need another gearbox.

Thanks.

Hi,does anyone know if it is the gearbox bearing weather it is fixable or will it need another gearbox.

Thanks.

Bearing replacement is straight forward enough. Use a specialist though, as badly rebuilt boxes whine like a banshee.

Hi again,just a quick update.

After taking the car to a garage with lots of vw experience they confirmed and even demonstrated through driving the car a particular way that the box was beginning to fail.

So it went back to the dealer it came from in swindon,and that is the end of my skoda fabia ownership,shame as I rather liked it,we now have a seat cordoba 1.9 TDI.

Thanks.

Hi again,just a quick update.

After taking the car to a garage with lots of vw experience they confirmed and even demonstrated through driving the car a particular way that the box was beginning to fail.

So it went back to the dealer it came from in swindon,and that is the end of my skoda fabia ownership,shame as I rather liked it,we now have a seat cordoba 1.9 TDI.

There was a recall on early SDi gearboxes.. A lot of early Octavia SDi estate's, bought by taxi drivers, had issues and needed either swapping out or modifying (AFAIK). My Early Fabia SDi went back to the Skoda Dealer for work.

Thanks,

Phil.