Hello all, just in from changing out my fuel filter, easier than i thought, wasnt sure what to do with the black diesel sitting in the housing so i unbolted it and poured it in my emergency diesel jerry can.

Anyway onto my next problem, recently had a new cambelt and the injectors changed by my local Skoda dealer, didnt notice any noises upon collection which was a couple weeks ago, noticed it only a few days ago.

Sounds like something is hanging off the car and rattling/grinding more so when i turn slightly left, goes away when i turn right. I cant hear it when i wind the windows down but it sounds like its below my feet at drivers side.

It was in today to have the headlights adjusted but i didnt mention it to them as i thought i could find it but the noise is really starting to worry me. I have had the wheel off and moved it around a bit but everything seems solid, nothing underneath appears loose or hanging off, nothing jambed in brake calipers although i did notice an odd bump bump bump through my brake pedal when i braked hard today. Doesnt sound like a heatsheild or engine cover either.

Also a new noise coming from inside the dash when you accelerate high at around 3500 rpm i hear a short buzz, in every gear at that rpm.

What is going on with my car?

Ps i have searched a lot but lots of problems appear to be engine mounts and arb bushings which i dont think i have as they are more evident as knocking, i have no knocking just grinding/ rattling

Well, don't want to worry you, but when my DMF was on the way out, it did sound as though there was something loose underneath the car, and it was particularly bad when accelerating up a hill. However, the "bump, bump" through the brake pedal may be something else, particualarly if you have checked the calipers are OK and the wheel revolves without any binding or noise.

Bump through the brake pedal can indicate an issue with abs, maybe a dodgy sensor. Grinding not sure, have the put the cam belt covers on properly? Ie there isn't any metal or plastic fouling the belt?

Abarth_1200... Check the bottom engine mounting bolt on the drivers side... It can be seen from the front offside wheelarch if you turn the wheels to full left lock and then get down low at the sill just behind the wheel and look up towards the front of the car behind the wheel arch liner. Alternatively take the engine cover off and the boost pipe and then stick your full arm down the top left corner of the engine and feel dwon the side of the block and mount slightly towards the front of the car.

You may find the bottom engine mount bolt totally undone but still in place in the mount...

I had exactly the same symptoms a week or so after having the cambelt changed and that was my problem - a rattly noise behind the bulkhead low down that came and went round corners and couldn;t be heard from outside. Given the engine mount is loosened and the engine dropped to replace the belt it sounds like a coincidence. Also the bolt itself is only torqued to about 40lbft so it pretty loose. It's a 16mm bolt from memory and some say they should be replaced as a matter of course when the cambelt is done and others say not.

Im not sure about the cambelt covers, i cant see the belt so unsure if this is where the noise is coming from.

I will have a look at that engine mount also, do the mechanics take this mount off to reach the belt?

Your sound seems similar to the one i have so could be that,

Thank guys

Edited 29 August, 201213 yr by abarth_1200

@skomaz

Thank you very much for helping out, took my wheel off and found the bolt completely undone hitting the side of the engine bulkhead, just aswell otherwise i think i would have lost it. Tightened it back up regardless of torque value and the noise has seized, also nipped the other visible engine mount bolt up a little more, im not going to be changing the cambelt anytime soon.

Also sorted my rattly engine cover with some thick sticky foam.

Great forum!

Thanks for all your suggestions although you did have me worried about the DMF

great news mate, glad its sorted

If that was a dealer that has left it like that that is not good!

It is supposed to be new bolts for the engine mount, for the very reason that you have just found - old ones work loose and drop out. It cost someone on here a new engine through the bolts coming out.

So do you think i should still take it back to them, its still booked but i was going to call them and cancel saying never mind ive fixed it myself.

Just incase the bolts do decide to work loose again or worse shear

Hiya Abarth_1200,

Glad to be of help - I know the noise I had was driving me nuts and giving me real cause for concern over what was wrong (I was all set to strip and clean the EGR etc. as that is juts behind the bullkhead!) so glad you got it sorted. For reference mine was the exact same situation - loose but kept in bu the wheel arch.

In terms of whether you take ti back or not that is up to you but what can they do apart from apologise? I would certainly let tehm know, if only for the record and so that they can check thier procedures but I personally woudn't go in there banging the desk. AS I understand it the guidance varies across the VW group on whether the bolts should be changed and they are only done to a low torque setting - so chances are they could have been done up properly but worked loose for whatever reason.

I was somewhat concerned initially with mine and did speak to the local indy that did my cambelt change. He was aware of the issue of the bolts sometimes working loose and was apologetic, offerred to check them again and noted they woudl normally threadlock them to be on the safe side. However, after finding the problem and tightening mine I didn't have the chance to take the car in to be rechecked as I was going on holiday in it the following day. I've therefore kept an eye on it just in case and there has been no repeat issue in the month since - that's despite travelling across to Belfast and back from Sheffield, involving a full load and going up and down a few of those horrible ferry ramps. If the latter hasn't worked it loose again then nothing will. I would imagine that the stories of broken mounts have occurred when bolts work loose and then allow the whole block to move and jump about, causing excessive impact loading on the mount and bolts over bumps.

Having said all of that my bolt went back in no problem leadinf me to assume that it was all properly aligned and that nothgin else was loose but I did check ALL of the engine mount bolts - including those at the top of the mount on the front offisde corner of the block and under the boost and fuel pipes. The latter are 18mm and will need a socket and a bit of dismantling to get at and I recall are torqued up a fair bit tighter so less likely to work loose. If you want to be able to check them easily and visually in the future simply mark a pencil or indelible line acrooss them and the mount. If next time you look at it the line is broken and not aligned then you have an issue.