Hi all,

noticed tonight a noise from the engine. Becomes noticeable over 2000 rpm and then gets slightly noisier as the revs increase. A light metallic whistling noise. It's a light noise rather than a heavy rumbly noise if that makes sense. If I wasn't mistaken I'd say one of the cambelt tensioner bearings? Thing is I only did the belt and tensioners this summer.

I've taken the top cambelt cover off and nothing jumps out at me as being noisy and moving my head around isnt conclusive either.

I thought I've heard this before but less obvious but I have a habit of listening for noises much to peoples amusement sometimes. But its not my imagination now and whatever it is is now worse than it was.

Runs perfectly fine.

Any clues gents?

Edited 23 December, 201213 yr by capriman

Alternator pully failing?

A/C pully if it has aircon...

Remind me how easy or hard it is to drop the auxiliary belt off and I can do that and take it for a drive to see if it still does it.

Edited 23 December, 201213 yr by capriman

I changed mine in about 20 minutes when i had my sdi, cant remember what size spanner the tensioner usually is but an allen key seems to ring a bell, i'd advise on using the search and finding a guide.

Yeah you can remove the belt and start the engine to see if the noise goes away. Not for to long as the battery will go flat, possibly no powerd steering or a/c

A useful trick is to get a youngish lady to listen (swmbo/daughter/friend's daughter? - don't accost one outside Tesco's!). Their hearing at higher frequencies is much better than that of an adult male and can often point to the source when a coffin dodger like me can hardly hear it. Sometimes it is a considerable difference such as when female friends complained of an unbearable noise which I couldn't hear at all -(it was a cracked brake pad).

Thanks guys. Just spoke to a friend of mine who tells me the auxiliary belt tensions are a common fault on most VW/audis and says the noise sounds about right too. I can't see it being the cambelt ones or the water pump after less than 10k miles???

Just been out for another listen. Layed my head on its side with my cheek touching the engine cover with my ear above the engine mount (cambelt tensioner area) I can hear the noise with the engine ticking over but if I slide my head slowly forward it gets louder and more harsh till, with my head above the tensioner pulley the noise almost hurt my ear it was so sharp.

Also if I listen carefully the noise oscilates in frequency quite quickly and that seems to tally with the speed at which the pully vibrates back and forth a milimetre or two as the belt rotates.

I think we have our culprit. Can't get it done now till the new year though so hope its ok! Cheers for your help as always...yer all top bananas!

EDIT...............next question, where and how do I find the right tensioner?? Ebay and google seem to have loads but not one listed for fabia sdi estate. Not sure of engine code but think it should be 6Y3?

Edited 23 December, 201213 yr by capriman

SDI engine code ASY

Easy to get at usual automotive trade spares outlets and not expensive. Don't know where you are, but I got mine at Chester Exhaust Supplies. I was surprised how flimsy the pulley looks. If it is snatching then it might be a sign that the alternator clutch is dying. This link might help you:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=354080

Thanks for the replies.

I've just viewed that short video and our tensioner is not moving anything like that. From 4 feet away you can't even see it moving, You have to look fairly closely to see it and its moving no more than a millimetre or so but at a fast frequency. Just looks like normal tensioner movement to me.

I can't seem to find a tensioner for the ASY engine online but didnt spend too long looking but will contact my usual motor factor after xmas. Cheers.

Edited 24 December, 201213 yr by capriman