Greetings,

Had to use the Fabia for work today and I noticed a slight knocking noise. It sounded like a suspension bush on it's way out or even a top mount giving up but when I started getting some serious vibration on the way back from London I became concerned.

Anyway, got it up on the ramps when I got home checked all the suspension and it was all fine so went inside for a think. Went back out and had a look at the engine mounts. The right hand oe didn't look quite right, kinda sitting at a funny angle and the bottom off the bracket wasn't flush with where it bolts to the engine block. Then it hit me, the bolts had come completely looseand it was literally hanging there by wedging against the bolts. I tried to tighten the bolts but the threads in the block were fubar'd. Bad, very bad.

Calmed myself down and had another think. Came up with a plan. The holes for the bolts were M10 but now as they wee knackered I decided to tap them out to M12

Here you can see a knackered hoe compared to a freshly tapped one

A quick trip to Halfords for some massively overpriced bolts and I then drilled out the holes a bit on the bracket to accept the larger bolts

Next was the moment of truth, refitted the bracket and screwed in the bolts. Much relieved was I when then torqued up to the necessary 30nm + 90 degrees with a bit of thread lock for good measure.

Hopefully, they won't come loose again. Seriously relieved, that was gearing up to be a massive ache in the love spuds.

Have you had the cambelt changed recently, maybe the place that did it, had not tightened them up properly since they need to be removed to change the cambelt.

Wow! Glad you made it home safe, could of been a lot worse, I dread to think what would of happened if it came off at 70mph.

Have you had the cambelt changed recently, maybe the place that did it, had not tightened them up properly since they need to be removed to change the cambelt.

+1

They are stretch bolts and should have been replaced. The new bolts should also be stretch bolts.

Cambelt was done before I bought the car so no idea if they replaced the bolts. I'm just glad I've managed to sort it

You do seem to have had some bad luck with that car, yet somehow always had the tools / know-how / good fortune to fix them all relatively cheaply and relatively inexpensively.

Definately missing the OCtavia, it hasn't given my dad any trouble since I sold it to him. I think I should probably submit all my fixes to a university and ask for an honourary engineering degree or something

Good fix

When the local Skoda main dealer did my cam belt I specifically asked for those stretch bolts to be changed. I was pretty shocked when they told me they have never changed them before. I explained to them they where stretch bolts and to do a proper timing belt change these need to be removed and replaced on reassembly. In the event of a bad accident they are meant to sheer off and let the engine go under the car, so replacing them is very important in my opinion. Good fix I would say you were lucky, just make sure any swarf has been thoroughly blow out.

Edited 24 April, 201313 yr by RAPTURE