I have a 2008 skoda Fabia 1.4 12v diesel Greenline. It has developed an awful knocking noise in the engine and no power. It has done 59k. I wondered if there were any known faults with this model. No problems previously.

an awful knocking noise in the engine and no power.

I thought they were like that as standard lol!

Lol!

I have a 2008 skoda Fabia 1.4 12v diesel Greenline. It has developed an awful knocking noise in the engine and no power. It has done 59k. I wondered if there were any known faults with this model. No problems previously.

Could be turbo or waste gate or "an electrical fault". Some cheap to fix some scary expensive.

My turbo went on my 1.9d about that mileage and it scared me to always having warranty on cars outside manufacturers warranty. The only one I do not have the warranty on is the 1.2 HTP which has so little to go wrong, cost wise, I do not bother.

Hope it is one of the cheaper things that has gone AWOL.

Hi Skoda Queen, need a bit more info really to diagnose. There are almost no known faults with this engine. It's one of the best ever made in it's class. If you have a knocking noise, that sounds serious and could be a result of an oil shortage, or several other major things. Oil pump drive chains have been known to break on 08 plate cars. It could be that. Although to be honest there isn't much any of us can say that will be useful to you on a forum. We really need to hear it. The best way to be sure is to take it to your Skoda dealer, or get it trailered there. It sounds as if it could be expensive. Any knocking noise is not good. Avoid using it until it's been rectified if I were you in case you do more damage. There could also be a danger of the engine siezing (locking solid) if there is mechanical damage, as it likely. Sorry to sound a bit gloomy.

Thanks a lot for all your replies. Estate man, do you know where the oil pump drive chain is located and can it be easily inspected? Much appreciated

The noise is like a bottom end knocking noise but from the top end and as though there is an inlet valve stuck open at the time on the compression stroke. You can feel the gases on the compression going back up the air induction pipe.

Just a quick one. If the chain snapped would the oil pressure light come on? Mine hasn't, no engine management lights what so ever and no codes :(

Just a quick one. If the chain snapped would the oil pressure light come on? Mine hasn't, no engine management lights what so ever and no codes :(

If cam chain snapped it would not work at all. Oil starvation causing a failure in one cylinder so it would still run but sound rough as rats and oil light might still be off. Compression test would tell you which one was sick if it was valves piston rings etc damaged.

Thanks, I was thinking possibly it had dropped a valve :( are the tappets hydraulic or manually adjusted?

Hello Skoda Queen, if the oil pump chain had broken the oil light would be on. The engine would also probably seize fairly quickly after making quite a knocking sound. From you further description is sounds as if it could be a valve problem. Tappets are hydraulic. If one of those has collapsed it does indeed make a huge racket. These are normally replaced as a set as it is often difficult to determine which one has failed. It would also give less power if a valve was not opening correctly. Did you notice the knocking noise after a cold start? Typically, that's when a hydraulic tappet fails. Although to be honest, if it were a failed inlet valve hydraulic tappet, the valve would normally fail closed or being able to partially open only. So your description of the symptoms doesn't sound quite right for that to be the case. No air would be rushing up the inlet manifold. This suggests something more onerous such as a broken valve. Compression test or a visit from a tech will tell you. The PD engine does not have a camchain. It uses a cambelt. That appears ok from your description.

Edited 2 June, 201313 yr by Estate Man

Thanks so much for your help. Managed to get the rocker cover off and lobe 1 is definitely worn. I have read that this is a problem with PD engines. Skoda have always serviced the car apart from last time when my other did an oil change with fully synthetic oil. At least now I know the problem, but not a cheap fix :(

Do you know what oil the garage used? Just because they replaced it with fully synthetic, it doesnt mean it was 505.01 or 507 rated. Which, tell me of im erong but your greenline runs in 507?

How long ago was it serviced? How many miles? I work in motor trade insurance, and dependent on what evidence you have to pin the failure of the engine onto the last garage that serviced it, then you may have grounds to claim off them. Do you have a invoice which states what oil they used, along with invoices from services at skoda?

Yes, storm blue is correct of course. The PD engines do not suffer from a camshaft problem, unless serviced incorrectly with the wrong oil. You cannot just put any old fully synthetic oil in the engine. It must have the extreme pressure agents in it (507 for the Greenline) other wise the cam will fail. Good luck.