3 days ago i was driving in london traffic and noticed an unusual noise from the engine..  a rotating tapping noise.

it is coming from inside the timing case; 2 years ago i replaced the chain/gears and so far 20 000 miles covered no real problems and no noises.

 

its been getting worse, tonight resulting in the oil pressure light switching on and it sounds like a diesel, wirring and rattley!!

 

 

does this sound like the oil pump gears failing? or something with the timing gears coming adrift.

 

im trying to source oil pump parts online but not having much luck.

 

1.4 mpi 2001  atz

Did you replace the timing chain yourself?

 

Did you torque everything up? and apply loctite to the reverse crankshaft bolt?

 

Other thing to check is the Oil pressure sensor (on the gear box end of the engine at the front near the radiator top hose) my local skoda dealer told me they are a common failure point, oil leaks through the centre of the sensor itself. and as a £4 part its worth changing. You may have an oil leak. But of course that would be noticeable if you checked the dip stick!

 

IIRC you can get to the Oil pump if you remove the Sump, Oil pickup + Tube and possibly depending on whether you want to do it under the car on at the bench the timing chain cover. Then if you inspect the gears and theres no serious scoring or gouges, then the final check would be to check the "axial Play" this is done by inserting to two gears into the oil pump housing then using a set square and a feeler gauge, check the gap between the edge of the oil pump housing and the end surface of the oil pump gears.

 

the limit is 0.13mm

 

Like so:

 

Here is a photo of my Oil pump/chain cover to jog your memory

i think i used some blue locktite threadlock on the camshaft bolt.. not so sure i did on the crankshaft pully.  maybe i did but that was 2 years ago.

 

I need to strip it down and have a look.  Thank you for your info i can use that to double check!!   The pump is part of the timing cover yes???  

yea it is. The photo i put up was of my Timing chain cover, and as you can see the oil pump is at the bottom (although its missing 1 of the gears)

It could be the oil pump drive gears wearing away too.

It could be the oil pump drive gears wearing away too.

 

good point, also in my photo you can see a bar traveling up the side of the timing chain cover, it goes to a worm gear at the end of it, which meshes with the cam shaft locking bolt/nut.

 

I would take a look at the oil pick up to start the elimination procedure.

All fixed!  The oil pump driving dog on the end of the camshaft was spinning freely, because the woodruff locating cam sprocket and oil pump gear had snapped flush with the cam gear and worn away.

So i have fitted a new set of timing gears / chain and put some weld on the key and built its length up again to 15mm.. should be ok forever now.

I was almost right then, the bolt must have been loose for that to happen surely?