Greetings!

I recently bought a Skoda Fabia 1.4 MPI for a bargain. I then started to notice that something is not quite right with the engine - it sounded like a diesel, almost like an old ford transit, when idling. Extremely shaky. There was also a lot of smoke coming out of the exhaust. 

When on idle, the on board computer was showing fuel consumption of 2.5 liters per hour.

I was figuring it must be a worn timing chain. 

However, I then changed the oil and the filter and soon started noticing that the engine was distinctively quiter. There was a lot less smoke coming out of the rear - almost none visible at all, in fact.

 

Finally, fuel consumption on idle fell to 0.8 liters per hour.

 

 

What exactly just happened? I was really not expecting the oil change to make any difference whatsoever.

Is it a case of the old oil being ancient?

Cheers!

Welcome to the forum.

 

I take it, you also put in a new filter and the new oil.

 

Job well done,

it is why they have Schedules for Oil changes.

 

How about the Air Filter, have you looked at it,?

and do a replacement if it needs it.

 

george