Just now, nta16 said:

So assuming (always dangerous) you have the correct Owner's Manual (I'm a disciple of all good books) you have the 2011/11 copy. - https://ws.skoda-auto.com/OwnersManualService/Data/en/Fabia_54/11-2011/Manual/Fabia/A05_Fabia_OwnersManual.pdf

 

From - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/210/en-GB/Models

 

Yes, and that's saying the same thing (no surprise as it's the same engine) I.e. 3.6l 

1 minute ago, Meridion said:

I always thought you just had to leave it long enough so that most of it had drained to the pan, didn't know it had to be cold, how did I miss that bit 😅

That's only for the 44Kw and possibly (but I don't know) it was different in earlier and/or later books for many and various reasons.

 

2 minutes ago, Meridion said:

Yes, and that's saying the same thing (no surprise as it's the same engine) I.e. 3.6l 

Yes (but it's not 3.5l 😉), wot's it 'ave about the 44Kw, I forgot to look and tea is now served (dinner to Merc owners 😁 ).

 

2 minutes ago, nta16 said:

That's only for the 44Kw and possibly (but I don't know) it was different in earlier and/or later books for many and various reasons.

 

Yes (but it's not 3.5l 😉), wot's it 'ave about the 44Kw, I forgot to look and tea is now served (dinner to Merc owners 😁 ).

 

haha ohhhh to be back in a resilient merc. One day ey! for the 44kw engine its 2.8L. 

15 minutes ago, Meridion said:

for the 44kw engine its 2.8L

Sorry I was thinking of the previous caution of checking the 44Kw level when cold and it's there, see below.

 

Page 23 shows the engine oil warning light to be as standard for low oil pressure (they used to take that bulb out in the old 1100/1300s if it flicked too much to save worry).

 

48 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Are you kidding me? Engine Oil should always be checked when cold, it's always been that way, my 1967 Hillman Imp was the same!

No it changed, because later cars still have the ancient technology that just about followed the horse and cart manufacturers keep trying to get the nth degree of mpg and pretend to be less harmful so systems are shaved so thin you have to stand on one leg whilst pointing north so as to keep in the narrowest of margins needed to meet the requirements - or go to cheat modes. 😁

 

I still check my car's dipstick when the oil is cold but the engine is from the 1970s (well 50s really).

 

@nta16 here's a shocker, I just measured the old engine oil that was drained from the service...2.6L 😳😳😳 a litre under. And I know why.... If you put the reg into euro car parts, it says "your engine needs 2.8L of oil.

 

I bet the last garage just went off that. I wonder if that was contributing to the noises.

 

Either way, I still think this Tesco E10 fuel has something to do with it. When idling cold on a morning, feels a bit......lumpy. I feel these tiny tremors every so often in the morning. 

Edited 12 November, 20214 yr by Meridion

Modern turbo engines such as yours run better on E10 because it means the ECU can use more ignition advance so it's definitely not that.

 

You're catastrophising, relax.

1 minute ago, sepulchrave said:

Modern turbo engines such as yours run better on E10 because it means the ECU can use more ignition advance so it's definitely not that.

 

You're catastrophising, relax.

But why isn't it as smooth as a 6L V10 😁😁😁 haha. Thanks mate!

11 hours ago, Meridion said:

@nta16 here's a shocker, I just measured the old engine oil that was drained from the service...2.6L 😳😳😳 a litre under. And I know why.... If you put the reg into euro car parts, it says "your engine needs 2.8L of oil.

 

I bet the last garage just went off that. I wonder if that was contributing to the noises.

 

Either way, I still think this Tesco E10 fuel has something to do with it. When idling cold on a morning, feels a bit......lumpy. I feel these tiny tremors every so often in the morning. 

Yeah I put all the time that all databases have errors and omissions and it hasn't exactly gotten better with computers and internet but if too little oil is put in it's easy for anyone to check and to add more and anyone will know to add more as the new oil level will be too low on the dipstick - better than overfilling as emptying out is more effort.

 

Most garages do quick cold drains rather than warm/hot oil drains left to drain for as long as possible.  With a quick cold drain less of the old oil and its contaminants/muck/crud is drain leaving a great quantity of residue oil and contaminants/muck/crud in the engine (gearbox, axle) meaning less new fresh oil is added with means the effectiveness of the oil change has been dilute  So less out less new fresh oil is need to be added to get to level.

 

If the oil filter wasn't change that would hold an amount of oil (sometimes specified but I can't remember for moderns). 

 

You'd know if the oil was too low as you'd see it on the dipstick and probably the oil cooling would be less to the engine perhaps showing a higher oil temperature than previously.

 

I don't know on these engine but often a litre was the difference between Min and Max.  Unless the oil level was very low for a time I can't see it causing a knocking in itself (but I'm not mechanic).

 

My wife's car is lump on cold starts, it usually idles high and then settles as I wait for it to, I doubt my wife bothers and just drives straight off despite my advice not to.  She put's in whatever supermarket or other fuel has the best offers and it will always be E10 and it makes no odds.  I manged to fill the car with Esso 99 octane 0% (yes zero) 'f'n'ol petrol but neither of us were able to take it for a blast or Italian Tune-up and I don't think she noticed the benefit from just one tankful.

 

I do think the engine bay has lots of noises but it's little engine put under pressure by the turbo being used to power a heavy modern car with wide wheels and tyres (and that's without driver, passengers, luggage, shopping, etc.) so I expect to hear some grumbles and moans.

 

Edited 12 November, 20214 yr by nta16

3 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Yeah I put all the time that all databases have errors and omissions and it hasn't exactly gotten better with computers and internet but if too little oil is put in it's easy for anyone to check and to add more and anyone will know to add more as the new oil level will be too low on the dipstick - better than overfilling as emptying out is more effort.

 

Most garages do quick cold drains rather than warm/hot oil drains left to drain for as long as possible.  With a quick cold drain less of the old oil and its contaminants/muck/crud is drain leaving a great quantity of residue oil and contaminants/muck/crud in the engine (gearbox, axle) meaning less new fresh oil is added with means the effectiveness of the oil change has been dilute  So less out less new fresh oil is need to be added to get to level.

 

If the oil filter wasn't change that would hold an amount of oil (sometimes specified but I can't remember for moderns). 

 

You'd know if the oil was too low as you'd see it on the dipstick and probably the oil cooling would be less to the engine perhaps showing a higher oil temperature than previously.

 

I don't know on these engine but often a litre was the difference between Min and Max.  Unless the oil level was very low for a time I can't see it causing a knocking in itself (but I'm not mechanic).

 

My wife's car is lump on cold starts, it usually idles high and then settles as I wait for it to, I doubt my wife bothers and just drives straight off despite my advice not to.  She put's in whatever supermarket or other fuel has the best offers and it will always be E10 and it makes no odds.  I manged to fill the car with Esso 99 octane 0% (yes zero) 'f'n'ol petrol but neither of us were able to take it for a blast or Italian Tune-up and I don't think she noticed the benefit from just one tankful.

 

I do think the engine bay has lots of noises but it's little engine put under pressure by the turbo being used to power a heavy modern car with wide wheels and tyres (and that's without driver, passengers, luggage, shopping, etc.) so I expect to hear some grumbles and moans.

 

Good points! 

 

The filter on these has a nifty spring loaded design where it doesn't let any oil drip out when you unscrew it. It just keeps the oil in there. Makes for a more thorough oils change in my opinion.

 

I think a tank of Vpower and an Italian tune up might be on the cards 

12 minutes ago, Meridion said:

I think a tank of Vpower and an Italian tune up might be on the cards 

Usually an excellent idea but perhaps not if you have a serious knocking of unknown origin - but if it's not a serious noise and you have the correct oil filled to near or at Max. (measured as per book of course)  then after warming the engine correctly and checking everything is fine on the car for doing so and with the correct driving conditions then get out there and do this very necessary servicing and maintenance work.  Don't forget to collect your Shell points, double for V-Power.

 

24 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Usually an excellent idea but perhaps not if you have a serious knocking of unknown origin - but if it's not a serious noise and you have the correct oil filled to near or at Max. (measured as per book of course)  then after warming the engine correctly and checking everything is fine on the car for doing so and with the correct driving conditions then get out there and do this very necessary servicing and maintenance work.  Don't forget to collect your Shell points, double for V-Power.

 

I may be paranoid. Today I was idling in traffic and I couldn't here the engine, it was back to its silent self. Who knows ey. The only other variable is that I've used a 5w30 oil. I know you can use both 5w40 as well. But I don't know what was used previously. Could a change in oil weight make a difference to noise?

Just now, Meridion said:

I may be paranoid. Today I was idling in traffic and I couldn't here the engine, it was back to its silent self. Who knows ey. The only other variable is that I've used a 5w30 oil. I know you can use both 5w40 as well. But I don't know what was used previously. Could a change in oil weight make a difference to noise?

 

No, I think you're worrying unduly.

@Meridion

 

As you changed the oil filter yourself, did you check you removed the old sealing ring when removing the old filter.

The sealing ring that sits in the sprung bit of the filter (it seals the drain down channel in the housing)....This can get left behind when removing the filter and you might not have noticed because old oil in the housing covers it.

 

From experience, the sound recording you posted earlier strongly suggests the hydraulic tensioner is not pushing the chain guides strongly enough tension the chain correctly leading to it riding up over the bottom sprocket and that is what you can hear.

 

low oil pressure

 

If you left the old seal behind, you end up with 2 sealing rings on top of each other and the filter will not function correctly,  the result being low oil pressure and flow. Low enough to put the oil light on intermittently (when hot) but sometimes not, but low enough to cause engine damage and/or allow the chain to jump the sprockets.

 

A common issue to untrained or DIY mechanics.

 

If in doubt, remove the oil filter and check there's only one sealing ring in there.

 

Oil capacity is either 3.2 litres (->2012) or 3.6 litres (2012->) You need to check engine serial numbers to check as it depends when the engine was built, not when the car was built or registered.

 

 

1 hour ago, Meridion said:

I may be paranoid. Today I was idling in traffic and I couldn't here the engine, it was back to its silent self. Who knows ey. The only other variable is that I've used a 5w30 oil. I know you can use both 5w40 as well. But I don't know what was used previously. Could a change in oil weight make a difference to noise?

At great extremes but probably more to do with the oil itself - but you're not a great extremes.

 

Perhaps it was a tank of rough petrol but more likely is the computers messing with whatever on the car to have it running the way the  computers want at that time.  Or the noise was from something else that is no longer in play or has stopped for the while or yes you're paranoid and should stop worrying unduly.  Once you start hearing noise you starting listening for them and can probably hear some you've previously took no notice of.

 

5w-30, if suitable for your car and  is of a good quality, is a better choice for this time of year, the number 5w and 30 are bands rather than strict numbers so can vary within the bands and some oils are better than others and work better and last longer giving greater parameters of protection that some might need and want and others don't need or want.

 

Keep the whole car (the engine is behind a few other components and systems in importance) well serviced, maintained and repaired using good quality parts and materials and that will help to keep the whole car including the engine running well (and often quieter).

 

Edited 12 November, 20214 yr by nta16
speeling and stuff

23 hours ago, xman said:

@Meridion

 

As you changed the oil filter yourself, did you check you removed the old sealing ring when removing the old filter.

The sealing ring that sits in the sprung bit of the filter (it seals the drain down channel in the housing)....This can get left behind when removing the filter and you might not have noticed because old oil in the housing covers it.

 

From experience, the sound recording you posted earlier strongly suggests the hydraulic tensioner is not pushing the chain guides strongly enough tension the chain correctly leading to it riding up over the bottom sprocket and that is what you can hear.

 

low oil pressure

 

If you left the old seal behind, you end up with 2 sealing rings on top of each other and the filter will not function correctly,  the result being low oil pressure and flow. Low enough to put the oil light on intermittently (when hot) but sometimes not, but low enough to cause engine damage and/or allow the chain to jump the sprockets.

 

A common issue to untrained or DIY mechanics.

 

If in doubt, remove the oil filter and check there's only one sealing ring in there.

 

Oil capacity is either 3.2 litres (->2012) or 3.6 litres (2012->) You need to check engine serial numbers to check as it depends when the engine was built, not when the car was built or registered.

 

 

Hi  Xman! Thanks for this. I had seen some of your others posts on the oil filter so I did double check that yes! 

 

Im shopping around for the chain job at the moment. Any competitive garages north of London? Or west Yorkshire?

As I've put before I'm no expert or mechanic but if it was the chain? (chain?) it'd be more constant and regular I'd have thought even with computers constantly making adjustments for it.

 

If you lived nearer I'd say bring it round and compare it to how my wife's Fabia sounds and I could borrow my neighbour's scan tool looking for deeper stuff.

 

 

Now here is a head banger @nta16 look at the image below. I put my vin into a vin decoder site and i noticed this... the oil capacity goes up based on when exactly in 2011 the car was made? haha. 

 

Interesting that June 2011 is when VAG started rolling out the upgraded timing chain kits i believe? @roottoot @xman I thought you may find this interesting ??

 

My car is 2012 but 61 Reg, so not sure when engine was built exactly ☹️ How do i find out for certain??

 

 

On 12/11/2021 at 22:32, xman said:

@Meridion

 

As you changed the oil filter yourself, did you check you removed the old sealing ring when removing the old filter.

The sealing ring that sits in the sprung bit of the filter (it seals the drain down channel in the housing)....This can get left behind when removing the filter and you might not have noticed because old oil in the housing covers it.

 

From experience, the sound recording you posted earlier strongly suggests the hydraulic tensioner is not pushing the chain guides strongly enough tension the chain correctly leading to it riding up over the bottom sprocket and that is what you can hear.

 

low oil pressure

 

If you left the old seal behind, you end up with 2 sealing rings on top of each other and the filter will not function correctly,  the result being low oil pressure and flow. Low enough to put the oil light on intermittently (when hot) but sometimes not, but low enough to cause engine damage and/or allow the chain to jump the sprockets.

 

A common issue to untrained or DIY mechanics.

 

If in doubt, remove the oil filter and check there's only one sealing ring in there.

 

Oil capacity is either 3.2 litres (->2012) or 3.6 litres (2012->) You need to check engine serial numbers to check as it depends when the engine was built, not when the car was built or registered.

 

 

Sorry just seen this! Where do i find the engine serial number on the mk2 fabia please? The sticker under the boot floor has perished!

Looks like i have found a sticker. Does this mean anything??

Yes, your engine number is 618901 and it appears to have been manufactured on 17th January 2012.

Just now, Wino said:

Yes, your engine number is 618901 and it appears to have been manufactured on 17th January 2012.

Thanks Wino! Is this date good or bad as far as the dodgy timing chain production is concerned? Were they meant to have fixed this issue by Jan 2012 or nay?  Just seeing if i have legitimate cause to worry or not?

Sorry, I'm not well informed on this, I just read the sticker for you.  😊

Looks like you've found some useful info - BUT - never rely solely on one database always cross-reference the information with if possible another couple of reliable sources, all databases have errors and omissions, including sometimes from manufacturers, these errors are copied and multiplied when databases are copied and merged.  You could try Skoda UK for the information.  Or there may be threads or posts on here about the subject.

 

These databases are why garages can sometimes get and fit wrong parts, there's a thread on here recently that included this.

 

If you put your vehicle reg into the search facility of various car parts sites or somewhere like Halfords or Opie Oils that bring up details including your engine number IIRC so doing that might give you what the various sites databases have as your oil capacity (and you can look for variances if they don't all get the info from the same source).

 

A scan tool can give you a date for the engine computer programming but I'm not sure that confirms engine build date.

 

Unless your dipstick has been changed that might be a clue as to original oil capacity, I don't know but doubt if the oil pan would have been changed for an extra 0.3l of oil capacity - but I'm often wrong, always cross-reference anything I put.  🙂

 

Edited 24 November, 20214 yr by nta16

It seems to me @Meridion that the most important part of @xman's post for you in the immediate term is to answer the question about the oil filter seal and make sure that's not your issue.