Hello recently i bought a skoda fabia 2001 1.4 8v. After the purchase the car developed a ticking noise. It is still apparent when the car is hot, and it is apparent from 800 to 2500 rpms. after that the noise almost disappears. Did and obd check and there a few faults and uploaded the file, every fault code clears up and i will do a check on friday to see what codes appear again. Also  the battery was dead when i bought it. So what could cause the ticking noise?  There is enough oil in the engine, however the engine seems low in power and the engine twitches in low rpms. Any help or suggestions would be wonderful

 

I'm afraid that's how the 1.4 8V is, the engine is a very old design and the camchain is renowned for getting a rattle on, luckily it's nothing to worry about, wait and see what fault codes return.

but its quite hard to accept that because the noise is quite noisy, i can even hear it in the seat when driving without music for example, i will look what codes pull up and update the post

the noise is quite similar as in this video

Sounds like a dodgy hydraulic valve lifter. I have the same engine and it doesn't tick like that or ''twitch'' at low speeds.

Ok, well now that you've put the wind up him you'd better tell him what to do about it.

 

Good luck.

18 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Ok, well now that you've put the wind up him you'd better tell him what to do about it.

 

Good luck.

 

Sure. The cylinder head has to come off. He could try the factory initial valve setting procedure but if that doesn't work, it's probably a sticking lifter if the noise is the same as in the video he posted.  However, it would be helpful if he could post a video of his own engine before giving a more sure-fire opinion.

If it is a sticking lifter, which it could be if it's been stood for a while then an engine oil flush to remove any deposits and fresh oil might sort it 

ETA: I was still typing as skomaz posted so my post is at the step before his.

 

What is the state and history of the engine oil, any service history of evidence of servicing and maintenance done on the car within say 6-12 months?

 

If the battery was dead perhaps it has sat around for a while, or just not cared for.

 

A video or photos of the engine would help for this enquiry, showing to me the oil on the end of the dipstick resting on a white paper towel, the air filter held up to the sun if possible, the engine bay generally, all to get a general idea of the condition of things.  Even faulty parts work better in cleaner and more lubricated engines.  Unless Fominas is the type that likes getting elbows or armpits deep into oilly muck and tearing an engine apart before breakfast and rebuilt the gearbox by lunch.

 

I totally approve of the clean hands approach of plugging a scanner in but as can often happen, especially with the older cars (though still young to me) the scan tool does not give the answer always.

 

 

Edited 7 February, 20224 yr by nta16

10 hours ago, nta16 said:

ETA: I was still typing as skomaz posted so my post is at the step before his.

 

What is the state and history of the engine oil, any service history of evidence of servicing and maintenance done on the car within say 6-12 months?

 

If the battery was dead perhaps it has sat around for a while, or just not cared for.

 

A video or photos of the engine would help for this enquiry, showing to me the oil on the end of the dipstick resting on a white paper towel, the air filter held up to the sun if possible, the engine bay generally, all to get a general idea of the condition of things.  Even faulty parts work better in cleaner and more lubricated engines.  Unless Fominas is the type that likes getting elbows or armpits deep into oilly muck and tearing an engine apart before breakfast and rebuilt the gearbox by lunch.

 

I totally approve of the clean hands approach of plugging a scanner in but as can often happen, especially with the older cars (though still young to me) the scan tool does not give the answer always.

 

 

I will upload information later about the engine, but i have this question. The car was sitting for some time i do not know for how much exactly, and certainly i do not know about when the oil was changed. Now if it is really the lifters at fault, should i first change the oil? I bring this question because if the ticking noise has to do something with the bottom end i really do not want to invest in this engine because buying another one would probably be cheaper, so what are your suggestions, should i go with the oil change first or wait until i provide you with videos and photos of the engine

 

And also, what oil should i put in her?

Aye this car definitely needs a good service for a start. Start by ruling things out to find the root of the problem.

 

You'll want VW 502.00 spec oil that's semi-synthetic, or so I'm led to believe.

Personally I think unless you are putting the car to heavy or a lot of use you might as well hold off if you do not want the cost of oil, filter and flush.

 

Ticking is not usually bottom end but type of sounds but one man's tick is another man's tock.

 

If the car has ben sitting for some time then a service check of the whole car needs to be done and the sooner the better, the engine being less important than brakes, steering, suspension (all three include tyres) and you would also want to check lights, visibility items and safety electrics.

 

Cleaning and lubricating can make big improvements, but not miracles, and a thorough change of engine oil and filter is a basic and effective cleaning and lubricating operation.  I would also use an engine flush this time if required and even perhaps use a less expensive cleaning type oil for the first use and then next time go on to a better oil at the next engine oil & filter change (possibly when the better weather arrives if changes are to be annually).

 

that's not a bottom end issue if it is like the video.  My MX5 has had exactly the same issue historically after being laid up over winter but a decent flush and fresh oil usually sorts it.

 

The process is usually drain a bit, add the flushing chemical, run the engine, drain and refill with fresh decent oil.

On topic - the flush oil instructions can vary a bit but generally are as put, there used to be also be full fill flushing oils and I think a third type, possibly in between,  but I can't think what, unless I'm on fantasy island again.

 

Off-topic - @skomazI'm flummoxed with your MX-5, unless it's only a show car why on earth would it be laid up over winter, there are many great driving times in winter, more so than in summer often, and being a Japanese car the soft-top hood is designed and constructed so that it can very quickly be lowered and raised and keeps the wind and rain out.  You shouldn't need to use a flush, a good quality oil (and more regular use) should sort it surely, many MX-5s must get hibernated and I bet some (many?) of those only get an oil change on mileage.

 

Nobody should use flushing oil, it's a solution looking for a problem.

 

There is no flow through hydraulic lifters, they have a small hole through which pressurised oil passes to pump up the lifter, once the lifter is pumped up it doesn't drain down unless the engine is stopped for an extended period and the two valve springs which are compressed gradually empty their respective lifters.

 

This is what has happened, the OP should simply service the car because he hasn't bothered and the lifter will quieten with regular use.

 

Like I said, nothing to worry about.

Requesting photographs of a kleenex stained with their engine oil and of their air filter etc is perverted and grooming, there will be a law against it soon!

 

I'm sure some enterprising person will have created a monetised "Only Fans" type web page where you could get your fix 😆

I agree with service the car (and not just engine) and drive it regularly on reasonable distance journeys and things will improve themselves.

 

But I don't see anything wrong with throwing some flush in an old and old style engine (not that worried with the newer engines either), modern VW/German stuff might make me hesitate, but the flushes are quite 'thin and weak' so won't do much.

 

If there's worry about a big lumps of muck running round an already clogged delicate engine then run a cheap engine oil (to whatever spec number VW finally decided of course) for a while as a flushing oil for x-mileage then change filter and engine oil to a decent oil, or even another run of the cheap oil if you got a job lot for another x-mileage before changing filter and to a decent oil.

 

The point of the flush, of any type, is for the benefit of the whole engine and because of Fominas' reluctance to just drive the car after an oil change, there might be a longing for placebo and worry about what might go wrong from just changing the oil& filter and driving the car.

 

Perhaps Fominas will feel better now to go with change oil and drive now he's had more info and choice.

 

ETA: I asked for white paper towel, my preference would be for a certain inexpensive kitchen towel but I do not know if it is available in  Lithuania so did not specify.  Only as a side benefit it might also provide a photo that has the subject in focus and with a more suitable background rather than something dark against something else dark or being camouflaged against a confusing background with the casual use of a phone for photographery. 

 

PPS - was there a third type of flushing oil? or is the medication wearing off again?

 

Edited 8 February, 20224 yr by nta16

Flushing the unseen internals of an engine is more a reflection of the inner state of the owners mind than the engine, cars don't suffer with OCD after all.

 

Engine oil goes black because of carbon build up from combustion gases, not from dirt!

2 hours ago, nta16 said:

Off-topic - @skomazI'm flummoxed with your MX-5, unless it's only a show car why on earth would it be laid up over winter, there are many great driving times in winter, more so than in summer often, and being a Japanese car the soft-top hood is designed and constructed so that it can very quickly be lowered and raised and keeps the wind and rain out.  You shouldn't need to use a flush, a good quality oil (and more regular use) should sort it surely, many MX-5s must get hibernated and I bet some (many?) of those only get an oil change on mileage.

 

 

It's not a show car but is a 1995 MK1 in a rare colour and spec that I've had since 1998, so I'm well aware of how it can be used in winter.  Its in great condition and used to be my daily driver but given I now generally run three or four cars consecutively I tend to make much more use of the others over winter.  It therefore makes sense to stick it in the garage and save 6 months if tax.

 

As for the hood it's not been up in years, regardless of weather.

8 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Aye this car definitely needs a good service for a start. Start by ruling things out to find the root of the problem.

 

You'll want VW 502.00 spec oil that's semi-synthetic, or so I'm led to believe.

 

Yeah, 10W40 grade for this engine.

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, skomaz said:

that's not a bottom end issue if it is like the video. 

 

Yeah, the bottom ends on these engines hardly ever give trouble, they are pretty much bomb-proof. The example video is 100% top end noise.

 

I agree with not flushing the engine. It dislodges crap that should be left well alone. The lifter will either free with use or need replacing.

4 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

Engine oil goes black because of carbon build up from combustion gases

And that to me is dirt, dirty, messy and other descriptive words best not typed in mixed company.  I could be accused of many things but obsessively clean, never, sometimes the opposite maybe.

 

Engine oil change, clean and lubricate.

 

7 minutes ago, nta16 said:

And that to me is dirt, dirty, messy and other descriptive words best not typed in mixed company.  I could be accused of many things but obsessively clean, never, sometimes the opposite maybe.

 

Engine oil change, clean and lubricate.

 

 

Blimey, don't use graphite oil or grease then, it's already black when it's new!

 

Engineers like me don't have 'feelings' about engines, however many owners do, they react by instinct rather than reason, snake oil salesmen love emotionally involved owners!

4 hours ago, skomaz said:

It therefore makes sense to stick it in the garage and save 6 months if tax.

Fair enough, too much emotional attachment to sell it, but I'm surprised you got sticky valves and needed more than oil and driving, and bear in mind I'm not against using engine flush.

 

 

4 hours ago, skomaz said:

As for the hood it's not been up in years, regardless of weather.

Unusual that the hood breaks

 

 

 . . ., calm down I'm only pulling your leg.  I've had cars where it takes too much time and effort to stop to put the hood up or cars without hood or doors but I've never been hardy enough to be in hood never goes up.

 

About 1997 I had the chance of a very nice and very well kept s/h Mazdaspeed Mk1 but the thought of the chip and insurance for modified back then put me off, then after it was sold I found out the chip was took off.  I had a new Mk2 but after I sold it and had to borrow a mate Eunos mk1 s/h grey import I found I'd have preferred the Mk1.  He got it cheap as white wasn't a popular colour but had the wheels swapped as point of sale, later I learnt they were BBS. 🤣