Hi there, last time I drove my Fabia 09 Mk2 I thought I heard some excess noise when coming off the clutch, roll on today and it's a lot worse. When idling the engine sounds very rough and clanky or gravelly/rattley. When I accelerate in neutral or accelerate and change gear it's a lot worse, almost sounds like an old tractor. I took a look under the hood and it looks like it's coming from the pulley system, I thought it might be clutch at first but seems more likely it's a belt or something. I've attached a video, please let me know what you think and how much it might cost to fix.

Christ, that's a horror show!

 

It sounds like two skeletons shagging in a dustbin.

 

I think it may be the cam chain, beware of imminent disaster if it's the 1.2 petrol engine.

Sounds like a bearing or pulley to me on belt side of engine 

2 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

 

 

I think it may be the cam chain, beware of imminent disaster if it's the 1.2 petrol engine.

 

Agreed - looking at the oil filter housing and top of the engine it looks like the 6v 1.2 3 cylinder cam chain engine. Stop running it!!!!! 

 

I'd say you are close to a catastrophic failure re the cam chain/tensioner - which would properly break the engine.

 

 

 

Edited 1 August, 20232 yr by bigjohn

Photograph the aux belt routing, then take it off and run the engine briefly from cold without it. See if noise is still present. I suspect it may not be.

Coolant won't be circulating, so don't run it for more than a minute or two.

It's done approx. 70 motorway miles like this, to me it looks like the pulley/tensioner slapping around, however the noise is worse than I'd expect from this, there's no power loss or anything though. Kinda sounds like there's no oil in the engine but I checked the oil level already. I've changed a few accessory belts before on a different car where I pulled back the tensioner with a ratchet and slipped the belt off, is it the same?

Yep

Cheers I'll give this a go, I guess if the noise remains it's probably the timing chain and the cars toast.

How many miles has it done?

Slightly over 80k.

43 minutes ago, willdabeast said:

to me it looks like the pulley/tensioner slapping around,

 

I was going to suggest the alternator pulley one way sprag clutch but dont know if one is fitted to your vehicle, I frequently make mistakes regarding the Fabia that Pete has to put me right on.

 

The noise is similar and the belt/tensioner slapping around is definitely a keynote symptom of that clutch seizing, if its fitted.

I think I can just about see the absence of such a 'fancy' pulley in that video, but a pic of the end of the shaft in the alt pulley would confirm either way.

Must get around to fitting the one I bought, now that you mention it JR. 😁

13 minutes ago, willdabeast said:

Slightly over 80k.

Ours did more than twice that before having any significant issues, so hopefully nothing major.

 

it was the waterpump, fixed now, picking it up shortly. £260 parts/labour.

Just to add, specifically it was the waterpump bearings but the whole pump was replaced as it was past due anyway, interesting that could make such a noise! Thanks all for your help and input.