Hi guys,

Please forgive me if I come across simple; I'm not really mechanically minded, but I've had some great advice from these forums before so I thought I'd ask again!

I drive a 2001 plate Octavia SDI 1.9. Lately, every time it goes over 2000 rpm the engine sounds noiser than usual. This even happens in fifth gear. Soon as I go over 2000 RPM it almost sounds like I should be changing gear again (this is usually around 50 MPH). My wife has complained that she thinks that the engine has lost power on a couple of occasions, but wasn't really able to describe it.

The car's done about 104k miles, so could it just be a case of old age catching up? Recently I had a new clutch and gear cable put in and the timing belt replaced.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm sorry to sound so vauge, but I'm afraid I'm a computer techie - not a mechanical one (although I'd dearly like to know more)!

Many thanks,

Iain

Is it an SDi, or does it have 90bhp? The SDi is the non-turbo version, with 68bhp, IME.

Ah, well it's definitely the SDI - for some reason I had it in my head that that was 90BHP.

Ok, now that's cleared up. Did the loss of power manifest shortly after the cambelt was replaced?

Nah - it's been a good few months since we got the new belt. Also, my wife has said that the loss of power has only happened a couple of times. I've never experienced it. Are you thinking that the noise is indicative of some power loss problem?

Yes, more specificially, a mis-timed fuel pump, or possibly a faulty timing belt tensioner, esp if it's an intermittent fault.

Ok - and here's my ignorance showing - is that Bad with a big B, just bad, or something that'll just annoy me?

Also, is the noise indicative of these problems?

Soon as I go over 2000 RPM it almost sounds like I should be changing gear again (this is usually around 50 MPH).

Iain

Can you elaborate on this a bit more?

Is it noisy or just maybe a slipping clutch?

Can you elaborate on this a bit more?

Is it noisy or just maybe a slipping clutch?

Nah, it's not a slipping clutch. It definatly sounds noiser. As I said, when in 5th gear and doing over 2k rpm it almost sounds like the car should be changing gear. That's probably the easiest way of describing it.

I've spoken to a garage and they say that it might be a flexi-joint in the exhaust. Does that make sense?

Pretty much. The only real way to test it is with a lift, but any garage or exhaust centre with 5 or 10 minutes spare will probably oblige (in the expectation of getting the job if it is).

Yeah - this garage is pretty good. Thanks for the help!

No probs. Should add that the lift is for safety and accessibility, since you need to get under the car just forward of the gearlever location to get at the flexi joint.

Well, I'll wait and see what they say. Amusingly, someone else at work has just mentioned a similar problem (she drives a VW). When asked what she's doing about it she replied "turning up the car radio so I don't hear it".

Thought I'd give an update on this as I never actually bothered to post and say what it was that was causing the problem.

It was the air filter.

Apparently it's quite common for the air filter to come loose and as soon as you get over 2000rpm it vibrates and makes a really hellish sound. Completely harmless but sounds terrible!

He tied it all down and it now sounds good again!

Just thought I'd post this in case anyone else is having the same issue.