Technical Engine Noise

[chas379]

Mt new A500 is still sitting on the drive with 80 miles on the clock, as having to nurse my chipped ankle. More information from hospital tomorrow as to progress, as can't wait to get back on the road:bang:

On my 45 mile drive home from dealership and getting accustomed to everything, I did notice that on acceleration, particularly in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd a fluttering noise from the engine. When got home I listened to engine ticking over and I could hear a 'tappety' type noise. I phoned the dealer and spoke to salesperson who dealt with me and he advised it was a characteristic if the car. However he would get service manager to call me to discuss.

When he called I explained in detail and was advised it was Ok as the noise was from the injectors which is usual for this model car. He also stated that if there was a problem with engine the management system would show fault.

Am I being fobbed off here or is there some truth in what they are saying

 

[ahmett]

Mt new A500 is still sitting on the drive with 80 miles on the clock, as having to nurse my chipped ankle. More information from hospital tomorrow as to progress, as can't wait to get back on the road:bang:

On my 45 mile drive home from dealership and getting accustomed to everything, I did notice that on acceleration, particularly in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd a fluttering noise from the engine. When got home I listened to engine ticking over and I could hear a 'tappety' type noise. I phoned the dealer and spoke to salesperson who dealt with me and he advised it was a characteristic if the car. However he would get service manager to call me to discuss.

When he called I explained in detail and was advised it was Ok as the noise was from the injectors which is usual for this model car. He also stated that if there was a problem with engine the management system would show fault.

Am I being fobbed off here or is there some truth in what they are saying

Well surely with so many sensors in the car if there was a problem it would show it? I think you are just getting used to your new car!
I have always found turbo cars to sound weird!

 

[Melanabb]

What struck me first going from 1.2 500 to 1.4 with turbo is the turbo whine as I have never had a turbo car before. Not sure what sort of 'tappety' noise might be, maybe you can you tube it so we can hear? I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be coming along soon with some sensible advice...

 

[chas379]

What struck me first going from 1.2 500 to 1.4 with turbo is the turbo whine as I have never had a turbo car before. Not sure what sort of 'tappety' noise might be, maybe you can you tube it so we can hear? I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be coming along soon with some sensible advice...

Hi Melanabb

If it ever stops raining I'll hobble out on my crutches and see what I can do

 

[chas379]

My OH has just driven off in the Abarth for the 1st time. She has been used to a Dualogic for 18months. Maybe it'll come back in one piece. In the dark as well.

 

[nottsfiat07]

She will definitely come back with a grin on her face

 

[jnoiles]

as having to nurse my chipped ankle.

Ouch! I can't begin to imagine how you chip and ankle?!?!?!

When he called I explained in detail and was advised it was Ok as the noise was from the injectors which is usual for this model car.

I'm really impressed. That's the best dealer answer from any Fiat dealer anywhere.

I was messing with an aftermarket ECU on another engine not long ago. One of the software functions was injector testing. While playing with that and firing injectors I thought "that sounds like tappets".

 

[chas379]

Ouch! I can't begin to imagine how you chip and ankle?!?!?!I thought "that sounds like tappets".

I just went over on the ankle and really stretched the ligaments/tendons, some of which are channeled in the bone and as a result they have pinged off a piece of bone.

Tappets: now that takes me back to my old Austin A35 (my first car in 1968, which was a 1958 model) and my subsequent cars, Ford Anglia with sloping back window, Austin A40 Farina and Vauxhall Viva's. All of which were self maintenance, engine tuning, setting tappets with the dreaded feeler gauges, bleeding brakes with a rubber tube and jam jar with the OH pushing down on the brake pedal, at my command. Those were the days. See my photo of my 1st car the A35. Come a long way since then

 

[alexGS]

I just went over on the ankle and really stretched the ligaments/tendons, some of which are channeled in the bone and as a result they have pinged off a piece of bone.

I'm in hospital right now, just had my three wisdom teeth removed I almost don't want the numbness to wear off!

Tappets: now that takes me back to my old Austin A35 (my first car in 1968, which was a 1958 model) and my subsequent cars, Ford Anglia with sloping back window, Austin A40 Farina and Vauxhall Viva's. All of which were self maintenance, engine tuning, setting tappets with the dreaded feeler gauges, bleeding brakes with a rubber tube and jam jar with the OH pushing down on the brake pedal, at my command. Those were the days. See my photo of my 1st car the A35. Come a long way since then

Funny thing is, my first cars were much older than ten years old. A ten-year-old car today probably wouldn't need much maintenance at all. Just think, for a lot less money in real terms than your A35, you could now have a 2002 Alfa 166 - so much more engineering! the challenges now are corrugated rubber airflow meter pipes that cost hundreds of pounds to replace, or suspension arms that wear out as frequently as the oil needs changing.

-Alex

 

[chas379]

I'm in hospital right now, just had my three wisdom teeth removed I almost don't want the numbness to wear off!

Alex, hope all is well with you soon, remember short term pain for long term gain

 

[grimwau]

I'm in hospital right now, just had my three wisdom teeth removed I almost don't want the numbness to wear off!
-Alex

Ahh! that explains why you have loads of time on your hands, lol. Wondered why you would be "liking" a 3 year old post of mine, now all is revealed.

Good luck with pain killers when the numbness wears off, I have just weaned myself off the oral morphine and other painkillers and the first couple of days were, how should I describe it, ............ memorable.

 

[alexGS]

Cheers

Sorry to have hijacked the thread!
The numbness is wearing off now, I'm staying with friends tonight, though really I felt better after the general anaesthetic than I did this morning when I went in. Haven't felt sick at all. Quite a lot of bleeding in the mouth but yes, it will be worth it for the care of my other teeth - wisdom teeth have been nothing but trouble really, the odd ache over the years, crowding of the other teeth, trapped food, infected cyst (prior to their eventual breaking through the gum last year), even decay/toothache in the wisdom tooth itself.

I have made it to 32 without any fillings in my other teeth so the whole numb mouth/chin is a new one on me. However, today's little operation in a lavish private hospital has cost me $4275 (£2145), months of earnings which would have bought a lot of FIAT and Alfa parts. Actually my six-year-old Alfa 156 cost only $5000. Or more realistically I imagine hundreds of people in third-world countries could have been treated for that could have been done a little cheaper with sedative only but I was cautioned that there could be complications.

Note that medical insurance could be a good idea but considering I knew it would need doing years ago, I thought that would be a fraudulent claim! And, I hate insurance anyway. Spend that premium money on something else and sell it if you really need to...

I have a lot of updating on my thread to do tomorrow about my 500, which is now all back together.

I notice the occasional tapping/rattling noises at idle in all my cars, I've given up worrying about it. I once changed an Alfa Twinspark valve timing variator unnecessarily!

-Alex

 

[chas379]

Afraid I have cheated a bit and taken my leg support off 1 week before being discharged as an outpatient. I found getting behind the wheel once again not an issue, so drove car to the dealership from whence I purchased.

Mechanic drove the car and both he and Service Manager listened to the engine and decided it was probably a bearing associated with the clutch operation.

Other than this the car drives well so it has been booked in at a time convenient to me for them to sort. Loan car arranged and will probably be in for 2 days.

 

[grimwau]

Afraid I have cheated a bit and taken my leg support off 1 week before being discharged as an outpatient.

That's the spirit, surprised you waited that long, lol.

 

[chas379]

That's the spirit, surprised you waited that long, lol.

Thanks Tony, Need to be a little cautious as Have a holiday planned 7 > 22 Dec and want to be fit and agile

 

[Spinnerdcc]

Mines got 330 miles on the clock with no tappet noise, I'd get them to have a good look.

 

[chas379]

Car to dealership on 4th Dec. kept it for a day, and replaced thrust bearing (clutch). All ok now. They loaned me an Alfa Romeo Mito Sprinter, 1.3 Diesel.

Must admit was very surprised, quite a little mover especially in Dynamic mode.

 

[John202020]

When got home I listened to engine ticking over and I could hear a 'tappety' type noise.

So I know this is an old thread, but just wondered, our 1.2 pop 82k and 10 years old, I've noticed when starting from cold there's a tapping noise, possibly 1 in 4, not loud but you can hear it, once the car is warm its not present, the engine is otherwise fine, does the engine have hydraulic lifters? is there anything I should do to possibly prevent future issues, I've heard many old Vauxhall's making a terrible knocking noise?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

So I know this is an old thread, but just wondered, our 1.2 pop 82k and 10 years old, I've noticed when starting from cold there's a tapping noise, possibly 1 in 4, not loud but you can hear it, once the car is warm its not present, the engine is otherwise fine, does the engine have hydraulic lifters? is there anything I should do to possibly prevent future issues, I've heard many old Vauxhall's making a terrible knocking noise?

Our 1.2 2010 Panda does it for maybe the first half dozen revs or so after start up. It's because the oil has to pump up through the engine and into the cam cover oil galleries before it can get to the cam lobes/tappets so they are not being bathed in oil for a few seconds. Ours only does it if it hasn't been started for several days. The tappets, by the way, are solid with removable shims for adjustment. So I would say if it only does it momentarily there's probably nothing to worry about. If it goes on doing it until the engine is warm I would find someone who "knows" their Fiats and get him/her to have a listen.

Elderly Vauxhalls used to suffer from wear to the cam followers, as did the old "Pinto" Ford engine, a different problem all together. Now a days many cars have variable hydraulic pulleys on the end of their camshafts. If the pulley internals fail, or the solenoid operated valve that controls the flow of oil, you can get a very loud knocking noise from them, (sounds a bit like a cold diesel), and I can tell you some more modern Vauxhalls suffer from this - I know, my younger son has one!

Later 1.2 and 1.4 8 valve Fiats have this pulley set up but at ten years old I don't think yours will have one. My 2010 Panda doesn't but my older boy's 2012 Punto does. They seem to have appeared around 2011 with the Euro 5 spec engines. You can tell if you look at the cam cover. Find the oil filler cap and look to the right of it. If there is a small cylindrical "widget" (oil control valve) with an electrical connection, sticking out towards the rear. then you've got one. If it's just a hole with a blanking plug in it then, surprise surprise, you haven't. By the way if you have the engine with this "Variator" type pulley then it's definitely an "interference" design which means if the cam belt fails the pistons and valves will get intimate and your wallet will feel a lot lighter before you get back on the road!

 

[John202020]

Thanks for the reply, listening more carefully you're right it's only there for a short time but more than a few seconds perhaps 30 enough to get 70m down the street say. I'll just keep an ear on it but I'm not overly concerned, yet?