General 1.4 engine rumble

[BigKev]

Hi everyone,
my wife has just purchased an immaculate 59-plate 1.4 100 hp lounge convertible with 24,000 on the clock. The car has FSH and has been well cared for. I am 'old school' and consider that the engine is harsh and rumbly above 3,500 rpm...as if the crank bearings are slack.
I have read that these engines tend to sound this way. Can anyone varify this?

BK.

 

[loveshandbags]

Hi everyone,
my wife has just purchased an immaculate 59-plate 1.4 100 hp lounge convertible with 24,000 on the clock. The car has FSH and has been well cared for. I am 'old school' and consider that the engine is harsh and rumbly above 3,500 rpm...as if the crank bearings are slack.
I have read that these engines tend to sound this way. Can anyone varify this?

BK.

I had a 1.4 approaching 39K miles that was 3 years old that I sold and it wasn't 'rumbly'. When you said that it has a FSH what is the service history ?

The recommended service interval is 18K but if it has done less than 6K in 12 months it needs its oil & filter changed. Also the oil used needs to be 5w40 ACEA C3 spec. Was the oil changed at a Fiat garage on the last service and do you have a copy of the invoice detailing the work that was done ?
The 1.4 is prone to using oil but I would imagine that the previous owner would have topped up with the correct grade of oil if was needed. On the 500 that I had it had done nearly 18K in a 3-4 month period before I bought it. When I checked the oil when I got home it took 1L of oil . There was nothing showing on the dip stick and the oil light wasn't on.

 

[alexGS]

These engines have a burble at about that speed caused by the induction system - maybe the right angle bend in the pipe before the throttle? - not sure whether you are hearing this rumble. I would have thought that a main bearings problem would be accompanied by vibrations as well.

Does the noise change when the engine is idling and the clutch is pressed and released? (If it's a Dualogic, it's hard to do this test unless you roll slowly in first gear and then brake to a stop - that presses in the clutch for you).

My air conditioning is a bit rumbly as it cuts in and out - can be noticed.
I also notice an irregular light tapping from the engine when idling.

Until I'm actually driving - then the 80dB of tyre noise drowns everything else out

-Alex

 

[loveshandbags]

I think we might need a youtube from the OP of this 'rumbling'. :idea:
1.4 NA engine can be gruff and I wouldn't call it harsh.

 

[BigKev]

Thanks for your replies loveshandbags and alexGS...
Maybe it is a characteristic of these engines then.
I was a motor mechanic for many years by the way so I know all the various sounds that an engine can make. It's just that being 'old school' I find it hard to accept this kind of rumble from such a modern motor. Maybe these new low-friction type of engines are more prone to this sound due to smaller bearing surfaces and higher compression ratios.
Would like to hear from more of you on this subject.
(I don't post on youtube unfortunately)

 

[ahmett]

I have this rumble myself on my 1.4. Funnily enough, just below 3,000 rpm if you leave it there it rumbles like crazy especially if the engine is not up to temp. At all other revs it is fine and at above 3,000 it makes an induction-like noise which is really addictive when you are pushing it!

The ac makes a noise and you can hear it not being so smooth.

 

[Littala]

Never really noticed a rumble on my 1.4 Sport, and it's my 2nd one. There is a nice throaty grunt though when changing gears, but I think that's from the exhaust.

Is it an alarming/worrying rumble?

 

[BigKev]

Never really noticed a rumble on my 1.4 Sport, and it's my 2nd one. There is a nice throaty grunt though when changing gears, but I think that's from the exhaust.

Is it an alarming/worrying rumble?

Well, not alarming as such...just a kind of bottom-end harshness and a sound like main bearings would sound in an old engine when going from light throttle to partial load at around 3000 rpm upwards and when blipping the throttle at around this rpm or higher. As I mentioned above, maybe it is just a combination of induction impulses and a low-friction design with smaller bearing surfaces etc. Many thanks for all your replies guys...I will try to listen to a few others to see if it's a characteristic, or whether I'm being a bit paranoid! This car is less than 3 years old and immaculate with low mileage so it ought to be a good 'un!

I suppose what I really wanted to hear was "Yeah, they all sound like that Kev, don't worry!"

My Father and my youngest son both have Honda Civics and both these cars have the same tendency to be a bit 'rumbly' at 3000 rpm...my own late model Mazda MX-5 roadster does NOT sound this way however and is ultra smooth.

BK

 

[loveshandbags]

This car is less than 3 years old and immaculate with low mileage so it ought to be a good 'un!

In the 24K miles that the car has done when were the oil change(s) done ?

 

[BigKev]

In the 24K miles that the car has done when were the oil change(s) done ?

It has had four oil changes (dealer stamped) since new, so very low miles between services. The previous owner was as meticulous as we are, it appears.

 

[ukmike2010]

Mine sounds "grumbly" in the same way that a BDA Escort or an original Mini Cooper S was grumbly. In other words I love the sound!

 

[loveshandbags]

It has had four oil changes (dealer stamped) since new, so very low miles between services. The previous owner was as meticulous as we are, it appears.

Well it's certainly not to do with oil changes.

Googling rumbling produced this. It seems that it can be characteristic of 4 cylinder engines. I had a MX5 along with a few others on here and despite being the 'old' one it was sweet engine althought it was thirsty - one of the few non-interference 16V engines available (can't be sure about the 2.0).

 

[BigKev]

Well it's certainly not to do with oil changes.

Googling rumbling produced this. It seems that it can be characteristic of 4 cylinder engines. I had a MX5 along with a few others on here and despite being the 'old' one it was sweet engine althought it was thirsty - one of the few non-interference 16V engines available (can't be sure about the 2.0).

Very many thanks loveshandbags, for that fascinating post. It has explained everything to me in a technical and interesting way. It has also put my mind at rest, somewhat, concerning the sound of our Fiat 1.4 engine, which now appears to be a characteristic and not a fault.
This is a great forum with some very helpful people.
Once again, many thanks lhb,
BK.