General Harsh sounding 1.4 engine.

[BigKev]

Hi folks,
my wife has had her 1.4 lounge convertible for 16 months now and she has covered about 8,000 "fun" miles. However, whenever I drive or ride in it I consider the engine to sound rough, harsh and rumbly.

I am a retired engineer and have worked on and driven many types of vehicles. My own Mazda MX-5 is as smooth as silk in comparison.

I posted about this last year but didn't get much response.

Does anyone else on the forum think that the 1.4 100HP motor sounds like a bag of nails, especially when accelerating?

 

[ahmett]

Hi folks,
my wife has had her 1.4 lounge convertible for 16 months now and she has covered about 8,000 "fun" miles. However, whenever I drive or ride in it I consider the engine to sound rough, harsh and rumbly.

I am a retired engineer and have worked on and driven many types of vehicles. My own Mazda MX-5 is as smooth as silk in comparison.

I posted about this last year but didn't get much response.

Does anyone else on the forum think that the 1.4 100HP motor sounds like a bag of nails, especially when accelerating?

I notice a harsh noise just below 3,000 rpm that has been around basically since the car was new. I notice the car sounds much less harsh when pushed hard and on long journeys. The engine really doesn't like being cold or used in start stop traffic, I am guessing due to its high revving nature.
I think its normal you think that.


Mind you I absolutely love the hissing noice the engine makes above 4,000 or so rpm when engine is warm and you have driven it a lot/hard since the start of your journey.

 

[UFI]

I don't have a 1.4 but I think a bit of vocalisation is just part of Fiat character.

 

[BigKev]

I don't have a 1.4 but I think a bit of vocalisation is just part of Fiat character.

I can almost accept that as being an Italian characteristic...but to my well-honed ears it just sounds like the crank-bearings are shot! (I hope they're not at only 31,000 miles!). It has also been well serviced with the correct grade of oil and no one looks after a motor better than we do..

Any other opinions?

 

[ahmett]

I can almost accept that as being an Italian characteristic...but to my well-honed ears it just sounds like the crank-bearings are shot! (I hope they're not at only 31,000 miles!). It has also been well serviced with the correct grade of oil and no one looks after a motor better than we do..



Any other opinions?

Relax man! If you do 0-60 in less than 11 seconds all is good with the engine.

 

[zanes]

My own Mazda MX-5 is as smooth as silk in comparison.

This'll be the key- the japanese seem to make lovely smooth and revvy engines compared to the FIAT FIRE/Starjet units. We have the same thing (albeit at lower performance) between the swift and the 500. Both 1.2s, one making 69hp, one 94hp. Bear in mind the FIRE units are really just engines from the 80s with updated management/injection systems.

 

[alexGS]

My impression of my 1.4, compared to two 1.2s that I drove, is that the 1.4 was deliberately designed to sound gruff and tough - it's the biggest engine in the range. The exhaust system is oversize for the capacity of the engine (so, a bit of extra boom), and the intake system resonance gives a burbling sound under acceleration.

So rumbling/gurgling noises are normal, but a knocking noise would not be.

-Alex