FR 1.4 150 Ecotsi - engine rattling during ACT mode

[BoomerBoom]

Hi all, thanks for having such an informative forum - a wealth of information and help here.

Having searched I can't find an identical thread, although there seems to be a lot of noises and rattles on new Leons, so has anyone noticed a rattling noise on their 1.4 ecotsi when it's in ACT mode?

My two month old car has now done 1500 miles but I noticed almost immediately after delivery that I could tell when ACT was enabled - by the metallic rattle coming from the engine, even without checking the eco display.

It gets louder when you add fuel, until the point ACT cuts off and returns to four cylinders when the noise stops. It sounds like two small nuts (!) being shaken in a tin can, not horrific but certainly not normal. Searching online found one similar mention on a Skoda forum, but no solution.

Having tapped around the engine bay, looking for loose items, I did find the turbo waste gate linkage to have a tiny amount of play at each end - being metal on metal it makes just the right noise. I couldn't see any way to dampen the end caps - it's too close to the exhaust for any kind of shim and the rod adjuster itself seems very tight.

Anyone else noticed a similar issue, or have the same free play in the linkage ends?

 

[Owen83]

Mine is 2 months old and done 2500 miles.... not a single rattle or noise at all in 4 or 2 cylinder operation?

 

[weasley]

That is not right. One thing I have always said about the ACT engine is that you can barely tell that it is doing anything. At low speeds and light loads I can just about notice a slight change to the engine note, but not always. Yours needs looking at.

 

[BoomerBoom]

Mine is 2 months old and done 2500 miles.... not a single rattle or noise at all in 4 or 2 cylinder operation?

Thanks for the reply. Can I also ask if your turbo waste linkage has any free play at all? If I tap mine with my fingers it moves a small amount on the ends, making a metal on metal dinging.

 

[BoomerBoom]

That is not right. One thing I have always said about the ACT engine is that you can barely tell that it is doing anything. At low speeds and light loads I can just about notice a slight change to the engine note, but not always. Yours needs looking at.

Yep, I agree but having experience of warranty investigations it's always better to go in with a suggested solution ready.

The noise isn't awful, or likely to be major mechanical, just annoying.

 

[Seriously?]

Have only had ours for a week, but pretty much the only way to tell it's dropped down to 2 cylinders is the instrument panel icon lighting up.

 

[Seriously?]

Just as a matter of interest; is it always the same 2 cylinders that are cut when the ACT is enabled?

 

[BoomerBoom]

Just as a matter of interest; is it always the same 2 cylinders that are cut when the ACT is enabled?

Yes, it's always the middle two - on the cam cover above them are the two actuators. Can I ask if your waste gate link has any play in it?

 

[Jim45]

Have only had ours for a week, but pretty much the only way to tell it's dropped down to 2 cylinders is the instrument panel icon lighting up.

Same for me, totally silent Car with no rattles or squeaks anywhere.

 

[Chester]

I can tell when 2-cylinder mode is activated. There is a noticeable 'bump' but not in 5th or 6th; I guess the change is more diluted in taller gears. At lower speed with the window down, especially passing buildings or hedges, you can hear just 2 of the 4 injectors (they are really loud!), makes it sound a bit like a Fiat twin-air type thing. And you can also hear the actuators with a kind of mechanical 'switch' sound. Window up, you really don't hear anything at all.

So if you can hear this with the car buttoned-up, you need to get this checked out pronto.

 

[Seriously?]

Yes, it's always the middle two - on the cam cover above them are the two actuators. Can I ask if your waste gate link has any play in it?

Just been to have a look at the actuator rod on ours ( note to self; in future don't do this whilst the engine is hot )
There is a bit of ' up and down' play in it at the turbo end of it.

 

[BoomerBoom]

I can tell when 2-cylinder mode is activated. There is a noticeable 'bump' but not in 5th or 6th; I guess the change is more diluted in taller gears. At lower speed with the window down, especially passing buildings or hedges, you can hear just 2 of the 4 injectors (they are really loud!), makes it sound a bit like a Fiat twin-air type thing. And you can also hear the actuators with a kind of mechanical 'switch' sound. Window up, you really don't hear anything at all.

So if you can hear this with the car buttoned-up, you need to get this checked out pronto.

That sound similar to mine, with the windows up I can barely hear anything and I have hearing like a dog. With the windows down and something to echo off then the rattle is very noticeable.

I don't think it's the injectors however, as the sound is quite 'bright' and unmuffled. Does your turbo waste gate linkage have any play in it? Mine makes a very similar rattle noise if you tap it with your finger.

 

[BoomerBoom]

Just been to have a look at the actuator rod on ours ( note to self; in future don't do this whilst the engine is hot )
There is a bit of ' up and down' play in it at the turbo end of it.

It will be as hot as the exhaust, hope you didn't lose any skin. Mine has a fair amount of play at both ends, on the exhaust end it's metal on metal and the circlip doesn't look that great to me (photo attached)

 

[Seriously?]

Skin all still intact thanx!
Difficult to see from your photo, but not sure that circlip is seated fully is it?

 

[Seriously?]

May be of interest - a quick rummage around Google yields this:

 

[BoomerBoom]

That's exactly it, thanks. The same problem with a slightly different design valve.

Once it's cool I'll see if the circlip can be reseated, otherwise there is an adjuster on the solenoid end.

 

[ramborobert]

lol that is annoying think it needs a rubber washer under there.

 

[Chester]

That sound similar to mine, with the windows up I can barely hear anything and I have hearing like a dog. With the windows down and something to echo off then the rattle is very noticeable.

I don't think it's the injectors however, as the sound is quite 'bright' and unmuffled. Does your turbo waste gate linkage have any play in it? Mine makes a very similar rattle noise if you tap it with your finger.

I checked that out yesterday, couldn't find much play if any at all. I guess all is good with mine. Thanks for the video @Seriously? as that led me directly to it in a few seconds.

 

[BoomerBoom]

I think I have to conclude it's just me and my sensitive hearing, my passengers can just about hear the rattle if the windows are down and there's something for the noise to echo off, but they can't hear it at all with the windows up.

My issue is nowhere as bad as the video, the valve itself is solid and the linkage has only a small amount of play at either end.

When this engine goes into ACT mode it must run quite lumpy and hence why this linkage rattles, but the vibration is otherwise not normally noticeable - a far cry from the old days when you could instantly tell when a spark plug was going to fail.

 

[R4CK5]

Mine does get a little quieter when act is enabled and there's a noticeable but very slight judder as the cylinders shut off. Mines on just over 24k.