Update on Cambelt change and rattling noise question

[woozyuk]

Hello all. Im usually a motorcyclist until i got knocked off back in april and my collar bone was in bits and new bike written off. while insurance is still pending i got a Polo 1999 1.4 a few months ago for social and commuting. but having already spent £500 on it which is what i already paid for the car to keep it running and then the clutch/gearbox seems to be on the way out as first is sticking so i decided i should get a newer car. So now i have a spanish polo i guess they are. I got a Seat Ibiza 1.4 Sport 16V (2007) a week ago from network Q. It has one previous owner, regular service history, autoglym lifetime interior and exterior treatment. outside is pretty good condition with a few minor scratches by the petrol cap and on the door edge, the interior seems as good as new. Im having the cam belt and water pump replaced this week as its on 60,000 miles. Network Q are paying most with me paying some towards the cost. the car was £2800.

but looking in the engine bay today myself and a friend saw the ECU was loose inside the bay and not clipped on. we couldnt seem to get it to clip in place as the bracket seems too big. i did a google of the ECU ref and it is the one meant for my model. but still cannot understand why it wasnt clipped in and dangling. we have used cable tyes for now. should i let the seat service center this week know about it was loose?

also i cannot find anything in the manual about my mirrors. they are definitely not powered but can i swivel them manually, worried ill break it if i try. thanks all! and hello all again!



thanks

my ibiza and ecu pics


i.imgur.com/XK1kiM2.jpg

i.imgur.com/ve1JaTy.jpg

i.imgur.com/bI7p1yo.jpg

i.imgur.com/Aw4tHHU.jpg

i.imgur.com/32huV4N.jpg




polo i need to sell now

i.imgur.com/WcgWZPa.jpg

 

[woozyuk]

Ok, had my cars cambelt and waterpump replaced yesterday by network Q Seat in Sidcup. They have also ordered me an ECU bracket.

but now i am hearing a light rattling noise fromt the front left hand side when moving slowly when lifting the clutch up when on the acccelerator while moving slowly in queing traffic or when pulling off.
What could this be? never had the noise before.

Also apparently the front topside bushes need replacing as they have a crack in them. quoted £250 by seat garage to fit them. wanted to get better tyres than the Nexans its come with but im sure the bushes are more of a priority. wish the dealership had done all this work.

 

[RUM4MO]

Are you sure that it is not the (front) TCA rear bushes that are torn, if so, a VAG indie would fit Ibiza Cupra solid ones in and they last for ever as well as making the car feel a lot better at turn-in. I got local VAG indie to do that work on wife's late 2002 Polo 1.4 75PS and they lasted from when the car was about 5 years old until we traded it at 13 years old the other month.

 

[woozyuk]

thanks for the prompt reply.

this was the advisory on a previous MOT in feb 2015 and these are apparently what need replacing, though there is no noticable noise from the suspension.

"Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)"

 

[RUM4MO]

Yes, that sounds very much like the TCA rear (console) bushes.

One easy way to check the condition of these bushes, park the car on level ground, out of gear and handbrake on, now grab each front wheel in turn and try to rotate them, if the wheel "walks" forward ie moves relative to the car, then it will be the torn/worn/crappiness of the bush that is allowing that - you might also detect a bit of clunking or another noise, which might just be what you have started to hear since getting the clutch done, the workshop would probably needed to "flex" or move that suspension a bit so maybe the damage is now worse than it originally was.

Note in reality, the movement you might get will be in an arc as the small front bush will probably be okay. Getting this sorted out while these tyres are still on the car would be a good idea.

Sorry another edit, the mirrors, if they are powered, the mirror switch/control will have a marked position for asking them to fold in, I find that it can be a good idea to fold the mirrors in now and again, to avoid them seizing up. I seem to remember that when one of my daughters had a 6K Ibiza, the mirrors were "solid" by the time that car was 4 years old, my old 2000Passat's mirrors were still free to move when it was 13 years old as were the ones on wife's 2003 Polo, I think that Seat skimped a bit on these parts!

 

[woozyuk]

thanks,

but it was the cambelt done not clutch

 

[RUM4MO]

thanks,

but it was the cambelt done not clutch

Ah, someone can't read properly! So that is not really any reason why you should be getting more noise - the engine top mounting is bolted back up fully?

 

[woozyuk]

yeah seems to be

i have rang seat sidcup up and told them about the noise. they will look when i bring it in for the bushes and the new ECU bracket

its ridiculous all this, got the car after having enough of spending out on the Polo before it

 

[Arkaig]

Those bushes are a common failure across the (non cupra) Ibizas, Polos and Fabias. Hopefully that'll be the last fault you have to deal with, they're otherwise reliable cars.

The knocking when on/off the power could be the bushes. On mine I only got a rattle when cornering on rough ground as the wishbone collided with the console. This turned out to be the rear AND front bushes perished so they do occasionally go. The clearance between the wishbone and the console is almost zero, so it doesn't take much wear for them to start being noisy.

It could also be the left hand side engine/transmission mount OR the lower dogbone mount. Give the engine a good shake, don't be polite, give it a good shove and see if you get any noises. When mine went it caused a rattle when near stalling point. Both of these mounts are simple to change with a torque wrench and trolley jack, but you need new bolts from the dealer.

BTW a cambelt change on this car involves disconnecting the front right pedestal engine mount so it's worth checking they did this back up tight and proper.

 

[Arkaig]

Also, £250, although typical for a dealer, is quite steep. An indie might do it for half that.

It's quite a straightforward job and the parts are cheap, the major complication being that the bolt holding the arm into the subframe often welds in solid due to galvanic corrosion. In that case the subframe console needs replaced which is about £100.

The dealer may be factoring this into the price.

On my 2006 1.4 sport this happened on both sides.

 

[woozyuk]

ended up taking car in today. had a griding noise from the rear of the car. sounded like bearing or crunching. so i couldnt leave it and go to work. got to seat and it turned out that i had a huge screw right through the rear tyre, all the way borth sides. glug. they put the spare wheel on for now.


the tapping noise from the front was a loose hose or something like that. no tapping now.

only had the car a week

 

[woozyuk]

have asked them if they can do me a deal on a 2011-2012 plate seat if i trade in my week old 2007 seat 1.4 16v sport