mk4 1.4 petrol noisy when idling, management light on.

[Nolski]

Hi, my wifes ibiza has been noisy on tickover for a few weeks, (quite tappety/noisy) the management light has been on for a while also, but sometimes switches off. I put this down to having a brake light off (which was changed the other day)

We've put the car in for a service, and onto a diagnostic, however when it went on the machine the engine management light went out, and hasn't saved any data as to what has been the problem.

I've been told by the mechanic it could be a problem with the 'throttle body', as one of the cylinders sounds like it is not running properly on idling.

Is this a common fault, the car is 55 plate, and only has 25000 miles.

Thanks, and please be patient with my lack of knowledge.

 

[RUM4MO]

I would think that there will be some fault codes getting logged, does your garage have the correct scan tool to make full use of what has been logged, that would make any diagnosis a lot easier.

25,000 miles and a 55 plate means that this car should still sound almost like new - so should not be have any unusual engine noises. Has it been used only for short journeys - and has it been getting serviced regularly and with the correct oil quality/type and OEM oil filter?

 

[Nolski]

Hi, thanks for the response.

I'm not sure if the logging machine the garage is using is the correct one, the mechanic is a good freinds dad, but he used a mobile mechanic with the fault finding equipment, they're not a two-bit job so I trust them.

As for short journey's, yes the car rarely gets a big run out. My wifes daily trip for work is only a 4 mile round trip, and maybe 2-3 miles travelling between different offices at work.

Since November however she's been on maternity leave, so still doesn't travel too far, mainly all within our home town, so i would guess 6-7 miles max per journey.

What sort of impact could that have on the car?

We've had the car just over 18 months and this is hte first service, I know it's recommended every 12 months, but to be honest I thought with the low mileage she does I assumed we could stretch the service out a bit.

It's regularly checked for oil and water levels, and they haven't been an issue in the time we've had it. And forgive my ignorance, but I don't know what an oem filter is?

 

[tkjeeves]

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer

Basically use what SEAT uses or at least VAG specification parts

 

[RUM4MO]

Generally speaking, if a car is used "normally" - ie 10 mile minimum journey length, then servicing it every 12 months is okay, but if it is used mainly on shorter journeys, due to the engine+oil etc not getting fully heated up and boiling off any moisture its gathered, then I'd suggest doing an oil and filter change maybe every 6>9 months. Even modern cars are not fit to give their best and last too long if used purely on very short jouneys. That is probably why our European cousins tend to use micro cars as theri engines heat up quicker as they are smaller masses. Roll on electric cars - as in-town short journeys is what they are all about. Engine wear per mile is also accelerated when the car is used for short journeys due to many "cold starts" per 100 miles. The "tapping" noises could be due to this as the valve lifters have hydraulic "adjustment".

 

[Whitechapel]

not sure if this is the same problem, but when idleing the revs on my 1.4 16v are just over 1000, is this normal, i'm sure it was never this high?

 

[tkjeeves]

my 1.4 idles just above 1k when cold, and about 800 i recon when warm idle.