Hey guys , I hope someone hear can help me.
I have just returned home from having my scoob at the garage.

It was in getting a new timing belt and some new fresh plugs.

The car smoked all the way home , so i stopped and called them to be told that this is normal and its overspilled coolant burning off.

So gets home opened the bonnet and i now have this ticking noise.
I recorded the sound on my mobile fone and put it right next to the middle of the engine - top side.

My scooby is a 03 STI with 43thou miles.

My plans are to go straight to the garage in the morning to see what they say.
what do you think the noise sounds like. ?

sound file is hear.
http://www.c2k.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/179067/subaru.mp3

Regards in advance.

Chris.

 

mate
that aint right at all.

sounds like the timing belt is slipping or something worse

 

That sounds awful. Its difficult to say what it is with just a sound file.

My advice would be to ask the garage to collect the car with a truck. If the timing belt change has been cocked up it could well kill your engine if you drive it back. Ask them to diagnose the cause of this noise, then ask that you can see the noise replicated. If the garage is at fault then be warned that 9 times out of 10 they'll try it on a bit. That said if the garage is reputable they should fix any fault they have caused. Failing that you could ask for a full refund PLUS costs for the repair bill.

 

could be the tensioner, although not heard of one needing to be replaced on a 4 yr old car

 

It sounds as though it's a quarter the speed of the engine - which i would say is the Cam/shaft / train area.

I hate to say it - but looking at the whole story - it could be possible that the belt is a tooth or two out and the valve is touching the piston.

Or they screwed it up and then timed it correctly - perhaps hoping that you wouldn't notice.

Are they a "reputable" garage ??

 

Ouch, that was painfull just listening to the recording.

Mic's on things like phones can be very sensitive, but from the sound of that I wouldn't even run the engine again untill it's sorted.

 

Hey , Thanks for the replys ,
Im so gutted , And fearing the worst.

I will call the garage in the morning and put forth my conserns , I will try and let them hear it over the fone but will request that they collect the car.

I know the simple basics of the engine and i am thinking that valves are hitting pistons, and that the belt has been incorrectly fitted.

I was thinking that if it was incorrect plugs they fitted then it would proby bump the electrode and it would just fail to run.
The plugs fitted were PFR6B NGK.

These guys have a good reputation and deal in Subaru and Evo's exclusivly.
I wont name them as yet. they change the oil every 5k miles for me and have undertaken all work to date on my car.

I dont know how im going to see the night thru without worrying.

I'll keep you's posted.

Chris.

 

On another note. Its just possible one of the plugs is loose and the noise is the the air escaping as it fires.

I hope so as that would be a far better fix than having belt/valve issues

 

Yeah do.. Good luck for the morning.

 

possibly faulty cam belt tensioner do not drive the car and get someone from the garage to come to you.
Good luck mate.

 

**** that sounded pretty bad! hope you get it sorted with out hassle.

 

Make sure they collect it on a flatbed if they don't somehow magically fix it there and then (don't bet on it). As the others have said, no way in hell would I take a gamble and let that run any more than it already has.

Unlucky mate.

 

Good Luck mate.

 

good god that sounds nasty, it's definately top end...

my guesses are :-
1) Loose plug(s)
2) Wrong plugs (too long and hitting piston)
3) Timed up wrong causing piston to hit valve
4) Belt has torn and the loose bit is hitting the inside of the plastic cam belt cover
5)they let the apprentice do the work

whatever it is let us know and DONT pay for anything to correct the issue.

 

Sounds like valves and pistons getting jiggy to me too, don't run it anymore as said, get it recovered on a full lift truck

Good luck!

 

i do feel for you buddy!!! thats harsh... i would go there with baseball bats and reinforcements and put it on them... hope you get it sorted fella, make sure you let us all know how you got on

 

good luck fella. i had a noise like that once in my old silver wrx. was an 11 year old car at the time, and the engine was starting to go in general. shouldnt do on a 43k newage

 

Okay so after a sleepless night i called the garage thismorning.
They arrived with a flat bed trailler and we pushed my beloved on to it.

When they arrived i let him hear the sound clip from my phone and told him i was in fear of starting the car.

They said i have done the right thing and they took it away for inspection.
Ive been told that the belt will be removed but the guy did say this is not good.

Im scoobless and gutted.

Will keep you;s posted , I would expect to hear something before end of todays work.

Chris.

 

oh no hope all goes well for ya mate and get a loan car from them or hire one and make them pay.

 

Doesnt sound healthy! Hopefully its not terminal and its just a stupid mistake they have made.

 

I know it'll be hard to get them to admit it, but if it is been timed wrong / belt slipped and you have had Piston on valve action, then do not let them just time it correctly and give you the car back. If the valves have been slightly bent the car may run fine for miles then one day the valve head may drop off and you will have catastrophic failure.

 

Well Finaly an end to this issue.

Garage called me and all is well , The Aircon belt had a tear in it causing a flappy bit of belt to hit off the plastic cover.


OMG am i releved. And also in need of a good nights sleep.

I have since collected my Scoob , And there is no knocking noises or anything untowards. Sounds just the way it did before they carried out the work.

Like to say thanks to all for the comments and the feedback from you folks.
Ive been lucky this time as i was fearing the worst.

I would never have thought that a busted bit of belt would make the engine sound so catastrophically busteed.

Regards

Chris.

 

phew, glad its all good **** now.

did you check, make sure they werent fobbing you off though?

 

That sound and the reason they say it was happening sounds like tosh, the aircon belt hitting some plastic !!!!

that was a metalic sound for sure,no doubt !!

they prob put the timing right and hoped for the best.............

 

You might be suprised, had this on my pug and i though the timing belt had slipped a tooth or two but it was just the fanbelt, sounded metalic and dreadful like metal to metal contact.

 

Sorry but I have never seen a split / frayed Air con belt that is only 4 years old and done 40k, sounds very suspect to me.

 

i cant belive you didnt check somthing so easy to see, would of been the frist thing id of checked out!"

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing...

 

I agree. But remember this belt had been removed and refitted so its likely it was torn during that process. I'm glad it was a simple fix for you.


They do make a horrible noise when there hanging off.

 

Whatever the cause I'm happy for you. Nothing worse that not knowing whats going on with your pride and joy.