Had the Yeti from new but now have a problem starting the Yeti. It had it's annual service last week and was running brilliantly (as usual) had no problems driving a couple of hundred miles over a few days and Yesterday tried to start and it didn't start after a few turns.  Kept trying but nothing, not even a little try. Called breakdown and he tried to start it and then announced that it seemed like it didn't have any compression and thought that the timing belt (sic) might have broken. I told him it had a timing chain but he still the problem was due to the timing. He couldn't get the top cover of the timing chain thingy and the removed the oil filler and got me to try starting engine. He said he couldn't see the camshaft moving so it was probably something to do with the timing belt/ chain which may have slipped. He didn't carry out any basic tests to see if there was a spark or if there was any fuel getting through, he just asked me where I wanted the car taking.

 

I got it taken back to the garage that did the service & MOT and they said they would have a look and get back to me. Today they advised that they have had their camera in the "engine" but couldn't find anything in particular but did confirm the camshaft was indeed moving.

 

I did get an advisory about having a rattle on cold start up, been like that a couple of years and hasn't seemed to be any problem.

 

They think the problem might be with the timing chain or something internal and suggest it they will need to pop the cylinder head of to see if there is any damage.

 

I reckon the car is only now worth about £3000 /£3500 (in running order) It's an elegance heated leather seats and drivers seat with 3 memories.

 

I love the Yeti, the way the 1.2 engine is sprightly and the DSG is so smooth, cornering lights etc but does anyone thing it's worth paying out around £1500 to repair it? It cost me £2000 2 years ago for new plugs, leads and coil pack, alon with a "Clutch pack" (£1600)

 

Thinking about pretending to be a young man again (instead of a coffin dodger) and having a play, think I have some spanners somewhere 🙂

 

Thoughts anyone?

The easy guess is it is the timing chain tensioner issue which resulted in an upgraded set , chain and tensioer from 2012.

Well covered in many threads on this forum over the past 8 years.

Threads in each section where the models had the 1.2 TSI from 2010.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/252849-12-tsi-timing-chain-recall

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/344005-12tsi-cam-chain-problem

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/307716-skoda-yeti-12-tsi-and-famous-chain-rattle

 

 

Edited 19 March, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

Freedom, thanks for reply. Yes interesting reads, spent a couple of hours trawling through but didn't find anything specific about started problems. Don't think I'll get any joy from Skoda. Do you if the timing chain cover can be removed fairly easily ?

If the timing chain has jumped its teeth or broken, turning the engine over will have hit the valves bending or breaking them, hence no compression as diagnosed. and probaly a lot of unpleasant noises until the engine finally locks up due to the debris in the combustion chamber.

 

If the engine crankshaft was turning with the starter motor and the camshaft not moving, the chain has almost certainly broken. If so, this is likely terminal for the engine, which will have destroyed the valves which are down, damaged the pistons, scored the bores, and bent some of the con rods as the pistons would not have been able to go to the top of their normal stroke. A replacement new engine is likely to be more like £4500?

 

This is a known issue and is usually noticed in advance as the chain gets very noisy before it fails at around 50k?

Cheer me up, why don't you ! It's amazing how things have changed, back in my earlier years I've lost count of the engines I've rebuilt along with gearboxes. I always found that I had to use a compression tester before being confident to state there was a loss of compression but it seems "Break down mechanic" can just turn the engine over (using ignition key) and use some sort of magic to carry out a diagnosis, awesome :-)

 

Update, the chain isn't broken and the camshaft does move so Mr super breakdown mechanic got it wrong, wonder why :-) Perhaps if he'd removed a plug or two to find out if there was spark and checked to see if fuel was getting through (eg. basic stuff) he would have been in a better position to suggest a possible loss of compression and he would need to confirm by using a suitable instrument. If things have changed that much so that no tools are needed then I stand corrected.

 

Skoda say the timing chain is sealed and should last the life of the engine, guessing they think 71000 miles is "life"

 

The car was running absolutely fine and didn't make any strange clunk when switching off the engine and it didn't make any strange clunking noises when try to start the following day so I'm hoping it's just skipped a tooth and hasn't caused any damage, Camera down the plug holes doesn't show any damage to the pistons.

I going to get a timing chain repair kit which includes chain, tensioner and the plastic bits (£40 on fleabay) and timing tools about £30. Obviously pointless trying to get original Skoda parts, they don't seem to last!

 

 

@JeffD  Who was it at Skoda that told you about the sealed for life chain, but not about the TPI and the upgrade chain and tensioner set that was introduced because of the fundamental design, manufacturing or material fail of the original ones?

 

I would get the correct VW Group upgrade parts.  No idea what £40 is getting you.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/344005-12tsi-cam-chain-problem/page/8/

 

Edited 21 March, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

Hi JeffD

 

Here's some ideas, but bear in mind I am writing this from my "armchair" and haven't looked at your car !

 

I believe these engines have both camshaft and crankshaft sensors.  The engine management may be able to tell if there is excessive timing disparity between them (due to chain stretch or slip) and prevent starting as a safety measure.  A failure of either sensor would have the same effect.  In either case, an error code should have been logged, which will be readable by a good enough piece of diagnostic kit.

 

Mechanical stuff doesn't tend to work fine one day and not the next, unless there has been a catastrophic failure  That failure is much more likely when the engine is running, and will normally be accompanied by distinct noises.  Electronics, on the other hand, can silently fail during the cooling cycle after engine switch off and then not work the next day.

 

Repeated cranking of a non starting engine can result in fuel washing the oil out of the bores, which will reduce the piston rings ability to seal and reduce cylinder compression.  The sign is that cranking speed is noticeably higher than normal.  In times past you would smell petrol from the exhaust pipe, but these days it probably gets soaked up in the catalytic converter. A few turns over with the spark plugs removed should clear the fuel, and a squirt of oil in each plug hole might help restore compression.  Some engine management software is programmed to cut fuel injection if you crank with a wide open throttle, and that will also clear over fuelling.  This mimics the same "blow through" action as was used on carburetteor equipped engines to clear flooding.

@Roottootemblowinootsoot

Hi, I've with a few people at Bickerton (Skoda Dealers), over the years and can't remember who told me but I remember that I had the service done at Halfords at some time and they suggested I ought to be looking toward changing the timing belt. I checked with Bickertons and was told the Yeti had a chain which had no serviceable parts and should last the life of the engine.

Bickertons, did the Gear oil TPI in 2014 but I had to have new plug leads in 2015, which cost £146 but should have been done FOC under the TPI.

2017, a bit of roof rack disappeared and should have been replaced FOC but I couldn't be bothered arguing about £35 for part which took me 5 mins to fit.

2018, Needed new plug leads again, along with coil pack and plugs - £500, ouch.

2018, 3 months later, Had to have a clutch pack fitted £1600 - treble ouch 😞 Within days of having that done I had to have the wiring  harness /loom replaced in the drivers door. I was advised there was a rattle on cold start up !

I would prefer to fit "Skoda parts" but it seem that they aren't up to the job. It's likely something from fleabay won't be any better. Rock Hard place, where's me bike 🙂

Edited 21 March, 20206 yr by JeffD

@Austin 7, Thank you I could do with an armchair like that 🙂

I didn't know about the sensors and will make that a priority check, I think I'll do timing chain anyway due to the (occasional) rattle when cold.

Agree 100% with your comments about mechanical.

Thanks again for giving an alternative perspective.