TDi 130 developed noisy idle

[Mini-mad-matt]

Hi,
My oil level warning light came on this morning, so I popped open the bonnet and gave it a top up.
All seemed well, no oil warning light on, and we went off to Southport to enjoy the great weather. As I came off the motorway and got onto the normal roads, I noticed that the car had starting to make an awful growling kind of noise at idle. If I give it any revs, even upto just 1100 RPM, it stops and sounds totally normal. With the bonnet open, you can see the engine shaking like crazy when just idling. What on earth could this be? Any help greatly appreciated,

Cheers

MMM

 

[quattrojames]

Maybe an engine mount? My 2.5TDi has an electronic mount which firms up as the car speeds up, but softens at tickover to take the harshness out of it. I guess the 1.9 would have the same ..... It will show up on VAG-com. Just a thought.....

 

[Mini-mad-matt]

Update:

It now gets worse when turning the steeing wheel. The fan belt goes round the power steering pump, does it not? Watching the fan belt while the car is idling, it almost seems to be jumping about near the alternator pulley. Could one of the pulleys, or the bearings in something gone?

Cheers,

MMM

 

[Mini-mad-matt]

Another update,

The noise goes away a bit when I put on my lights, or heated rear windscreen, putting extra load on the alternator.
I also tried to turn the tensioner pulley, and managed it no problem without having to undo anything first. Is this normal?

MMM

 

[Broken Byzan]

Esiest thing to do at home is remove the belt and see if it still does it, then feel all of the pulleys one at a time (engine off obviously) to feel for the tightness. It sounds like a siezing Alternator bearing or faulty tensioner maybe not springing onto the back of the belt properly

 

[Munt]

Hi,
Sounds like it could be the 'free-wheeling' hub inside the alternator pulley.
Cheers Munt.

 

[ncomben]

My 1.9 has shaken at idle by varying degrees since I got it four years ago. It's gotten progressively worse over time to the point that once the engine has warmed up after 10 mins - it shakes when idle every time. Like MMM, if i put the rear windscreen on it smooths it out... if I switch the A/C off, its like being on a fairground ride....

Its been on a VAG a number of times but no faults have ever shown up!