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Hey all
I know these "Modern" engines sound more like sewing machines when they idle but mine seems to tick a lot louder now than when I purchased it (2nd hand) a few months ago. Ive got a 2011 1.2 TSI and its only dont about 6k miles total. Any thoughts?
Maybe its just my imagination?

I've noticed a loud ticking and the car is at higher rpm when idle too

I have a 1.2 tsi and had a ticking noise from my engine when i hit a certain rev..
Turned out to be a fuel line was resting on the engine block..
Could be same as yours..

In all probability It's the high pressure fuel pump you can hear "Ticking". The 1.2 Tsi, isn't a quiet engine at tick over. Oddly from within the car you normally can't hear it. If you can hear a rattle/chatter from within the car at tick over it will probably be the fuel lines ratting against the body/chassis a known problem on the 1.2 Tsi. There's an easy fix for that one, just get a piece of stiff foam and push it down into the little gap where the fuel lines come up into the engine compartment. (Push the lines down a little first to move them away from the chassis) I actually placed the foam in a plastic bag, the same as the little bags just behind the headlamps. If it's good enough for Volkswagen it's good enough for me..

Cheers for the advise, I'll look into it.
Does the foam/plastic not end up melting though?

coffee_king wrote:Cheers for the advise, I'll look into it.
Does the foam/plastic not end up melting though?

No, it's well away from the engine and against the bulkhead so never gets more than warm to touch. If it worries you, you could always use marine class fire retardant foam. (I think it's called fireseal) have a look on ebay. But I've had my trusty piece of stiff sponge-foam in place for 18+ months and not had any issues, still looks like it did the day put it in. I do give it a wriggle if I can hear the rattle creeping back. I put it inside a plastic bag just in case it absorbed any moisture but where it's sited it not very likely.

I have the 1.4 tsi only happened after my service on Saturday my get them to look into it tomorrow

I have a 1.2 TSI and I also experience this, albeit only when the outside temperature is cold. Now the weather has warmed up it no longer occurs. I've got a video of it happening somewhere, which i'll try upload tonight.

AJ_7 wrote:I have a 1.2 TSI and I also experience this, albeit only when the outside temperature is cold.

Yeah, mine definitely "ticks" a little more from cold. This is pretty much what mine sounds like (and others I've heard) I think they tend toward being a little more rattly, as the cam is chain driven as opposed to belt.

wolfie wrote:

AJ_7 wrote:I have a 1.2 TSI and I also experience this, albeit only when the outside temperature is cold.

Yeah, mine definitely "ticks" a little more from cold. This is pretty much what mine sounds like (and others I've heard) I think they tend toward being a little more rattly, as the cam is chain driven as opposed to belt.

Man, it sounds terrible doesnt it. Exactly like mine.

coffee_king wrote: Man, it sounds terrible doesnt it. Exactly like mine.

Yeah, bizarre isn't it? Considering how refined and well they go on the move. I expected it to be nigh on silent when I lifted the bonnet, not sound like a ball bearing rattling round an empty tin can. Touchwood, no reliability issues and does punch above it's weight for a teeny 1.2. Likewise I think the 1.4 TSi likes a drink of oil. I've had no such issues with the 1.2 Think it's used about 400ml in 10,000 miles

wolfie wrote:If you can hear a rattle/chatter from within the car at tick over it will probably be the fuel lines ratting against the body/chassis a known problem on the 1.2 Tsi. There's an easy fix for that one, just get a piece of stiff foam and push it down into the little gap where the fuel lines come up into the engine compartment. (Push the lines down a little first to move them away from the chassis) I actually placed the foam in a plastic bag, the same as the little bags just behind the headlamps. If it's good enough for Volkswagen it's good enough for me..

I really don't know much about anything on car engines TBH. Is there any chance you could post a pic of what you've done so I can clearly see the location please?
Many thanks.

Here ya go. If you open the bonnet and look just in front of where the brake servo is, there is a little channel where the fuel lines run up from under the body. It's not unknown for these to chatter against the body causing a rattle at tick over. Pushing down (just a little!!!) on the pipes to move the pipes away from the body and sticking in a little piece of foam to hold them there helps stop the rattle (or at least make it less)

Many thanks for that. I've given it a good look over and its definitely not coming from there.
Its coming from the engine itself. The more I rev the engine the quicker the ticking sound gets (Until the noise of the engine drowns it out or it maybe it stops above a certain rev).
When I rev excessively and then stop reving (Letting it drop back down to idle) the ticking kicks in again before it gets to idle speed.

Any further thoughts anyone?

Ah right, (though you meant you could hear a rattily sound) to be honest that just sounds like the high pressure fuel pump ticking (The round block on the top of the engine) They do have a characteristic "tick, tick, tick, sound. I can't say that I can hear it from inside the car though.