First Dabble into Shedding | MK1 Skoda Octavia TDI

[LukeyP_]

Howaboutthis said:

A great car, yours looks identical to Mrs H's one which has 250k or so miles on it. That's about as far as the moon. It needed a new clutch a few years ago, we replaced the dual mass original with a regular one to no ill effect, and a brake caliper needed changing. Both front window regulators broke at different times, but that seems not unusual for veedub parts. It didn't turn a hair when a quarter tank or so of unleaded was put in, I think it just cleaned out the engine. Not recommended, of course, but I kept it topped up with diesel and added a tiny drop of two-stroke oil for extra lubrication. You are doing very well to get 65 mpg, we got 55 on a run not long ago which ain't bad. Hmmm, it's coming up to oil and filter time again. They can swallow an extraordinary amount of stuff, and hardy people have been known to sleep in the back with the seats down. Happy motoring!

That's really interesting to know....love seeing what mileage these cars can get to.

Is yours a 1.9TDI 110 too? And what mileage did the clutch go? Mine doesn't seem too bad, I am presuming it's the original. Window regulator has gone on the back but it's taped up for now to keep window up, I may fix it during the summer.

Out of interest - how can you tell if brake caliper need doing? As I'm starting to wonder if mine is a bit dodgy on the front.

I am using this car as a learning curve to teach myself car maintenance if you like.

[Howaboutthis]

Yep, TDI 110hp, a nice simple reliable and robust engine. They do like half-decent synthetic oil of the right spec though, changed at the correct intervals. Oil changes are not too difficult, the filter is very easy to get at. I don't remember at what milage the clutch went, maybe 180K or so, the poor thing soldiered on with a slipping clutch for quite a while though. The calliper issue was spotted by the NCT (MOT), I think it got pads and discs at the same time, don't let the pads get too low or they will chew up the disks. I just remembered, it got new shocks at the back a while ago, that did make it feel better to drive. The car test is coming up soon and someone pointed out a parking light gone, I must see to that. Anyway, I think you have a fine car there, happy motoring.

[LukeyP_]

Howaboutthis said:

Yep, TDI 110hp, a nice simple reliable and robust engine. They do like half-decent synthetic oil of the right spec though, changed at the correct intervals. Oil changes are not too difficult, the filter is very easy to get at. I don't remember at what milage the clutch went, maybe 180K or so, the poor thing soldiered on with a slipping clutch for quite a while though. The calliper issue was spotted by the NCT (MOT), I think it got pads and discs at the same time, don't let the pads get too low or they will chew up the disks. I just remembered, it got new shocks at the back a while ago, that did make it feel better to drive. The car test is coming up soon and someone pointed out a parking light gone, I must see to that. Anyway, I think you have a fine car there, happy motoring.

Thanks

I hope yours soldiers on too.

[LukeyP_]

Starting to wish I had played cambelt roulette now for a bit longer.

When fixing the turbo pipe on Wednesday, one my neighbours (who is a mechanic) said the coolant was low and possible the garage didn't top up after the water pump change. I topped it up, took a picture and could hardly see the metal prongs inside of the header tank. Since then, I have done circa 120 miles and checked the coolant again this morning, I can see more of the prongs again.

So....I have a leak. It's just a matter of working out where now, given it was absolutely spot on before the cambelt change - I am thinking it's more the water pump causing the issues. If it was to be the HG then I think it's game over for the car.

[Its Just Adz]

I hope its OK, great topic so far.
Ive just bought myself a "shed" mk1 octavia estate, going to do a thread next week.

[LukeyP_]

Its Just Adz said:

I hope its OK, great topic so far.
Ive just bought myself a "shed" mk1 octavia estate, going to do a thread next week.

Ah I shall look forward to seeing that

[LukeyP_]

OK, so since having my timing belt replaced (really wish I had not bothered) I have had a few issues with the car. I'd really like peoples thoughts around this if possible...

1. Fuel pump was slightly out but this was fixed.
2. Coolant issues
3. Turbo pipe came off

Items 1 and 3 are now fixed, can't fault that.

On Saturday morning, after leaving the car stood for a couple of days - I checked coolant to find it had dropped again (2nd time in 3 weeks). Started it up and the coolant light started flashing, which I expected.

Now I am trying to narrow down what the issue could be and I'm thinking it could be air in the system, although the header tank is the highest point of the system. So I did the following;

1. Started it up, with coolant cap off.
2. Let the car get upto temperature, with the air vents/heating on full and varied the revs.
3. After 25 minutes, the car was at 90 degrees and coolant had risen.
4. The heater inside was FLAT COLD though, no heat coming through.
5. I started to squeeze the pipes into the car - flow and return and the pipe did start to get warmer.
6. Topped up the coolant and left the engine running

The car then was getting nice and toasty again, left it for a good 10 minutes and remained warm throughout. Yesterday, I took it for a run and left the car running whilst i nipped into B&Q (wife was in the car!) and the heaters remained warm - usually when stopping, they went cold.

Have I fixed the issue? Was it just an airlock that causing me to loose coolant?

I am not a mechanic, nor technically minded but I am trying my best to teach myself and learn it as I go along. One person on a Skoda group said it sounds like early signs of a head gasket, but not sure I am fully on-board with that given these issues have only started since the belt was changed.

Any advice appreciated. I will obviously keep eye on the coolant in the meantime, garage are aware but given my not so great experience - I'd rather fix it myself first.

Cheers

[steveo3002]

keep an eye on it for now...if headgasket id suspect running problems or if its leaking then puddles under the car or witness marks on the engine/rad

[LukeyP_]

Quick update.

Dropped car into garage to mainly check if I had a water pump issue from the recent belt change but all reported back okay. Mechanic said he couldn’t find a trace of any leaks whatsoever, but ever since I had the belt changed I had been loosing coolant every 10 days and mixture of rubbish heating going cold occasionally.

He couldn’t find any obvious leaks but did change the thermostat which seems to have resolved my heating problem now. He flushed e matrix out and did see deposits of some Radweld stuff so it’s quite possible the change of coolant as upset the radiator maybe and this is where I have a leak, but going to monitor for the next week or so.

The head gasket has been tested and that’s all okay too. He did feel the radiator and it was flat cold, so that’s been bled and a lot of air did come out of it apparently. Took the car for a good 30 mile run yesterday, got to 90 quicker and maintained there, with heating staying nice and hot throughout - if anything too warm ha ha. I also really worked the turbo as been cutting out a lot and over the 30 miles, it didn’t cut out once. I did read the vanes stick more when the engine is cold and I’m wondering if the thermostat was meaning the engine was cold, so it was cutting out more but yesterday pulled much better and maintained boost - who knows.

£20 for replacement thermostat so for now, I’ll hopefully be able to enjoy it for a good few months again.

[Gallons Per Mile]

An Italian tune-up will work wonders. Mine gets one fairly often and always feels more eager to accellerate afterwards. It must clear out a good chunk of soot from the turbo/exhaust/inlet and alow the engine to breathe a bit easier.

[NGRhodes]

I think all you can do is keep on eye on things, as you are cover the obvious sources of water loss.

Could it be purely co-incidence that your cooling issues happened at similar time to the cambelt change ?

[LukeyP_]

Gallons Per Mile said:

An Italian tune-up will work wonders. Mine gets one fairly often and always feels more eager to accellerate afterwards. It must clear out a good chunk of soot from the turbo/exhaust/inlet and alow the engine to breathe a bit easier.

What do you consider as part of an Italian tune up?

[LukeyP_]

NGRhodes said:

I think all you can do is keep on eye on things, as you are cover the obvious sources of water loss.

Could it be purely co-incidence that your cooling issues happened at similar time to the cambelt change ?

It does seem a bit odd doesn’t it - guy said you’ll be fine now, but made me wonder why you’d say that if you couldn’t find any obvious leaks too. I dunno, I’m hopeful that’s the end of it now - the car was running superb before all of this. I’m determined to get to 200k.

[Gallons Per Mile]

LukeyP_ said:

What do you consider as part of an Italian tune up?

Lead foot on slip roads, extended periods of WOT if possible

LukeyP_ said:

couldn’t find any obvious leaks

Do you have an EGR cooler on yours? I'm guessing probably not as it's the 110 PD, but worth a check. They're known to leak, and they're well hidden down behind the inlet manifold. Other than that, check expansion tank and cap.

LukeyP_ said:

I’m determined to get to 200k.

Me too, I've got ~32k left to go

[LukeyP_]

LukeyP_ said:

couldn’t find any obvious leaks

Do you have an EGR cooler on yours? I'm guessing probably not as it's the 110 PD, but worth a check. They're known to leak, and they're well hidden down behind the inlet manifold. Other than that, check expansion tank and cap.

Not sure to be honest, mine is not a PD though - it's a 110 ASV non-PD engine

Had the cap replaced too yesterday.

[Gallons Per Mile]

Ahh no worries, thought it was a PD.

Hopefully the cap will solve it

[LukeyP_]

Got home tonight to find coolant residue over the engine.

Now I know coolant can do that when you’ve got HG issue but mine was tested on Friday and is apparently ok. The level is past the marker though so could that cause it to go over? I’m starting to get really annoyed now - I’ll never touch the garage again who did the timing belt now.

[Demelitia]

LukeyP_ said:

Got home tonight to find coolant residue over the engine.

Now I know coolant can do that when you’ve got HG issue but mine was tested on Friday and is apparently ok. The level is past the marker though so could that cause it to go over? I’m starting to get really annoyed now - I’ll never touch the garage again who did the timing belt now.

I’d see if you can find a local indie garage with a half decent reputation that has pressure testing gear. The only concern being that if the garage you’ve used for the belt did indeed find radweld that it might spring another leak somewhere, or make existing leaks worse if they overdo it.
Have you tried using talc or similar as a tracing medium? Sprinkle it on likely sources and go for a quick run to see if any of it has been wet by a leak.
If the heater matrix is leaking you can usually smell it and your windscreen would probably be steaming up instead of clearing when airflow was directed there.

[LukeyP_]

Demelitia said:

I’d see if you can find a local indie garage with a half decent reputation that has pressure testing gear. The only concern being that if the garage you’ve used for the belt did indeed find radweld that it might spring another leak somewhere, or make existing leaks worse if they overdo it.
Have you tried using talc or similar as a tracing medium? Sprinkle it on likely sources and go for a quick run to see if any of it has been wet by a leak.
If the heater matrix is leaking you can usually smell it and your windscreen would probably be steaming up instead of clearing when airflow was directed there.

I’m going to take it to my mums cousin who is a mechanic. I never asked him to do belt as he stays away from bigger jobs now and stays on the smaller easier ones.

Not tried everything like that yet, i was hoping he had filled it too much or the coolant was weak it’s boiling too easy or something.

Heater matrix all seems okay tbh.

[LukeyP_]

Ok so a bit of an update...

Had a good chat with my mums cousin today, he advised from what I have described the system still has air in it somewhere. He had similar on a Passat, same engine a few years ago and took weeks to get rid of the excess air. I also mentioned it to the other garage about the traces of coolant over the engine and he advised he did spill a bit as he was pouring out of a 20L drum (think I believe that) and that's where the specs could be from.

Took car out earlier and then let it get upto 90 on the drive, no signs of any leak anywhere and the levels remained the same throughout. When I took off the cap this morning, the level did rise a little bit which indicates there is air somewhere in the system and when running again, it did drop back down. I'm just going to bear with it for the next couple of weeks, will try and bleed the system - give the pipes a squeeze and ensure everything is getting warm and see where my coolant lies then. Since Friday when it was refilled I don't think I have lost coolant, so that is good sign I guess.

Will keep this updated, but the coolant is nice and pink still so no issues as far as I'm aware with oil cooler or HG.