Change head gasket? Skoda Fabia 2002 1.4 8V MPI

[Alexandru]

Actually, it does suck a bit with the engine idling. Should I use a vacuum meter to check the value ?

[Alexandru]

These are the only faults I'm getting since 2013. My pre-cat lambda probe heater is pretty tired. I've tried once to repair it, it held for a while, but less than two months. It's a shot resistor.

 

 

3 Faults Found:

16514 - Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor B1 S1: Malfunction in Circuit 

            P0130 - 35-00 -  - 

17584 - Bank1: O2 (Lambda) Correction Behind Catalyst: Control Limit Reached 

            P1176 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

16554 - Fuel Trim; Bank 1: Malfunction 

            P0170 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

Readiness: 0010 0001

 

 

I've double checked this morning, both crankcase ventilation hoses are in mint condition. I'd like to have a better mpg, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do this until I'll replace the faulty Oxygen probe. 

TMB, could you recommend me anything else that I should check ?

[KBPhoto]

If you managed 35.8mpg on B roads, that is probably about as good as you are going to get from that engine.

[Alexandru]

It can easily do 45 to 48 mpg, according to the traffic conditions and using or not the ac.

[KBPhoto]

Blimey!

 

SWMBO's can't get above 34mpg when I kept track of her usage for a few months.

 

Maybe I need to look at her engine...

[Alexandru]

I'd start by checking the tire pressure, jacking up the car and checking if all 4 wheels are spinning easily and there are no sticky brakes. 

[TMB]

TMB, could you recommend me anything else that I should check ?

 

 

Not unless you're having any other problems

 

I wouldn't bother checking with a vacuum gauge. As long as there's suction you should be good.

[Alexandru]

Haha cool! By the way, is there a permanent fix of the water draining hole from under the windscreen wipers, the one from the engine compartment? If I am not checking it, it gets stuck with filth and rain water gets into the car, at the passengers feet and the polen filter has to be replaced.

Edited 26 June, 2015 by Alexandru

[Alexandru]

~150miles after the tank as been filled up, ~220miles left .. ~370miles with a full tank ?

[TMB]

Haha cool! By the way, is there a permanent fix of the water draining hole from under the windscreen wipers, the one from the engine compartment? If I am not checking it, it gets stuck with filth and rain water gets into the car, at the passengers feet and the polen filter has to be replaced.

 

Not sure Alex, I've never had a problem with that up to now.

 

I think I get around 300 miles a tank around town but it's far better on a long motorway run.

[Alexandru]

My journey is over now, I'm back home. These are my thoughts with a fully serviced 15 years old car. Going on B roads without AC and with speeds that didn't exceed 50-55mph, with 2 passengers and a full boot, I got about 51mpg. With only 1 passenger, boot almost full, with AC on and driving with 70-75mph, I was getting about 35mpg. That's quite a difference I can say. 

 

offtopic: With a new car, you can feel one or two bumps when opening wide one of the doors. Is there anything I could do to restore that thing?

[TMB]

offtopic: With a new car, you can feel one or two bumps when opening wide one of the doors. Is there anything I could do to restore that thing?

 

You mean the door check strap thingy?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/314587-door-check-strap/

[Taylor93]

I am running around in a 1.4 mpi at the moment and im getting silly fuel economy its in the range of 50mpg.

No engine management light but a fault code reader which does real time measurements reads a fixed 1.2VDC for the lambda which i believe its a rich state so is always trying to lean out the burn hence the fuel economy.

But all 4 spark plugs are a light brown with white patches which shows it is burning lean.

I reckon its a faulty lambda sensor but unplugging it doesnt flag an eml so i could be onto a different fault.

Does yours have anything like that? Id never expect more than 40mpg in one lf these engines to be honest

[Alexandru]

You mean the door check strap thingy?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/314587-door-check-strap/

 

Yep, I was referring about that door arrester. I'm not sure if I should replace it, since it's not broken.

 

I am running around in a 1.4 mpi at the moment and im getting silly fuel economy its in the range of 50mpg.

No engine management light but a fault code reader which does real time measurements reads a fixed 1.2VDC for the lambda which i believe its a rich state so is always trying to lean out the burn hence the fuel economy.

But all 4 spark plugs are a light brown with white patches which shows it is burning lean.

I reckon its a faulty lambda sensor but unplugging it doesnt flag an eml so i could be onto a different fault.

Does yours have anything like that? Id never expect more than 40mpg in one lf these engines to be honest

 

Before starting to replace things, I'd recommend you to run an emissions test. 

[desgithendu]

Which Engine will fit nicely in the Skoda Fabia 1.4 mpi 8v? I need to make an overhaul but with a different Engine. Any suggestions?

[Alexandru]

Have in mind that you might need to replace a lot of things along with the engine, such as transmission components (gear box, driveshafts), electronics (ECU, immo etc) and you might have a few legal issues as well. In my country it's a bit complicated to fit an engine from the same car/model, but with different specs and you need an approval, the car has to be tested on a dyno etc. In some cases, it's cheaper and easier to sell the car, have a few money extra and buy a different car.

[Alexandru]

@TMB: I'm not sure if it is related to that vacuum hose that I've replaced, but it seems that I've lost a few fault codes since I've replaced it.

 

what I was getting:

 

3 Faults Found:

16514 - Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor B1 S1: Malfunction in Circuit 

            P0130 - 35-00 -  - 

17584 - Bank1: O2 (Lambda) Correction Behind Catalyst: Control Limit Reached 

            P1176 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

16554 - Fuel Trim; Bank 1: Malfunction 

            P0170 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

Readiness: 0010 0001

 

--

 

and this is what I've got this morning:

1 Fault Found:

16514 - Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor B1 S1: Malfunction in Circuit 

            P0130 - 35-00 -  - 

Readiness: 0010 0001

 

-

 

 

Should they be related somehow ? I don't get it ...

[TMB]

I wouldn't have thought they'd be related Alex.

[Breezy_Pete]

 

@TMB: I'm not sure if it is related to that vacuum hose that I've replaced, but it seems that I've lost a few fault codes since I've replaced it.

 

what I was getting:

 

3 Faults Found:

16514 - Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor B1 S1: Malfunction in Circuit 

            P0130 - 35-00 -  - 

17584 - Bank1: O2 (Lambda) Correction Behind Catalyst: Control Limit Reached 

            P1176 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

16554 - Fuel Trim; Bank 1: Malfunction 

            P0170 - 35-10 -  -  - Intermittent

Readiness: 0010 0001

 

--

 

and this is what I've got this morning:

1 Fault Found:

16514 - Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor B1 S1: Malfunction in Circuit 

            P0130 - 35-00 -  - 

Readiness: 0010 0001

 

-

 

 

Should they be related somehow ? I don't get it ...

 

 

You had an air leak which was letting fresh air into the inlet, bypassing the throttle, in quantities that would be inversely proportional to engine load (biggest rate of leak at idle with lowest pressure in inlet manifold, smallest leak at WOT when there would be nearly no suction from the manifold). That could easily confuse the ECU and generate some fuel trim issues? 

I think the rates of blow-by (and low oxygen content of it) at idle would mean that the situation would be quite different to this with an intact hose. 

 

Try disconnecting that hose which you replaced, and see if the faults come back, if you are feeling 'experimental'.

[Alexandru]

That makes perfect sense ! My engine is showing a strange symptom for the last few days though. When performing acrobatic moves to leave the work parking lot, it's trying to die. The rpms are dropping to 600 or maybe lower for a fraction of a second when changing gears from reverse to 1st or vice versa, keeping one foot on the brake and one on the clutch and rolling the steering wheel all the way from left to right. It never stalled, there are no error logs that might indicate something really bad. Basically it's just dropping from 1800-2000rpms or anything I'm telling her to do .. to 5-600rpms instead of going into the 800 area, as it should be.

Should I check for another leaking vacuum hose or air leak in the intake system ? 

[Tech1e]

If you have reset the fault codes that will reset the fuel trim (it's an apaptive learned value). Still have an electrical fault with the lambda probe. If you are lucky it's a probs, if you are unlucky the loom has probably sucked up water under the battery area and corroded the loom.