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Morning all, hope your all well? So.. I've had another look! Yesterday I took the under tray off and started back from the basics, checking everything again! Nothing underneath (thank god!) took the air box off and thought, although it's running ok, I'm gunna check the plugs.... Number 1 & 2 were a bit loose 🤦. Although loose it was running fine, so I've tightened them up, let it sit overnight and I'm currently sat in the rapid on the drive after a cold start, basking in the fresh smelling air! Hopefully that is that! (She's taking it to work this morning and has a far more capable nose than me! 😄) Now second guessing myself about tightening 1 & 2, 3 &4 were fine... Honest 😄 Anyway, with what is hopefully an end to the small saga I'd like to thank you all for every bit of help you've sent, and taking the time out to red and respond to my ramblings! I've learnt a lot over these last few posts, so it has not been in vain! Many thanks again all 👍👍

Well, I'm not one to hide from my errors and who knows, it may help someone else someday as the fact it was running fine was a bit of a mask. The good lady has returned and reported no smells today so fingers crossed thats that 🙂

Solar diverter for hot water can be very beneficial - but it all depends on individual circumstances. Our solar array was installed when batteries were prohibitively expensive so we had a diverter installed (Solar iBoost). Most years we have able to turn off the gas off in early May and back on in late October; with only two or three times when we need to manually switch on the immersion for half an hour. Our ancient gas space and water heating have what appear to me as very large flames on both of the pilot lights which at current prices I have calculated to cost us about £200/yr on their own! So, the solar diverter gives us zero gas consumption for almost 6 months of the year and near free heating of the water. Those benefits of the solar diverter are very welcome indeed, the downside is that it now makes the ROI of a battery less inviting because we already have a significant saving. Having said that, when we change the heating system (this year) and potentially swapping Mrs Steve's CitiGo for a small EV, installing a battery may well become a more attractive proposition (unless we use the EV as the battery to power the house during peak times). Oh for the simplicity of my childhood days with a coal fire and Baxi boiler 😉

I have a couple of old cars waiting for either repair or spares. I normally keep batteries charged in them for moving them about but if I forget and they get low the alarms start going off. On one the siren goes off but on the other its just flashing lights. either the siren has failed or its been disabled some how. There may be a way to cut siren until you get it fixed. Found battery replacement on here as long as the circuit board isnt damaged. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/458298-alarm-siren-battery-replacement/

NB. failing battery resulting in very low voltages CAN cause the alarm to trigger - this is a protection against the alarm being disabled by disconnecting the vehicles battery while the alarm is armed.

Thanks @JR RS I was able to get a good deal in the end, for anyone else, RPM have an eBay shop where this was discounted to £119 but was able to submit an offer plus I noticed that it’s free postage on eBay also which is not the case via their website

Actuators are like muscles, use them or loose them. Thanks. AG Falco

Meant to add check the voltage on your battery first. A low battery can cause all manner of faults. Just realised you have it on charge. Worth checking voltage anyway. Alasdair

My mk2 1.9tdi used to do the same. It was the wastegate that was sticking and causing overboost. I lubricated mine and manually operated until it was smooth and it hasnt done it again since. When it did happen if I turned engine off and back on again it reset and warning light disappeared until next time. It used to happen very randomly. Alasdair

Thanks for the suggestions.

So previously turning the headlights on brought up all sorts of warnings. Depends on the lengths and quality of the diagnostics - they may be correct or parts cannon firing off. A good conscientious diagnostics auto-electrician may find differently or more or he may not. Your local Dealership might be different but I'd not trust our local Dealership to be too thorough with diagnostics. A place that deals with motorsport cars can sometimes be better with sorting things. Cluster repair, cloning, is possibly dealt with more in the 'Fabia Projects' and 'Performance & Tuning Upgrades' forums, you could have a look, how much relates to NI I've no idea. Good luck.

Well, that's torn it. I think it's the humidity but in the time it took me to get vise grips on the flexy hex and crack that flare my hands were DONE. But this is cool, now I've done one and the 'fluid' is falling out I feel like I'm just a paint marker, a couple of flare fittings, and 3 bolts away from getting the axle out! I really need to park this and finish my solar panel frame because all the wood bits are in the middle of my garage and I'm going to break a leg climbing over them.

They should be fine; although I would probably recommend the Draper Rewind tool - better quality: https://www.tooltime.co.uk/products/draper-brake-caliper-wind-back-tool-with-right-hand-thread-dr-74289

Thanks for getting back to us with what you think was the root cause - lots of people would just have ran away and hidden!

"A great mind once said 'I'm not going to modify it'. And for he was right. For he was not going to modify it... someone else was going to do it for him!" Well with the Darkside Octi being stripped for bits because I've moved on (And sort of partly a blessing because ULEZ area and that car wouldn't have been a good mix!) I stepped up a bit and landed a very decent 2017 face lift VRS estate. It's very clean, low miles and it's been looked after really well. I had always been a bit meh about autos, but with such a heavy clutch in the old Octi and the M25 being stop-start all the time during home time from work, I thought I'd have another look at them. Took a bit of adjustment, but I'm quite liking it now. Not really used the paddles or the semi-auto with the stick, just slipped it into D and went on my way. Because it was so clean underneth and hardly any rust at all, I thought this would be the best time to try out this Lanogaurd I see posted everywhere online. So washed the under carrage, dried it out with the blower and set to work with the spray bottle. People didn't lie when they said it smells like wet sheep... Will report back next year and see if there's any change or difference. Other than that, I know I always say I'm not going to modify it to my parents... bbuuutttt... I did say *I* wasn't going to mod it, someone else will 😂

Not dead: Started new job in mechanics, after ditching IT support for the last 7 or so years. Enjoying it much more. VRS still going strong. Did have to change the water pump and timing belt, as the pump didn't want to be a pump anymore. Other than that, the Rotiforms suffering from stone chips and the rear creaks/groans over some bumps. DSG service soon which I can do at my new place of work, bonus having access to a four post ramp. Visited the Retro Cave/Retro Collective which the car went down well at. A handful of track days at Donnington and Snetterton without issue. Other than having the underside treated/sealed, don't have much plans lined up for it. Working on another wrap design currently for future use, may also change the wheels when that happens. So, just keeping it clean, looking after it. Knocking on wood, still not using oil yet 🤐

The Renault 5 continues to be a much desired car despite its shortcoming ie principally the lack of rear seat space. I echo what they say as below, granddaughter, just under 2, repeats "Yellow Car, yellow car" multiple times when I visit in it, Red Scenic, nothing. I think the new Polo aka ID2 will also be a big hit and it is not as compromised in the rear seats and boot as the 5. Hope for VW sake it is as the ID3, 4, and 5 does not seem to have had the fan fair so let us home for European workers sake the electric Polo does do well. "Of all the cars you could drive to catch other folks' eyes at present, Bentley or Lamborghini included, a Pop Yellow 5 creates the most interest. Maybe a passing Ferrari F40 would excite some people more, but the 5 attracts all classes. I'm becoming quite used to returning to my car in the street, getting it started, then pausing because somebody has cantered across the road and tapped on the window, wanting to know more. Maybe it won't last. After all, 5.5 million original 5s were sold even before the Supercinq took over in 1985. The new baby EVs will surely become an awfully common sight, especially if backed by Westminster. But for now, it's everyone's darling." Autocar15,000 miles later: The truth about the Renault 5 | AutocarRetro-infused electric supermini is as good to live with as it is to look at

Your starter battery is almost certainly faulty, if, as you say it is only 1 year old and you have checked the battery terminals for tightness, I suggest having the battery tested to confirm condition and claiming for replacement on warranty.

There is a Launch OBDII reader that will reset the service lights for sure. Costs about £130 on Amazon. Launch equipment is well regarded in the trade. The YouTube I linked should work on all Skoda with digital dash as the electronics is very similar.

I have no intention of using a pirate device I didn't even know that the device suggested by sub zero was pirate i just thought it was an honest suggestion, I'd much rather the correct OBD2 for my car but no one seems to know one that would work. So thanks Warrior193 for letting me know!! Thanks Quetz

It's worth getting the workshop manual for your car. I have one for mine and it's come in handy numerous times - far beyond the initial problem it was bought to fix!

I think it's Camioneta which basically means 'van'... So guessing it's some form of commer camper conversion

Another couple of rarities.........

Hello all! It’s been 13 years since my last post on the Fabia forums, and I am now the owner of a 2010 ŠKODA Superb. I have done some mods already, coilovers, headunit, anti-roll bars and some engine stuff, I’ll list that in a moment, my question is, I have a base map loaded into the vehicle to suit the current mods but I am after somewhere that can rolling road the car and give it a more custom map, details of mods below: It currently has a Falcon hybrid turbo (sold as stage 3 - what does that even mean anyway?) a Audi TTRS aluminium intercooler, Darkside Aluminium radiator, 4 BAR Map sensor, Fuel metering valve upgrade (in pump), I have a hardpipe kit and silicone hose kit to fit, Downpipe and an organic clutch fitted. Is there an option for switchable maps? Can anybody advise? Thank you.

That is the exact one I have on my FWD 220 - fits great, sounds good, no drone at all. More details on my build thread here. Comparison video of the sound differences....

Replace the sensor

With oil in coolant and bubbles hopefully its easy to spot where its gone. As said get head checked for cracks in case its leaking there. Alasdair

You need a combustion Leak test as a bare minimum. Suspect oil is bypassing and getting into the cooling system....which means new cylinder head gasket most likely. Also do a borescope to check for coolant in the cylinders too (by pressuring the header tank and finding which one is leaking into the cylinders)

Piston rings being stuck is a thing; especially if the oil hasn't been changed regularly enough. Some TDI's are known for this. First thing I would do is: get a borescope examination done of the cylinders. Then get a compression test done of each cylinder. For the low pressure light to come on, it would point to me that either there isn't enough pressure being made in the block, you have a blown PCV valve or the Turbo is bypassing oil (through worn bearings). None of this is terminal - the only thing that is terminal is if the cylinder walls are heavily scored, then either its a rebore/oversized piston time or new short-block time.

I'm running 245/40r19 tyres on 19x8.5 ET35 rims. Lowered 25mm on Eibach Pro-kit springs, factory DCC shocks. No issues at all.

Things I would be checking; leaking injectors, failing or intermittent O2 sensors and a blocked GPF. Also the basics; air filter and whether the car is using oil or coolant too.

The flats on the top of the shocks are very narrow so hard to get a good grip on to oppose the nut. I tried penetrant, fire, penetrant, ice spray, fire, and violence which achieved nothing. So I had a go at the other end with an entirely normal arrangement of bars. Both sides have had that nut wound off, and if I lightly jack the axle (which maybe I can spell) then the bolt will come out. I've left both bolts in for now because I've not worked out how to drop the axle and I don't want it hanging all the weight on the torsion bar nonsense. This image currently has me beat: We've got two wheels at the back and a feed from the front which should lead to 3 connections for brakes. We have 4, whyyyyyyyyy. One of the hoses loops down to the lower junction for the flexy you can see which loops over to the wheel on the right of the image. Another hose goes up over the tank and vanishes, apparently reappearing a way down the beam where it goes though a flexy for some reason and then hardlines all the way to the wheel in the left hand side of the picture. If I undo the union between the flexy and hardline right in the middle of the photo then the right hand (in the image) wheel will be disconnected from the brake system but the left hand one won't and I can't yet figure out what to undo to liberate it :/ I have not put any spanners on the main bolts that attach the axle to the chassis. I'll get there.

I popped off the rubber cap from the RH top mount (which split, yay) and found this underneath. I've poked at it a bit with a screw driver and I THINK there's a nut in there somewhere. After more digging and a bit of wire wheel, there may even be a suggestion of THREADS! I'm sure the LHS will be in much better condition... Sort of possibly saveable... They're soaking in some de-blocker xl (idk) very expensive penetrant stuff now. I did stick a 17mm socket on one and give it a wiggle, but obviously it's all rubber mounted.. I think there's supposed to be flats on the top of the post so I'll try and clean them up, I expect we put a wrench on that flat and one on the nut and oppose them to back the nut off. Off to youtube to find out. I'm wondering if I should get new shock absorbers for this or explore going straight to coil overs... I'm not sure how much space there is in those towers. Probably just new shocks so it rides nice and standard. I don't really want to have to go specialist insurance for this thing.

Ok, it snowed last night and was freezing this morning but it wasn't actually RAINING so the car got seen momentarily. No great shakes, but plans need to be made. I build another wee plate to avoid crushing the sill lip ridge thingy at the bottom and jacked the other side of its bum in the air The jack my neighbour has perma-loaned me is SOOOOOOO nice to use. It's mostly brake I think that are going to be the hassle, like what the hell is THIS mess? Some kind of proportioning system? I THINK these two chunky lads running under the tank are the handbrake, but I can follow them back and see where they go, I hoped I can get them off at the front and and bring them out with the axle. So I think I will undo the tops of the suspension, crack these bolts holding the axel to to the chassis, figure out where there brakes split and drain them, then hopefully the whole rear axel, brakes, hubs and suspension should be able to wriggle out from underneath. Then we can get the tank and filler out and get to fixing up the sill rears and anything under the bed that needs love. I'm SO happy to have laid hands back on this thing. I also stuck the GSXR on the battery tender, because it's almost time for that insanity to start back up.

If you have already posted about changing your radio it would have been better to post in the same thread rather than starting a new thread without context!

Interesting but meaningless post as there's no context. Why will you buy this part (whatever it is)? What vehicle do you have, etc.?

Don't know either. But my Kodiaq mild hybrid does it too.