StevesTruck

Can't go wrong at that really. We've had a couple of Luk flywheels not last well in transit flatbeds, bit that could be in part down to how they're treated

Same here My general rule buying cars at this end of the market is to spend half my budget, and save the other half for making sure it's right. I tend to think the only difference between most £1000 cars and most £2000 cars is a wax and polish. I bought a mk2 octavia 1.9 in a hurry back in November, spent about £1000 on the car, and left myself some budget for what it's needed (wheel bearing, header tank, battery, MAF), which is stuff I'd be suspecting most cars it's age would be needing sooner or later anyway. £300 and some spanner time and I'm happy that it doesn't really need anything.

It's got them, it's still terrible.

Having done a couple of 80 mile round trip commutes in the ice and snow in my 2wd 1.9 DSG.... I can see very much the point in the 4wd version. Mine's terrible at winter driving

If I'm doing a stab in the dark, I'd say it's going to be a roller/pulley/tensioner. Did they say were replacing a full kit? Is it worse if you start the engine from cold and stick the headlights on (basically load up the alternator)?

Yep, doing that with it on the car worked well. Thanks chaps

Looks alright. Any radial (clockface) play innit?

Just bear in mind that if you over cook it with the chisel, it's really easy to split the collar that goes around the hub as it's all cast metal.

Thanks folks, should be fairly straightforward then. If I can get into the spline head bolts with a half inch socket set, it should be alright. I've done the ones on the 2k Caddy, but like yours pdmc, that was on the bench because I was replacing all the suspension (250k will do that to a van). I've gone with SKF just because that's what the local factor supplies as their good one. Got to support small businesses and I like being able to take something out of the box and look at it before I spend money.

You should be able to do them with the car on a decent pair of ramps. Give the unions a bath in your favourite release spray the night before and use proper brake/flare nut spanners.

I need to do a front wheel bearing, so I'm doing it the lazy way and changing the bolt on assembly. It's the 4 bolt fixing. Has anyone changed one of these with the hub carrier on the car, or does it need to be taken off the strut and done on the bench?

Before you jack the car up or take the wheel off. Get a mate to stand on the brakes while you slide a pipe over the breaker bar and use it to get the nut cracked off. I use the handle off a 3 tonne jack as an extension and it works every time.

Start by seeing what's not working as well as it should. Boost leaks, intercoolers with holes in, sticky turbo vanes, electronic issues, worn bushes. That might point you in the direction of what to uprate first. I found the rear ARB worked well on my old Ibiza, I'm not so convinced it's doing anything useful on my Fabia

I've never found the Fabia to be too bad at warming up. The SDI Caddy I have is terrible though. Changing the glow plugs and the oil cooler (for other reasons) does seem to have helped it a little. Also don't be tempted to get in and turn the heat all the way up, all you're doing is putting a fan across the heater matrix, which is another radiator. You might as well set it to blow cold, outside air until the coolant has warmed up.

These are what I use. I've got other kinds as well, but I find these sit well and don't twist and slide about. Like wino, I've done a few sets with them. You can grease them or spray them with whatevers lying around the shed before use if you want, it makes things a bit easier.

So, due to a dodgy shoulder, my Fabia vrs is sleeping and I'm using a MK2 Octavia 1.9 diesel DSG. Its poverty spec, hubcaps, balloon tyres, black door handles that you have to put the key in to lock. It is really comfortable for what it is though and it seems happy enough doing 120 miles a day on crap roads. I've done a basic service on it, it's on 180k. Should I change the gearbox oil, or is it best left alone if it's happy?

The fronts don't need winding, they just push straight back. If I'm using a g clamp, I leave an old pad in between it and the pot to protect the caliper pot. Rears wind in clockwise, the cheap tools are fine. I have used a pair of water pump pliers when I've been in a rush and had no choice. I don't recommend it, but it can be done. Just don't fight them if they're seized.

Try popping the hose off the brake servo and see if it releases. The none return valve in the pipe can be known to fail.

Assuming you've got decent tyres with the pressure set right, get your wheel alignment checked.

I'd want to have at least one replacement bottom nut and bolt in hand. They spend their lives covered in crap so expect to have bother getting at least one of them out. Wirebrush them up well and give them a spray of release oil at least the night before you want to take them off.

Crack the bleed nipple off and work slowly.

As above, I'd be tempted to leave it alone unless it really needs it. If you do think it needs doing, give it a spray and leave it alone for a while. Patience is a virtue. You should be able to get a little 6-sided socket in there without a lot of bother, ideally shock it with an impact driver than swinging on it. Make sure you've got a spare bleed nipple to hand if you do decide to take it out.

I believe there's a little more to it with an electric handbrake, not a job I've ever done though. What the dealer's saying doesn't seem unfair as main dealer prices go.

My personal opinion - most cars don't actually need discs on the back, old fashioned drums would be fine, but they put discs on because they look shiney. The flipside of this is that they hardly do any work compared to what they're capable of stopping. Modern cars are built cheap, so they use cheap steel on the discs, which rusts over easily and rips the pads up. We've had this with a caddy van that doesn't do many miles when I put cheap discs on it, I replaced them for a set of (second hand ) Brembo's and it's not been a problem.