D.FYLAKTOS

Have you checked your spark-plugs? Have you installed other type for example Iridium? Have you checked the crank sensor? Connections or dirt beneath it? Have you ever cleaned your injectors?

Still can be found here in Greece. https://kritosparts.gr/part.aspx?expression=6U0121101 https://www.getparts.gr/gates-solinas-psygeioy-vag-513382 https://onparts.gr/index.php?route=product/search&search=6U0121101 Shown some signs before the end or suddenly cut off?

Some months ego my mechanic made a ''pressure test'' and found 2 tiny leaks, tighten the screws but from instinct i went the very next day and a bought a new hose-clamps ''just i case". I had the new radiator hose-clamps from last year in my shelf and in my mind was that in the next coolant change (before summer vacations trip) i will make the replace but the bad luck overtook me. I learned a lesson from this: Don't overtighten the screws of the clamps if there is no serious reason for this. The radiator has another 2 hoses below, i will leave them ''as is'' and i will don't touch their clamp's screws. Here is a yesterday's photo, the engine bay was cleaned this afternoon and i checked for leaks, none was found.

This is a photo from today. The new hose if pushed all the way to the remain of the socket and a new clamp installed, tightened properly although i wanted this clamp few millimetres more to the right. I wonder if i use plastic epoxy putty like this https://www.chatziathanasiou.gr/en/putty/840-permatex-84330.html to ''build'' the whole area and ''bond the hose and the plastic frame of the radiator would be a good idea? Of course this means that the hose would be extremely difficult to be removed even for a repair. This is ''one way only'' solution which means there is turning back, if in the future something goes wrong with the hose then the radiator (and the hose) must be replaced.

I had a spare hose in my self plus new clamps The part code for the hose is 6U0121101 Is already installed with new clamps plus new coolant, the air removed procedure is done plus a road test for some kilometres but the question remains: Will that patent last or i had to make a repair or buy a new radiator? The 3rd solution means at least 200 euros for buying-shipping plus fitting-new coolant etc totally at least 300 euros.

Yes the radiator is from 1999, it's the original.I posted a new one to show you the point were the damage has been made. One thought of mine is to remove that original radiator, go to a local plastic parts-specialist that we have hear to make a ''reconstructed" socket or make an insert from aluminium or bronze so the hose will fit to this. For sure he will use a strong epoxy glue for plastics to hold that insert with the main plastic body of the radiator. When i say ''insert'' i mean something like this Is that i good idea or not?

Here are two photos of what remained from the plastic socket on the radiator's frame. Thankfully it didn't broke deep inside but lets say at 2/5 so some material remained, checked and it's robust. The bad thing is that has not the "protrusion" so there is a danger for the hose after some years to start ''slide'' to the outside and inevitably suddenly will come-off and i will have another road tragedy. I suggested to the mechanic to use some epoxy glue for plastics to the bottom of that remained plastic socket (for extra holding of the hose to that part) and said he didn't agree with that.

Thanks a lot, i will have this in mind for future purchase. Yes i have a new set, at 6100K with 2 functions, straight beam and strobe effect controlled by a switch on the steering wheel plastic column (i will make a new thread as a project for all these extra switches) Sad but i have lost the spring band many-many years ago and i am using inox screw clamp. My theory is: the main hose was old and ''dry'', with all the repairs-coolant changes etc has tightened too many times so all the tension was going to the plastic socket which after 23 years didn't lasted and broke. Here is the old coolant hose, as you can see from the marks was under lot of tension. This side was in the plastic socket of the radiator. The hydraulic oil small plastic tank was removed and the mechanic pushed the new hose as far as he could. New inox screw type clamp, new coolant added, test for leaks (No), road test some kilometres and no leaks, excess air removed, added some antifreeze to the proper level, another road test and no leaks.

The sector that has caused me the majority of problems in my Felicia is the Coolant system. I have repaired or replaced almost everything and one time i had to call the Road Assistance because my car was one click from overheating(the radiator fan was Out). Since this system is my ''nightmare'' i pay attention every day to the temperature gauge in dashboard plus very often i check the connections, signs of coolant leak etc. Thursday noon while i was on the road to work i noticed that the needle raised at 100 'C and first signs of ''smoke'' came out from the grille, my first reactions was a ''Not AGAIN", turn the alarm on, moved to the right and when i cam out i saw this: I was extremely angry not because i would be late at work plus i couldn't imagine the cause of this since i had changed the coolant recently-check the hoses, the clamps, i had a new expansion tank plus new cap etc. I lift the hood and i saw the main coolant house out plus coolant all around he engine bay, bad odour and my first thought was that the clamp get loosed and i can fix it quickly, i wear my glover and made the first try-failed. Again and again but the same result: Failure. Every time the coolant hose was ''popped out'' no matter how tight was the clamp, full of agony i turn my flash light and then i discovered the terrible true, the plastic socket for the hose was broken! Yes, broken! 😵 I put my finger inside the coolant hose and i found the remains, i couldn't believe of what happened and my main question was ''Why?'' Take a look of how it is from a vertical view (photo from a spare parts shop), as you can see it's not something robust (die cast), looks like 2 pieces stuck together. I started to worry, send some photos and an email to my work that i am going to be late, call my Road Assistance and after my mechanic ''make a space to your garage because i am coming". The guy of the RA came and said ''i can't do anything" and load my Felicia to his truck, i took a taxi to go to work and in my mind was ''How this happened'' and ''how i am going to fix this" because i knew that the price for a new radiator is about 200 euros plus the work from the mechanic plus the parts (new hose, new antifreeze etc) and of course many days without a car. (To be continued...)

You can still find TRW-Brembo-ATE-Ferodo-FTE etc for us.

https://caymanautos.co.uk/how-to-prevent-reduce-vw-eos-convertible-roof-leaks/ https://caymanautos.co.uk/common-problems-volkswagen-eos-cabriolet/ I think VW EOS is the ''champion''. Here in Greece every owner has this problem.

If your local "Brake guy" can make you a custom set Braided Brake Hoses (PTFE inner with a stainless steel outerbraid) then in mountain routes you will not have a "sponge feel" after some tough brakings. In Greece we have a wisdom, i can't translate it 100% in proper english but it goes like this: "do not start a work, but if you decide to start it then make it good". If you have the money and original or good quality after market parts then "Go for it". Brakes are life-savers.

The Racing and the DOT 5.1 brake fluids in a ''normal'' car must be replaced every 2 years, the DOT 4 can last 3 years. ''hygroscopic'' is the key word.

You mean this?

It happened to me few years ago, the screws of the hose clamps were a little bit ''loose'' and more air was coming into the throttle. It's not something easy to see, especially in Cold weather there is a tiny material delation.

It was night and i was a little bit desperate, their shape was something like Silica Gel, tough and a little bit ''sharp'' in the edges. They were ''shining'' even in the light of the ceiling lamp and i blame that idiot mechanic which throw them away while washing the expansion tank. I wish i could keep some of them for further examination. My first thought was that a part from the radiator or the thermostat was corroded and produced these. Maybe was that powder from the sealant additive which made a chemical reaction with the Amsoil additive.

Yes but Instant coffee (we call it Frappe here) begins from powder but in this end nothing is left in the bottom of the glass. I change my coolant every 2-3 years and so far i haven't see anything like these ''glitters", was an unpleasant surprise. I have added a little bit of this https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/radiator-stop-leak-p000198.html#2505 as a precaution, so far nothing suspicious inside the plastic tank, no decolourization either.

Yes that's what i ment by the word ''easy'' https://forum.4troxoi.gr/topic/50315/node-50315/15?_=1679859361861 https://www.bmwfans.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=19298 has some drawbacks too.

K-Seal is a liquid and not a pownder. So your ''glitters'' where came from? From corrosion of some part?

If it reduces the weight of the flywheel when releases the gas pedal the revs won't drop so easy as in a normal car.

I could expect a discolourization but ''glitters''? If the car wasn't locked i could say this was a bad joke or some kind of sabotage. Nevertheless there is some sort of ''good thing'' of what happened otherwise those granules would stay somewhere in the circuit stucked causing nothing more than problems.

100 HP from a stock cylinder-piston 8v engine? From an MPI with ECU chip-custom exhaust-air filter 75 HP is already an ''achievement''. For more you need custom camshaft, new pistons and work on the engine block, valves and of course a custom ECU programme. The cost would be enormous but from the other hand a turbo with all the paraphernalia would cost less. I don't know if a mechanic there can fit a Fabia 16V (101HP) to you engine bay but how about an engine swap with 1600cc Felicia (75HP from factory) plus ECU+exhaust+filter?

I have an ECU chip (updated recently), custom exhaust and K&N filter and i got some HP. There are some turbo Felicia but the whole cost is huge (except the turbo-intercooler etc you need gearbox-suspension-rims,tyres etc).

I said to the mechanic ''when you remove the expansion tank check those glitters from what material they are'' but that idiot didn't do it. He throw anything away, completely clean the plastic tank and made a coolant refill. After few days i checked (2 times) thoroughly the plastic tank at night with flash light, to ''glitters'' at all, i also checked the coolant sensor but nothing. The first moments when i discovered this was terrible, i thought for instance that the whole circuit would be full of these detritus and i will start having overheating problems. The best scenario is that due to gravity and after the ''boiling'' procedure all these ''glitters'' have ''depositioned'' to the sides of the expansion tank and stayed there. I would NEVER use such a radiator sealant type again.

Amsoil additive is red colour, my coolant is Blue so maybe the combination turn to Green. No was many years ego and was like these which Yes were like ''dust''. https://autocorner.gr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/fwkia-arexons-skonh.autocorner.gr_.jpg https://www.angelidis.gr/photos/4011.jpg The weird was that i had no ''glitters'' inside the hoses or on the coolant sensor, everything was clear. I checked those ''glitters'' in my palm, were small detritus like some pulverized material. Unfortunately i had no magnet available at that time to see if it was iron.