TimAce

Hi All I was wondering if I could pick your brains and get some advice on changing the Alternator in a Skoda Fabia vRS 55 reg engine code ASZ. The current Alternator is a Valeo 14 Volt 90 amp effort and is currently making a really rattly, clicking and grinding noise at times (confirmed by the screw driver test), ussually after it has warmed up. It is still giving a charge and no warning lights have come up, the noise comes and goes however is definatley getting worse and guessing it maybe the bearings on their way out. I have found a new replacement alternator same model in fact and am keen to change it myself as the actual part is only held on by three bolts and looks easy enough to change. But I am not entirely sure how the tensioner pulley works on the auxillary belt and was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers before I dive in and change it... Cheers in advance Tim

my Vrs doesn't sound as bad as yours but was cutting out after glowing and turning the key. I changed the glow plugs and it starts instantly although will be trying cold starts over the week, so will let you know. But would second glow plugs assuming they are old/original.

Yes the cupra bushes fit to the back of the front wishbone (console bush) and the powerflex fits to the front of the wishbone. You can get a powerflex insert for your existing console bushes however these really aren't rated. They slip into the existing Skoda bush however just as easily slip back out again, well covered on here. You can also replace the bushes on the anti roll bar on the front with powerflex ones however I wouldn't reckon its worth doing unless the originals are worn. Well as for labour charges I still think that is good for garages around here especially with all the necessary kit (Bosch etc). Two months ago the car was in for a service at a Skoda dealer and they wanted £180 (with parts) just to change the console bushes and that would have meant like for like replacement more or less (probably failing in a couple of years and poorer handling).

Labour was 1 hour a side at £62.50 an hour (two hours in total). Which I didn't think was too bad.

Again I don't know my stuff, but I do have a Fab Vrs and that recently had its full service 80K which included a diesel filter change, seemed a bit happier at starting but then I never had the problems you are having. It might be worth a look though as it could be clogged up or one of the pipes to it might be pinched? But seems strange it only happens in the mornings if it was that. Also Rob. mentioned the glow plugs, it is colder this time of year (but then if you have turned the key and waited for the light to go out several times that would probably dispel that theory?)

Hello, thank you for all your comments. Well picked the car up yesterday afternoon, have to say I am very pleased :yes: . Firstly I can notice slightly more engine noise but certainly nothing to worry about, especially as thats what Diesel's are all about anyway. It is worth noting that the old bushes were fairly shot, from my experience with this there is a marked improvement, seems alot sharper especially round corners and as Matt commented more accurate. Also the front seems more solid when going over humps and on uneven roads. No I didn't use Unit18 mainly beacuse they are not local to me. I sourced the Cupra bushes from a local Seat dealer and bought the powerflex from Awesome GTI (who were very quick). Then asked a good local independent garage to fit them, who were happy to do this as they had just recently bought the tools do this job (all at reasonable labour charges). Though I suspect there are better mods to be had I think this is more than worthwhile if your original bushes need replacing (which I suspect a fair few out there do), as they will need replacing whatever (can fail MOT on worn bushes).

Having the Seat Cupra console bushes and Powerflex bushes fitted today. Looking forward to seeing how it is like afterwards. Though hoping there isnt too much cabin noise from the mod... :S

Hello all... Wanted to pick your brains really. I've got a Fabia Vrs 55 plate, which has developed a frustrating problem with the air con. It starts with a hissing sound from where it sounds like its coming from the centre vents well inside the dash. At this point the aircon becomes less and less effective until finally (after a few days) gives up working altogether. When it first happened in May the car was under an AA warranty and went to an independent garage they had recommended. They regassed the system (£80) and said it should be fine after that. However about six weeks later the annoying hissing sound from behind the dash started again and yet again the system slowly but surely ceased to work. After phoning the AA I was sent back to the garage and I explained at great length what had happened etc, they said it wouldn't be anything behind the dash and would track the problem, Upon picking the car up they said they had found the problem which was a damaged or perished seal near the air con radiator, changed this and topped up the gas and that it should be fine. Again the air con worked very well for a while.. however the annoying hissing sound returned and slowly but surely the air con stopped working. The car has since had a service at a Skoda garage and they confirmed that the system has lost all of its gas. My warranty has since expired with the AA. The Skoda garage said also that it wouldn't be anything behind the dash but said the only way would be to regas it and trace the leak. I am concerned that I will have to fork out for another regass which will get lost into the atmosphere with the system still not working. Sorry for the long post... but I was wondering if any of you guys had suffered the same problem and what the cure was. Or suggestions for the best course of action. Thanks Tim

I hope I've posted in the correct place... This is an excellent guide I feel sorely tempted to have a go at doing this to myself,it looks do able. Would probably be replacing the front bushes with the powerflex ones at the same time. The car has just had a service and the Skoda garage recommended that the console bushes were changed sooner rather than later, however they quoted £170+ to fit which would be the replacement Skoda ones with the 4 voids.... Anyway I was wondering if anyone on here had the console bush fitting tool available for loan or to buy. I am based near Junction 9 M25. Many thanks Tim

yep I've had the rear swimming pool too. Sorted a while ago thanks to vrstu helpful guide on his site. So touch wood, but it has been water tight since.

Thankyou for all your help. I have had some success, locating the rattle, it is the bonnet on the drivers side. It is currently packed with half a packet of blu tack. But will look for a better cure at the weekend. I am pleased to have found it, its so annoying. I think I will take peoples advice on the bouncing tick-over, get a TB allignment done and if thats not the cure, just accept it. Especially as from what everyone has said on here, its so common on the 16v and it doesn't happen very often.

Wow, thankyou for all your speedy replies. Engine is a 2001, AUB, the throttle body was cleaned back in July so I'm assuming thats not the problem. Although TB allignment maybe worth looking at, but don't have vag-com?! Cam-belt was changed in July also at 54,000 miles from comments on here regarding this engine it couldn't have come sooner. The bouncing tick over happens every now and then but as you mentioned tag1 uk it seems to be when warmed up. I am aware that one of my rear bushes is beginning to ware, which is no surprise on a 7 year old car. I don't think its that. The sound really does seem to be coming from the front end of the car, on the drivers side, quite high up in the corner of the car, behind the dash somewhere. Maybe just below the front window pillar area. I can't ignore this one its so irritating... I will definately have a look at the steering column cover, I do hear the noise when cornering also. There is actually a part on this car that you can use a philips screw driver on, wow. Fingers crossed it is this. I'm also going to have a look at the bonnet in that area, as that could be the culprit. Any more suggestions much appreciated...

Hello, Not overly happy with my car at moment :(. I have intermittent bouncing tick over every now and again, I've tried a serach on here about it. Many have said it might be the Throttle body allignment or the coolant temp sensor. Has anyone found a cure for this, which one cures it. I don't have VAG com to adjust the TB. Also as have a rattling noise coming from the drivers side of the dash and its not ignorable. I can confirm its not the instrument pod, the door card, fuse box cover. Rollbar and drop links are fine. I've run out of ideas for this one. Whatever it is rattles when the car is running over uneven ground and at most speeds, although don't hear it on the motorway. Any help would be appreciated:) Tim

hello, The engine takes an absolute age to warm up and its a slow change from the display gauge (sometimes rising, then dropping, or even staying in middle position). It has been noisier to drive and grough, normally smooth/refined. Last couple of days I've had problems when starting as the engine was juddering with revs fluctuating to almost zero and then coming back 950ish rpm idle, only way to stop this happening was to turn it over again. So problems seem to have got worse from noticing the gauge problem a couple of weeks ago. Its at the Skoda garage today, they've had a look and apparentley the thermostat housing has fallen to bits (covered quite often on here for older Fabia's with the 1.4 MPI) and the water pump is knackered, so its not going to be the cheapest repair. I also had a knocking noise from the front end, which I had been putting off, but this is being looked at as well. I've already had the ARB replaced in Feb '06 so thats newish and all was well for a while, then more knocking/clonking gggrrrrhhh. They've said drop-links need replacing so there being done, so hope this cures it. Its been a catalogue of problems, Power steering sensor failed a year ago, so occasionly power steering would cut out, handbrake rachet wouldn't hold so that had to be replaced, Air conditioning stopped working-faulty evap sensor. So I'm wondering what next...? Overall I still think the Fabia is a nice car though. If anyones interested, I'll keep you posted.

Thankyou for your reply vrsfab. Is the thermostat an easy DIY job or is it one for the dealers?

Hello all, I'm new to this forum, I hope I've posted in the correct place. I've got a Fabia 1.4 8v and a couple of weeks ago I started having problems with the temperature gauge, which from reading many posts about it on this forum, seems to be a common fault. Sometimes the needle not registering anything at all, other times moves up to halfway but then falls back again. So after searching on here I saw ap0gee vbmenu_register("postmenu_757730", true); extremeely helpful/clear guide on how to change the Temp sender http://www.briskoda.net/forums/maintenance-performance/fabia-coolant-temp-sensor-how/66180/ I got the part 06A919501 temperature sender and this morning set out about fitting it. All went in with no problems, thanks to the top notch guide. Took the car out for a test drive, the temp gauge did nothing for a ages, after about 15 mins of driving showed some life almost the 1st notch but then fell back,stopped for petrol and it was at halfway but then fell back again. Stopped off for 5 mins then set off, the gauge was at half way for a while but then fell back down gain and then went to halfway. The gauge still doesn't seem quite right. Does the computer need resetting after putting in a new part or should it work ok anyway? Unfortunately I don't have a Vag-Com. Or is it something else wrong with car, thermostat maybe? Is it worth taking it to the dealers for them to look at it.