sleeper77
-
Posts
68 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Shop
Events
Downloads
Posts posted by sleeper77
-
-
48 minutes ago, Aj77 said:
I got one of those elm237 Bluetooth scanners and as far as I can see it does everything a more expensive one can but don't quote me on that. It cost me £5 on eBay.
That's really your best bet is too look for codes, for example that scanner tells me I have a problem with the EGR yet nothing(as far as I can remember, but not 100% sure as I've cleared the code now) shows on the dash no fault lights etc. I just happened to try it out the other day and was surprised to see the error
Thanks for the information. I just ordered one. Which app did you use, was it Torque or another?
-
Cheers @MicMac & @Aj77. When I had my last MOT not long ago, nothing was said about the cause of any steering pull. I am tempted to go back to the garage & tell them to have an extra look for any clues why this is happening. The thing is when I have taken it to different places they cannot see anything wrong, but I will try my luck one more time. I will keep updating on this issue.
There are no errors on the dashboard, although I know a scan with VCDS may prove otherwise. A shame the cheap cable I have for the Fabia does not work with my Octavia, otherwise I would have done a scan already. I might be tempted to get a compatible cable for myself unless there is someone local that can help me out.
-
I have had this problem for quite a while now that my car sometimes wants to pull to the left on certain roads. What happens is that the road is straight, & the steering is straight, but the car starts going to the left & I am having to correct it. Now some of these roads have camber, but others don't so I am finding it odd that it wants to pull left on a perfectly straight road. I have done all the checks such as tyre pressure, condition of tyres, alignment, tie rods, etc... that are recommended when the steering starts playing up. I have also had new brake discs put in so something like a sticking caliper would have been picked up on during the replacement.
The odd thing is a while back on the same road that the car would pull to the left, it did not & it was perfectly straight. The next day it was pulling again.
Any advice would be grateful, as I am thinking whether to get something else even though I do like my VRS.
-
On 15/03/2019 at 09:44, Babs said:
I've not, no. Had them on a Mk1 vRS and a Mondeo ST TDCi.
I found they wore well, but gave poor traction and lateral grip, especially in the wet. They were OE fitment on the Mk7 GTI, and once I got a set of PS4s on the front it was much more stable and had loads more grip - could actually feel the VAQ diff working.
At least the good wear rate gives me confidence I don't have to get another set of tyres for some time. I have seen quite a few comments saying they don't last long.I have done almost 1000 miles on the Bridgestones, so from here on we shall see how their performance holds out.
On 15/03/2019 at 09:44, Babs said:But hey, S001's are a million miles better than Nankang, Wan Li, Linglong or Federal, and they're pretty cheap.
100% agreed. When I first got the Octavia they came with budget tyres which were so & so. I changed them to Autogrip 500s to try & save money. Result was they are the worst tyres I have ever driven on. The traction control saved me from ending up in the wrong place quite a few times. I decided to get rid of them after only a few months & plenty of tread depth left. I had to spend more money again & go with a premium brand which would result in safer driving. I learned the hard way but it is the only way I will learn.
-
1
-
-
On 13/03/2019 at 18:57, bspman said:
Thanks for the update @sleeper77 I've since gotten a mk2 and may well look into getting an uprated ARB fitted to mine
No problem. Let us know of the difference once you decide to get one fitted vs driving in stock.
-
In what way? Did you have them on your Octavia as well?
-
Last update.
I have changed the front tyres from Michelin PS4s to Bridgestone Potenza S001s. The reason for this was because the more miles I did with the Michelins the softer they felt which made the steering less precise. I tried different pressures both high & low but it made no difference. They were also starting to suffer from wheelspin with non-spirited driving. The Bridgestones, although a bit more harder & more bouncy than the Michelins, are much more precise thanks to its stiff sidewalls. The Michelin PS4s are still on the rears but I will not change them until the tread is low as I found it has very little effect for a FWD car, well at least the Octavia anyway.
I have also changed the RARB setting from medium to hard which is the stiffest setting. I was not expecting much of a difference but the result is cornering + general steering is more planted & precise than it has ever been before. Steering response is quicker, even though it still has a bit of twitching like on the medium setting, I would not call it a RARB fault, since I drove a standard Ford Fiesta ST MK7 not too long ago & even though the steering was very direct it could also twitch on the roughest of roads which I attribute to having a stiff sporty suspension. The only compromise now that I have with the RARB on the stiffest setting is that the suspension feels harder & I can hear more rattles inside the car because of the cheap plastics used during manufacture. Would I change the RARB setting to a softer one? No way. I am really enjoying the improved steering feel & stability the car is now offering. I know some have commented of worrying about oversteer by having the RARB to the max. I have not encountered any scary moments, just a more planted feel of the car. I suppose it would make more of a difference if one does track days, although I don't & only use my car on the road.
I did also have an alignment done at the same time as changing the setting on the RARB & that may have contributed to the better steering of the car. However, I do feel more the RARB working when taking corners & driving around bends so definitely it does make a difference imo.
Finally I would like to thank everyone for their help & contributions in turning my car into one that is good to drive. I don't plan on doing anymore suspension mods, maybe a remap in future but depends if I plan to stick with the Octavia or not. Cheers.
-
1
-
-
I would recommend next going with improving the handling.
I have fitted uprated bushes from Darksidedevelopments for the frontleft-rear & frontright-rear & it has given a fair improvement on steering feel
I had a Whiteline RARB fitted & it makes the car feel much more planted, rather than the stock floating feel.
Some good tyres would improve the handling. I have the Michelin Pilotsport 4 which is much more direct than any other tyre than I had.
My next mod might be improved shocks & springs, but I would go for that only to improve handling rather than look like a lowered Corsa.
-
Another update. I changed the Goodyear AS3s at the rears for 2 Michelin PS4s. Not much difference in steering but I can tell the rear tyres need more time to settle just like when the fronts did. Only difference I can tell so far is that the steering is a bit more smoother, maybe newer tyre effects even though the Goodyears did maybe only 4000 miles from new. I will give another update when I have done more miles.
As for the RARB, it is great. Steering is definitely more pointy & direct. Also no affect on the suspension so no need to worry if you think it will make the ride harsher. Still need to get an alignment sorted out but still very impressed. I recommend to everybody who like me was unhappy with the handling of their Skodas to get a RARB as it will make the car drive like it should imo.
-
1
-
1
-
-
Another update. I have had a Whiteline RARB installed on the medium setting. Result is the following:
- much less body roll
- more direct + quicker steering
- much less "wallowing" or "floatiness", especially during taking corners or driving through bends
- feels more planted, & with this like the above points you have better feel without the need to go fast & stick to the legal limits.
Only downside I have found is that the steering can be quite twitchy on a few roads, but I think this is caused by the Goodyear AS3s that are on the rear. As said in a previous post, I also had them on the fronts but they caused a lot understeer & lack of steering precision. Changing to the Michelin PS4s at the fronts improved handling a lot, so I might do the same for the rears.
-
1
-
-
Ok, update .
Since changing insurance provider to one that allows mods on a policy a month ago, I have changed the front left rear + front right rear void bushes for the uprated ones from Darkside Developments.
They do make the steering better, improved steering feel & a bit less play compared to the stock void ones. An alignment was needed though after the bushes were fitted but so far I am happy with the mod. To compliment this I also recommend good tyres to make the most of them, I have Michelin Pilot Sport 4s on the fronts & they are very good.
I will be creating a thread soon reviewing the mod for more detail.
Next mod might either be the RARB or coilovers. I want one that improves the handling on roads with camber to reduce steering movement so any recommendations are welcome.
-
Although I may be echoing what others have said here already, my Octavia has had questionable steering so check the following like I did...
1. Check tyre pressures. Fill tyres accordingly to the load of the car as Skoda recommends. When I had the Goodyear AS3s on the front of my Octavia, the steering was woeful when just a couple of PSI below the recommended PSI. Other tyres which I've driven on have not exhibited this problem so definitely worth checking & trying different PSI just above or below the recommended pressure.
2. What tyre brands are you using? I had budget tyres all round when I bought the car & they were terrible even though they were nowhere near the tread depth limit nor any signs of uneven wear. Tramlining, increased torque steer, very vague steering feel are some of the symptoms when you go for something cheap. From my experience I recommend Michelins which I have fitted on the front & are a big improvement. I hear Continentals are similar but I have never tried them myself.
3. Go to a garage that only does wheel alignments & uses Hunter equipment. Also have the tracking checked too.
4. If none of the above work, then as others said check the suspension & components.
In my view, the problem with the Octavia VRS is that it uses sub-standard parts for what should be a sporty-ish handling car. Doing mods on them might be the way to go in order to improve the ride + handling.
I hope you get this solved very soon.
-
The DSG is the thing I like best of mine. Very smooth & makes driving effortless. No issues with the car being 6.5 years old. Has had an oil change when it was due so all good so far.
-
Had the offending front offside spring replaced & problem sorted. Just needs a bit of an alignment correction
-
Thanks for the information. When I kept on taking my car back to the garage to have the alignment checked again even though they did it previously, I am sure the mechanics thought I was losing the plot. However, I explained to them that I only had this issue with Skodas & no other make.
@SkodaSean Don't let this put you off. Just some advice if you don't want to go through the same troubles as me ,in case you do find the steering is not what it should be.
-
On 12/23/2017 at 12:15, andy-fisher said:
Have you had a look at the springs?
Yep, &...
On 12/24/2017 at 19:26, KenONeill said:@sleeper77 - First thought is a broken spring, probably right up at the pig ear so it needs a proper look, not just a glance.
Spot on. Had it looked today, mechanic confirmed this & also showed me. Getting this sorted asap.
-
I only have for the console bushes...
1K0 199 231 N (front left, rear)
1K0 199 232 N (front right, rear)
You can also get these...
-
Check out a similar thread I created a little while back. Some good advice given...
-
I had a Fabia Mk II that was 6.5 years old & now I own an Octavia that was 5 years when bought. Both cars have given me steering alignment issues. Could be coincidence it has happened to me, but I know someone else who had the same issue with their Octavia. Having owned different brands of car in the past, the Skodas are the only ones to give me this issue fairly regularly. If you were to take it on a test drive, make sure the steering is ok. If not, then walk away.
-
Almost 35000 miles, age is 6 years & a few months. Going tomorrow to have it looked at.
-
Yes but only visually, cannot determine if that is at fault. Still it will be looked at by a garage & I will inform of the problem when known.
-
Thanks for the information guys. In that case it will still be something I intend to have done along with a couple of other mods in a few months time.
I was looking up about some other cars from different brands away from the VW group with turbo charged engines & they too have throttle delay. Maybe it could also be a safety feature to give people a chance to change their minds for eg not to go full throttle at the last moment because traffic slowed down suddenly in front of them? Just a theory, although I do accept lag & spool as a reason for the delay. On a Ford forum though I read that having something like a Mountune tuning option to minimise the throttle delay if true.
-
On 19/12/2017 at 16:42, Rooster83 said:
- I seem to get judder / (almost like axle tramp in a RWD car) when flooring it ... e.g. instead of just wheelspin feels like the front is jumping as well. Is this normal? would expect a leaky front shock absorber would do this if it was only left to bounce on the spring but it the shock seems fine otherwise?
- I'm not sure if the Turbo is boosting properly .. 1st gear , expected lag - boost kicks in with wheelspin/judder.. 2nd gear bit of lag .. boost kicks in with wheelspin/judder ... 3rd gear - turbo isn't very noticeable at all. ? Does that sound normal for a VRS? any common leaks/parts that fail
Thanks in advance for any help or comments!
What tyres do you have on the fronts? Mine came with budget brands & they were terrible. Acceleration was exactly how you described, could feel the wheels bouncing through the steering. Wheelspin even with non-spirited driving & they were still in good condition. I have put on Michelin PS4s not long ago & they have much more traction & exhibited none of the previous issues. Remember these are FWD cars so wheelspin when flooring it is expected anyway.
If you are concerned about 3rd gear lack of turbo, then take it to a rolling road & see if you can compare the results to other Octavia VRS from the same era. Usually from the Youtube videos I have seen of 0-60 tests, cars with turbocharged engines such as the TSIs generally tend to accelerate less from 40 onwards compared to 0-40 is when the turbo is most active, so I take it you go to 3rd when hitting 40 or thereabouts. As suggested above, a remap will help get better 3rd gear acceleration.
-
I understand that, just saying in case there might be a problem not that it will happen. Also I would only take it to a trustworthy garage that has plenty of good reviews & fortunately there is one not too far from me (JKM, Portsmouth)
One question about the remap, is the throttle response better or the same after having it done? I find it quite silly on mine what seems like a one second delay when I want quicker acceleration.
Car sometimes pulling left, advice please
in Skoda Octavia Mk II (2004 - 2013)
Posted
@Gissin. That I understand, although it seems to do so more than it should.
- Yes
- Yes
- Not that long ago & were changed
- Yes, nothing mentioned last time I took it but I will take it to the garage again for another check if they missed out on this or something else
- Standard size tyres, different brands front & back but no difference when I had matching tyres throughout. Still same behaviour
- Yes, Whiteline RARB & WALK. Again, car pulled to the left before these mods
- 51,000 miles & over 4 years, car is 9 years old.