Piescoffer

Hi mate no I've been working long hours and trying to do bits in lunch hour etc cos it goes dark at 4. I've got tomorrow booked off and am going to silicone the sump back on and do a few other bits. Need to check the rear brakes and find a sump washer, been to motor factors today gave them reg and they gave me a sump plug too small. Also ordered a washer off ebay which is too small. The plan is to refill the oil and coolant on Sat and grit my teeth and turn the key 🤤it's going to be a tense moment 🤣 I have also just took delivery of 2 pattern part front wings so will be dry fitting them before getting quotes for painting. Hopefully it doesn't cost too much, didn't fancy trying to rattle can metallic green. Its turned into more of a project than I was expecting but hopefully will have a decent low mileage car at the end of it 🤞 If it runs ok I will film the engine after it's all back together I did film the before as well 😁

Hi all, my fabia mk1 only came with 1 key and am thinking about getting a spare made. Just wondering what the most cost effective option is. Was thinking of trying timpsons maybe as they appear to have a cloning service. Not sure what it would cost wondered if anyone else has ever had to get 1 made please 😁

I put a metal rule across the face of the cam sprocket and onto the teeth of the crank sprocket (as it's face is raised higher) and seemed to be perfectly aligned although it is very difficult to tell I think it's ok. The shims are very thin only a few microns so would probably need a more sophisticated way of checking tbh.

Yeah I did read they are supposed to be stretch bolts but don't plan on replacing. Will keep an eye on them though 😊

That's great thanks so it looks like they are only 20nm and 90degrees doesn't seem like a lot 😁

Yes it's the same as that 😁

Hi wino, yes that's where they are but they don't look like that in mine. Yes standing in front of the car on the left hand side. 3 long bolts which have fixed nuts part way down the shaft as when they are done up a metal plate sits over the top of then with another 3 nuts screwed on. I will take a pic tomorrow when it's light 😁 my timing chain is back on now as is the cover. Just need to put the oil pump and pickup back then silicone the sump back on. Wait 24hrs for it set then fill the fluids back up and grit my teeth when I turn the key 😂 the new timing chain is a lot tighter than the one that came off which was quite saggy so hoping it cures the rough idle and rattling

Sorry I mean the mount to the engine. There are 3 bolts with nuts fixed on them 😁

Don't suppose anyone knows the torque settings for the 3 bolts that hold the left hand engine mount to the car please. Bloody Haynes manual still not turned up I will have finished the job by this rate 😂

Ahhh thanks TMB is there any reason they would have included this or am I missing something? The water pump is driven off the aux belt so no need to remove it from what I can see? 😁 guessing it's maybe needed for a different variant. I noticed that the timing chain cover gasket they included is not quite right so am going to use a thin bead gasket silicone instead as have plenty of it anyway.

Thanks I just realised that the oil seal included fits into the timing chain cover so I have put that in. Just been trying to work out if the shims are needed I put both sprockets on and tried to use a metal rule across the face of both and they seem well aligned. Not sure if there is another method to do this. Looking at the kits available they don't appear to be included in all kits depending on manufacturer. I'm still waiting on the Haynes manual which might make things easier. Picture below of the gasket I'm not sure about if anyone has a clue might just be me being dumb lol 😂

So I have managed to get the chain off now. In the kit I got it has a replacement crank oil seal but I can't work out how to get to the old one to remove it. Does the shaft with the pulley bolt need to slide out or does the seal surround this do you know. Also in kit are 2 silver thin metallic rings and another smaller paper gasket that I haven't worked out what these are for yet 😁 if u have any ideas please 😁

Thanks that's really useful 😁

That's great thanks, I do have a Haynes manual on order but royal mail delays mean I've had to start without it and rely on info I have found on here. I think I saw the crankshaft bolt has to be 100nm but will double check before refitting. It was a bugger to get off ended up lying on ground and using both feet against the rachet. I'm guessing there will also be torque settings for sump bolts and will check these also. 😁

Thanks TMB for this, I was thinking that might be the case, that's really helpful. I have panicked a bit and had visions of pistols smashing into valves etc! I have done lots of work on cars over the years, mostly servicing and odd repairs but this is the first chain I have attempted and there is a lot of stuff to remove before getting to the actual chain. The sump was a bit of a bugger being stuck on with silicone but I managed to get a wooden handle on the side of it against something solid and used a bit of force as it wasn't yielding to my plastic mallet. I have since checked it with a metal rule to make sure it wasn't warped and it seems to be ok, maybe out very very slightly on 1 part but I assume there is some slight tolerance with using the silicone to seal it back on etc. Anyway thanks again for your help, this forum is great 😁

Hi yes that's what happened TMB I have put the woodruff key back in now but I'm not certain before I go any further and remove the chain that it's in the right place because the cam might have done a revolution if that makes sense. But yes the crank is locked.

Hi, further to my previous post I decided to replace the timing chain. On removing the cover found it to be very slack so hoping replacing it will cure the rough idle and rattle. Got as far as beginning to remove the sprockets. Took the woodruff key out of the crank pulley but then noticed I needed to remove a torx bolt to get the oil pump worm wheel off. Without thinking I tried to unscrew it and it made the crank sprocket spin also as the woodruff key was removed (the crank is locked with a pointed screw as advised by vag) I can't remember if I span it fully once or moved it back before're inserting the woodruff key and am concerned now that I might have buggered the timing up!! Is there any way to make sure I've not messed it up before I proceed to remove the old chain and put a new one in. I was tempted to unlock the crank and put the boot back in and turn it over manually but didn't want to cause any damage so have downed tools for now😑 is anyone able to point me in the right direction please ? Thanks in advance.

Hi just wondering if anyone has any experience of using pattern body panels for mk1 fabia. Discovered what I though was surface rust on base of both wings had gone right through. I'm hoping to get some 2nd hand ones in rightcolour as they ate juat bolt on but if not may end up needing to buy new. Can see on fleabay they are about 35 each but would then need painting etc. Car is metallic green. My experience of pattern parts has not been great as they never seem to fit. I guess the alternative would be to get a couple original in the wrong colour and get them painted etc but know it's a common area to rust, there was half a kilo of silt stuck behind the arch liner. Not sure how much Skoda charge for original parts or if they are still available. 😁

https://youtu.be/l4HNv4NiyXo This is what it sounds like. I have had a good look around the engine bay and cannot see any vacuum leaks the hoses are all in excellent condition. Also took spark plugs out and they are like new. Plugged it into Obd scanner and no stored codes. Put stethoscope on chain cover and it does sound very rattly. Any thought anyone please? In the mean time I have fixed the boot release (wires broke off tailgate button) and reset the gear linkage following the guide on here as was stiff getting into reverse, that's lovely and smooth now.

Yeah if it turns out to be that I will probably do it myself. I guess the car is 17 years old and has only done loads of very short journeys most likely which could have stretched it out over time.

Thanks I never thought of that I will have a look at weekend when I get more time. Might try and film it and put it in here so people car hear it. I did see a YouTube clip of a before and after new timing chain fitted and mine sounds very similar to the before. I've got a stethoscope and will try and get the probe on the chain cover to see if that's where the clatter is coming from but would be odd at 37k I think.

So I recently bought a mk1 1.4 MPI 8v, its a 2003 with 37k on clock (which is backed up by the service history and overall condition) 9 months test - intention to be a 1st car for step son I didn't really notice when I bought it that there could be an issue, I test drove it and it seemed fine. Its been sat on my drive for a couple of days and decided to start it and let it run up to temp so as keep the battery topped up and make sure it got up to temp with no issues. It didn't sound too bad on startup, but I noticed after it had been running for a few minutes that the rev counter needle on idle was moving about quite a lot and sounded noisy and rattley & shaking the car. Lifted bonnet for a closer listen and it sounds like an old diesel. Also noticed that when I turn the engine off it seems to over run for a second or 2 and shudders when it stops running. Car seems to drive ok, doesnt seem to lack power or cut out but feels a bit hesitant a lower revs, doesnt sound too noisey inside the car when driving, also the EML is not illuminated, and it doesn't smoke. I have seen on here that rough idle is a characteristic of these engines, but it sounds really bad. I bought a 1.2 HTP for my other step son a few years ago that has now done 120k and still going, doesnt sound as rough as this. I did try to plug my cheapo ebay obd2 reader in with the torque android app but it didnt find any new or old codes - it's fairly cack tbh So i'm now wondering if it could be a misfire / coil pack / bad spark plugs / crank sensor/ fuel pump etc even wondered if it could be a collapsed cat or a bearing although I can't imagine that one of these engines would have a major failiure at just 37k, I have seen others on here with 120k + and still going. I'm thinking the next thing to do will be to get my mechanic mate to plug it into a proper reader to see if there are any codes showing - but wonder if that is likely given the EML light is not on, and wondered if anyone on here has any thoughts on what could be the cause of this please. I can see it had new spark plugs 2 years and 10k ago. I'm going to take a closer look at the weekend when I have time and will report back if I manage to work it out or if I can get it plugged into a proper computer in the mean time. Thanks in advance! :-) just hoping I haven't had my fingers burnt with this one!!

Hi all, just wondered if anyone knows of any reputable genuine service parts suppliers, other than going direct to Skoda for oil and filters etc please. Had a look online but got a bit confused as they are VW parts listed for VW vehicles in most cases it seems. Cheers in advance.