robbieh

It's not worth welding, as although it's only just started to blow the rest of the metal on the pipe where it's holed is in a poor way and on a bend/curve, AND the skins on the box itself are also starting to separate. Not done bad for a 17yr old silencer but time for the scrap bin now. I'd rather fit a genuine VRS silencer (if I can get one) or will go the stainless route with Milltek/Piper/Etc if I have to. Not going down the ****e 'mild steel' aftermarket route.

Morning all. I've had my 2005 VRS now for 15yrs and it's remained pretty standard other than a few subtle upgrades. Unfortunately the rear silencer has just started to blow and I wanted to stick with stock OE but TPS quoted £400 for just the back box and there are none in the UK. Obviously I could get a complete stainless system for that and have change, but I wondered if anyone on here in the Kent area might have a standard OE one gathering dust in their garage/shed that they no longer need? It would need to be in very good condition and have been cut in the correct place. Cheers. Also, just for info, the NS CV boot has split and the part has been made obsolete by Skoda! Looks like it'll be aftermarket for the boot.

Looks cool! Depending on price, I'd be interested in 2 (one each for me and my son) and 3 other people I work with might want one each too.

Methinks I should just search for a 2wd 256mm setup if the TT ones don't go straight on. Faffing about with spacers sounds risky when dealing with brakes...even if it is just the rears. I did suspect that the 4wd TT ones wouldn't be suitable but didn't want to assume. It wouldn't have been totally beyond the realms of feasibility that the TT rear setup was different to the Golf 4 motion and fits the Fabia. Thanks guys.

Sorry to hear your belt's failed. They really don't like 'extended' intervals. I replaced mine after 25000 'ish miles but it was just over 5 years old (should be changed every 4 years) and the belt was in a pretty bad way. I was bloody lucky! Without question, that broken belt will have damaged valves at the VERY least. As mentioned in this thread already, it's an interference engine and the valves WILL hit the pistons. You could pop a belt on it and it 'might' run, but how well and for how long? As for rebuilding the original?...not very cost effective unless you are able to do it yourself (saving a fortune on labour) or have a friendly mechanic who works for the love of it. If fitting a second hand engine, do make sure you replace the full timing belt kit AND the water pump irrespective of whether the seller claims they have been done recently. While your engine's out you could use the opportunity to look at your DMF and clutch and replace if necessary. Don't forget you can look for an engine from various other PD130 VW group cars (Octavia/Seat Ibiza/VW Polo/Golf?etc...). You may want to check you get one with the same engine code as the one fitted to your car. Should be an ASZ (>2005) or BLT (2006>). Good luck.

Hi all. I have the 312mm front brake setup on my Fabia VRS and want to fit the 256mm rears as the tiny rear discs look pants and are in need of replacement anyway. I tried once before with a set of Golf 4motion calipers, etc... but they didn't fit. Carriers didn't line up with the hub. I assumed this was because of the 4wd setup on the Golf. Question...I know the 225bhp TT is 4wd but would calipers/carriers off of the TT fit the Fabia?...or would I have the same problem as I did with the Golf brakes? Anyone tried? The reason I ask is I have a mate about to break a TT and I have first refusal on the calipers, but don't want the grief of stripping mine down (again) to find they don't fit. If TT calipers aren't suitable, does anyone have a pair of calipers with carriers available that will fit? Ideally local to Kent. Thanks in advance for any assistance. p.s. I could trade a pair of brand new genuine Skoda rear shocks for a VRS...brand new and boxed which I was about to put on thief-bay.

I didn't tell you this but ECP have a trade-only website. http://www.carparts4less.co.uk Anyone can use it but it's not promoted. You will see it is the same site with a different skin with cheaper prices. You didn't hear it from me! That said, try speaking to your local TPS dealer an ask for the Trade Club price for the genuine parts. If they want the sale and have targets to hit they may give you the trade club price. Nowt to lose. Just my advice...do NOT buy a timing belt kit from eBay. If you are unlucky and it fails during the 'warranty period' you will have a nightmare trying to get it resolved.

A very big YES! Always change the full timing belt kit AND water pump if its a t/belt driven pump. (which the fabia is) If a timing belt has (for instance) a 4yr/80k service interval, if you choose to only replace the belt then you are assuming all the other belt-driven components will last another 4yrs/80k. They probably won't! Also...the belt on this engine runs very tight. When you fit a new belt onto an old water pump it adds a greater strain on to the pump's bearings which will accelerate failure of the pump. Good practice is to replace the lot. Also...coolant should be changed regularly so to do it at the same time as the new timing belt kit and water pump is perfect. :-) At 82k on one belt you are well into borrowed time my friend! If you are local to Kent I could give you lots of pointers on things to look out for? Regards, Rob

I'd save your money, buy a 4motion/Quattro/impreza for some 4wd shenanigans and keep & use the Fabia as daily fun. As cool as the 4wd nitrous powered Fabia looks on YouTube, you need to have serious skills, deep pockets and a lot of spare time to seriously consider this conversion! That said...if you do it...can I have a go in it plz? :-)

Is it the handbrake mech that sticks on yours?...if so I had the same happen to mine and I fixed it for free. The Audi TT has a spring to help the handbrake lever on the calipers release. I took two off of a car in a breakers and fitted them to my calipers. The spring locating holes are already on the Fabia's calipers...it just doesn't have the springs. Sticking handbrake cured!! Happy to take a pic if you need it. :-) I'm still looking to do the 256mm upgrade on mine if just for aesthetics as the original brakes look tiny. Especially with the 312's up front.

The software is called VCDS/Vag-Com and is available from here for about £220. http://diagnostic-equipment.co.uk/vshop/diagnostics/diagnostics/vag-com/14-65 V-Tech are an official distributor for Ross Tech and where I got mine from. As well as diagnosis, it allows you to control the convenience functions as well (auto locking/unlocking, alarm chirp, etc...) 312mm brakes are fitted to a number of VW group cars. Audi TT is a common car to get them from. You'll need the calipers, disc and pads, and very importantly the caliper/pad carriers. They'll go straight onto a Fabia provided you are running at least 16" wheels. I'll have a complete setup available soon...with new pads, nearly new EBC grooved discs and overhauled calipers in the Fabia VRS green. Hope this helps.

Fifth Gear did do a test on performance diesel fuels using a Citroen C5 HDi. The test showed that they both gave about 6bhp gains on the V-power and BP Optimax. Go to YouTube and look for 'Fifth Gear Diesel Test'. 6bhp for a few pence per litre...I ONLY use V-Power diesel in my VRS. :-) Hope this helps.

Evening all. I have trawled through this forum and this subject has been discussed before but I couldn't see a definitive fix. My electric windows stopped working today, out of the blue. (2005 VRS) I have read that there can be wiring issues between the A pillar and the door...also water ingress into switches...also water ingress into comfort module...also drivers electric window motor assy can fail causing the whole lot to stop working. The fault is none of the switches or windows are working. I've tried holding the drivers door lock in the lock and unlock position via the key with no luck. Who has had the same problem, but importantly managed to fix it? My car has had just about every other bloody common problem!! (yet I still love it to pieces) Any help would be appreciated, as I nearly always drive with the window open a bit as I'm a tad claustrophobic. Many thanks, and Happy Christmas to you all. :-)

Hi all. Thanks to some knob-jockey (hopefully that's not too rude for the forum, although I called him much worse!) in a VW Polo clouting my Furby's OSF wing, I'm now on the look-out for a silver undamaged OSF wing. If anyone has one, wants to sell it and help a fellow Fabia owner out and resides within 50 miles or so of Rochester/Kent, please PM me details. My car is a 55 plate VRS. Thanks Rob.

For the iPhone, look for an app called BlueDriver. The basic app is free and you'll need to order a dongle from the states...takes a couple of days and costs about £35. You can then unlock the app for full functionality for £34.99. Works even better on an iPad!! (bigger screen - 0-60 and standing quarter time functions too) I have one (evaluating it) and it's pretty good. Probably no better than the Android programmes that cost a quarter of the price, but that's the price we pay for having a better phone/gadget! ;-) See this link for it in use http://www.volvovehiclesclub.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=725&p=5026 and there are clips on eBay too. Hope this helps. Rob.