Former

As I put HGF signs are more obvious with hindsight, particularly if you've been doing working on the engine, ignition, cooling, etc. and think it might be something to do with recent work and not thinking of HGF. Not seen this before but DrHeadGasket™ (and it's not one of my trademarks) at least backs me up with caution of results. - https://www.drheadgasket.co.uk/COMBUSTION-LEAK-TESTER-HEAD-GASKET-TESTER-BLOC-SNIFF-TESTER-COMBUSTION-LEAK-DETECTOR-DR-HEADGASKET-UK Instructions for use of the basic generally available DIY kits (not from DrHeadGasket™). - "Directions for use: Fill the instrument with reaction fluid (approx. 2 ml) to the level between the chambers. Connect the tester to the opening of the expansion tank or cooler. Start the engine (preferably when it is warm), increase the speed to obtain a higher combustion pressure. Allow the engine to run slightly at elevated speed and observe the behavior of the reaction fluid. A change in the color of the reaction fluid to yellow or green within a few minutes of the test indicates a damaged head gasket or damage to the head itself. After completing the tests, carefully disassemble the instrument. Attention. When testing on the radiator filler, use extra caution when unscrewing the cap and during the test itself – risk of burns. When testing, do not allow the coolant to mix with the reaction fluid. If the liquids are mixed, the test result may not be correct." And I was totally wrong 10 euros is not higher price inflation has raced passed me.

Don't know that one, only earlier posted the one the AA used/uses, K-Seal, I'd guess they are similar but don't know. You might see some glittery floats if the make it to the clear tank. As long as you followed the instructions on the bottle hopefully that might be an end to it. Good luck.

Thanks for reporting back. I think there was something about loose bolts but can't remember what or if it was related to this, Ootohere and others would know. If you've had the car from new you'll know where it's been in for "service" and other work. Sounds like to me that the garage checked for leaks if they mentioned the sump gasket is possibly leaking (not one I can remember mentioned on this forum (but I forget a lot) and have suggested they would check it FOC. We don't know what country you are in and the standard of Dealership, garages and mechanics where you are, in the UK they can be low and lower but some other countries seem even worse. Personally I would look at buying a (much) older Toyota or Honda as a replacement, I have never been that impressed with the cars from the Germany in this century, perhaps a near to turn of century VW or BMW might be OK-ish (though not for me) certainly not a Merc. I would not want a Toyota or Honda as new 2018 but that's just me. Let us know if there are any further developments, keep on top of the oil and filter changes (and engine air filter and spark plugs) for the VW 3-cylinder engine, good luck.

You would not like 4-Life as it will find the slightest opportunity to leak. I would imagine that sealant dust might well be your glitters, usually it's in a liquid for use. One example only, used (or was if not now) by at least on large breakdown/recovery service in the UK. - https://www.kseal.com/uk/products/k-seal Get the sniffer test follow the instructions and see how you go from there.

I have had 5 head gasket failures that I can think of and with most of them the signs were a lot easier to recognise with hindsight after the event particularly when other work has been done with the coolant system. I had a mate with a "classic" that generally knew about cars and had been working on and maintaining his cars from first his first old banger onwards but when I saw him checking his coolant and suggested to him HGF (head gasket failure) he thought not but that is what it turned out to be. I was right not because I am clever or knew more than him about cars, because neither of these were true, but it was more that I was another/fresh pair of eyes and not involved with the car. Often others can see what we can't or don't want to. I have only ever seen the "classic" coolant with the colour change additive. Dirt on the expansion cap may or may not be relate to HGF depending on what the dirt is but if it's the glitters then perhaps this might be a sign of HGF. For reference only, I have posted this before, I would strongly suggest you never used this coolant even if you could get it (I would think MG Owners Club do post to Greece). https://4lifecoolant.co.uk/

We all make mistakes, it's not a big issue, if you can try to temper your habit and think of the type of forum and person you are responding to. BTW I original missed that you thought I was better than ABS I didn't mean to suggest that at all, just that ABS isn't part of braking in normal conditions, you can drive without ABS and survive, I've done so for 40+ years, that doesn't mean I would remove it from vehicles fitted with it, quite the reserve I would be very happy it was fitted if I ever really needed it, But if you were to follow your logic with cars there wouldn't be a human driver and there would be no need and possibly place for your Alfa or Felicia. Be great if we all continue to rub along, not always agreeing and offering different types of posts and information and opinions. If there weren't difference there would be only one type of car with one type of tyres fitted on it and that wouldn't suit all of us.

Correct yet you apply your opinion to the subjects which is fine but not to say it's objective. My presentation is very casual but there is objectivity and dealing with a wider approach rather than a very one track and extreme solution that is unrealistic in the real wider more world we live in. Your mind only works on one track No you are not. 😆 It is just that you have misunderstood what I put about tyres, I didn't explain it well enough for you to fully understand but it was objective not subjective. As long as we are not breaking the site rules you can post what you want and I can post what I want we don't have to agree. I would sooner you don't run off, but I can't stop you running off, I think you offer a lot of good help but yours is not always the only way or answer and often you take the extreme view.

Arrogance again, you know you are not responding to engineers or chemist but you use the term BTB to show your self perceived superiority. I have never seen Bromothymol Blue referred to in decades of general car internet forums and bulletin boards. If you were like this when you were in the UK I'm sure you would have had the urine extracted out of you repeatedly.

Yes both are used for head gasket failure. Sniffer test as put for evidence of gases in coolant, compression test can be used for more or tell you more. Sniffer test is a good in expensive start but can give a false negative and miss other cylinder, block, gasket, engine issues. Yes but the test has to be done correctly and consistently with each cylinder. Generally 10% difference is allowed for in an old road car. As with all testing repeated consisted results are best, that means doing the test run perhaps two or three times to confirm the results. The figures on each set of testing may vary slightly, also bear in mind you are testing an old engine in a road going car not a high end race team or laboratory test conditions. Sniffer test isn't a technical or very accurate description just a term for it, I was aware of it as more as a colour test, does the liquid change colour. A "classic" car coolant includes this element for change of colour if there are gases in the coolant but I can assure you from personal experience that wasn't reliable in that coolant. If you are topping up before the coolant drops below the minimum mark on the tank and you are checking the level at the correct times, you could also try, allow the coolant to sit at a level between the minimum and maximum marks on the tank, put a mark at that level and see if the level drops to somewhere where it stops dropping anymore, provided this isn't below the minimum just accept it as the natural level for the car.

I have no idea what a BTB test means and I didn't watch the video so might be repeating what' is already put. The link I have quoted is what I think some call a sniffer test, it can be very useful and inexpensive in those kits (though 10 euros seems a lot for it) better still is a gauge test as shown in the following video.

You are misunderstanding, perhaps it's a language thing, I have very often said get the best tyres you can because that's what I believe and makes sense and yes they need to be suitable. You seem to think everyone is like a F1 team with a wide selection of tyres available for various circumstances, that ain't the real world nor will people buy what they consider way beyond their need. You seem very narrow minded only accepted things in your way this can be good in some circumstances but not all. Yes your dad is also wrong (runs in the family it seems) why is ABS engaging at all, is it the tyres, his driving, a combination of the two, he seems as stubborn as you. He was driving before ABS so should know how to drive a car without relying on it. ABS is more about emergency situations, it shouldn't be activating in normal driving and when it is it should not really be noticeable other than a warning light, If anything like many of these driver "aids" it more often covers for poor quality and lazy driving and doesn't promote good driving. Before you start, I am not against ABS on cars and recognise that it is very good in emergency situations but I think it also dilutes driving skills a bit - and I am not a good driver just very used to driving cars without all the driver "aids" that are now essential in cars. I wore seatbelts (where fitted) well before it was law to do so but I don't wear a crash helmet and HANS every time I'm in a car or on a bus and I bet neither do you but that would make sense for higher levels of safety, your 1% need. I'm not sure what evidence you have that tyres have improved as much as you put over 30 years (perhaps compared to the basically unchanged rest of the car), change isn't always improvement, lots of engineering costs for tyres is about changes forced on to manufacturers not for the sake of improvements alone. I could try to explain to you about all the other considerations that go into developing a product but you only see the engineering and think of that as the only important factor. What has changed on Felicias since the car left the factory that makes it require ultimate tyres, yes there is more and faster traffic and some cars have better braking (but that was always the case). If you think back, I was suggesting looking at (road use) tyres used for standard cars like the Felica that are approved for sports use so those wont be cheap rubbish, not if the users want to be competitive but I would be biased to road use only in my consideration. Also in the UK is a very small tyre manufacturer supplier that makes very good tyres to the standards and quality of former years but obviously using the materials of today unless he has a time-machine. I've always valued good tyres since I learnt very early on that cheap tyres are expensive, I didn't need to analyse what went wrong it was obvious I had made a mistake with my tyre selection at that time - but I did learn from it hence promoting the importance of good tyres. You are arrogant, that helps a bit in your job but as I've tried to tell you before is not always good when working with other people even if you are their boss or outrank them in the work situation and outside of work you are no one's boss and being too arrogant could get you into trouble. Are you only thinking of engineering and work mistakes, or is it that you consider you haven't made mistakes here so you don't need to analyse as nothing went wrong so it doesn't happen again because I can think of three times you've been wrong and arrogant about it when it's been pointed out and I have a bad memory. I'm not having a go at you because your intentions overall are very good, plus whether you see it or not we are agreeing about tyres generally although I don't see any need to go to ultimate tyres for on a standard Felicia and do bear in mind I actually used my old cars, as some are doing with their Felicias here, and I didn't drive them like they were museum pieces I drove them in the way they would have been driven back in their day, all year round in the UK weather conditions - with just one set of tyres which obviously performed better at some times than others so I took this into consideration with how I drove as the driver "aids" for car were almost all in my head - biological electronics. 😄

For things like the headlight flasher, perhaps the horn (for those that don't use it often) and any other switches or settings that aren't used a lot are best tested occasionally to give them exercise and check that they are fully working in case you need them unexpectedly or for things like MoT. This certainly applies to any car that isn't used much, or storage, or under ongoing restoration and/or repair(s), lack of use creates its own problems.

A lot of these type of issues can sometimes be a simple matter of clean and lubricate, obviously also check connections are wires too. Best to disconnect the battery, then clean the switch a gentle brush out for crud and debris bits and spray of electrical contact cleaner - or swich cleaning lubricant. Same for any connections that require it and if required make good any wire(s). Operate the switch a good number of times with battery not connected than reconnect battery to test if the switch works before putting covers back on. If worried you can disconnect the battery again before refitting the covers. If you are lazy you could not bother about getting at the switch just try operating the stalk (switch) a good number of times without stopping and this can sometimes clean the switch contact, still best to disconnect the battery before doing this just in case you burn something out and still best to do the cleaning (and lubricating) and checking properly.

Hi, welcome. vrooom's not visited the site since 27 August 2023 (place your cursor on the green shout link in your post or on the posting name plate). Others may be able to help you though (not me I've no idea).

I agree with you I don't see why all these different types are used but I'm sure VW and perhaps the German engineers have their reasons, helping the car owners not one of them. Drive bits are often poor quality, as far as I can tell like drill bits now used once (if you're lucky) then throw away, though I've never been a fan of drive bits. A reasonable quality tool of the correct type and size should (note should) be able to remove a fixing and even though I don't hold modern German engineer in their cars in very high regard I doubt they would undersize fixings (well not too much or too often at least). If you have the room in the work area and inclination there might be other methods of extraction of these troublesome fixings that others can offer you ideas on, I've no idea of the engine or what part you're getting at, diesel engines bays are always a lot more dirty and messy to work on than even petrol engines in my very limited experience and I don't like the crap in petrol engine bays as it is. Up to you of course what you do next but after a chance to cool down you could still take that photo and post it up to give more details, don't worry about rounded heads we've all had that at sometime despite our best efforts.

You Greeks more upset today, the other was having a go at me too. 😆 I've never put anything about removing thermostat housing and water pump and I wasn't getting at you for not fully flushing and cleaning just stating, as I think I did before this, that it was inevitable you could get this residue. I've no idea why you couldn't have done the job yourself more thoroughly than a 'repair shop' (garage to UK) when you were on holiday at home in the mountains but I don't live your life only you do. You are a robust ex-serviceman so I don't treat you in the same way as a young fella of delicate disposition and I'm sure you wouldn't want me to. You had to leave some crud in the system and some of it would end up in the new tank, it may be more than you were expecting and/or want but it's not bad or the end of the world. Take the tank off and clean it and it may satisfy you for a while or perhaps no more gets there, time would tell.

I think it's a language thing you seem to have totally misinterpreted or misunderstood. I don't know what's available as regards tyres in Greece but I do know about 13" and 14" tyres available in the UK having used them for many decades on various vehicles and having bought and changed tyres sets many times above what most would do I neither favour old designs or the very latest design I favour what is best for the vehicle (and my driving) at that time. I also have friends and fellow club members with a wide variety of cars from brand new top end to mundane "classics" going back many, many decades. These people actually drive these cars, some on tracks too. If you notice I always stress the importance of tyres and often put what a complex car component tyres are. I also know about glorified shopping trolleys having oversized wheels and tyres going back about a couple of decades so that 13" wheels have been out of fashion for a long time before such things would be a concern for you. As you've been in the UK you'll know the saying "teaching grandma how to suck eggs", not being a qualified engineer doesn't mean someone is stupid just that they probably have less arrogancy. 😉

Forgot to put - I like the look of that hub cover, I can't think it would do much about heat.

Forgot to put I would fill with the engine running for this. If you're not using the car I suggest you take the opportunity to fully recharge the battery using an appropriate battery charger following the instructions for the charger and for the car in your car's Owner's Manual. If you've lost your very useful paper printed copy you can down load a free pdf copy from the following VWŠkoda website link, you'd be best to enter your VIN for this. - Skoda Owners Manuals - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models As much as possible you want to recharge the battery as low (charge rate) and slow as possible rather than higher rate and faster and you certainly have the time (obviously I've no idea about opportunity) to take the time to do the recharge properly. If the battery is low this may take many hours on lower rate and if the battery is very low then the battery will take many more hours at lower charge rate. This is the time of year owners and drivers flatten their batteries, just see the breakdown recovery reports. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Yeah another type to put off DIYing. There's a M12 XYZ, as I'm told they're called, on the steering wheel, but I've no idea if VW describe them as this. If it's a XYZ thing then you probably want the M8 size of it if the T40 is too small an T45 to big. If it is a XYZ thing then I'm annoyed for you and I didn't think VW could annoy me much more but this would. Good luck.

This is not a surprise or unexpected as you weren't able to do full flushing, cleaning and emptying of the whole of the cooling/heating system so liquid and solid residues would have been left in and less diluted. Unless it builds up excessively it's not a concern.

With a "battery" (it's not really the battery) light on I would double up on my usual advice of fully recharging the battery using an appropriate battery charger following the instructions for the charger and for the car in your car's Owner's Manual. If you've lost your very useful paper printed copy you can down load a free pdf copy from the following VWŠkoda website link, you'd be best to enter your VIN for this. - Skoda Owners Manuals - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models As much as possible you want to recharge the battery as low (charge rate) and slow as possible rather than higher rate and faster, if the battery is low this may take many hours on lower rates and if the battery is very low, though you should have had other warnings or signs for this, then the battery will take many more hours at lower charge rate. A battery in lower state of charge can cause other issues and hinder diagnosis of electric issue whereas a battery in full charge can help and mean the diagnosis can go on for longer more successfully. This is the time of year owners and drivers flatten their batteries, just see the breakdown recovery reports. Good luck.

Are you sure you are using the correct tool and correct size of tool. I've only found what I call normal Torx (6 points) headed screws and bolts on my wife's 2015 Fabia. IIRC this fitting different types heads on bolts and screws goes back decades and start with the French cars as I remember it now of course with fixings it gone ridiculous to stop people being able to have a chance at repairs items, electronics is mad for different fixings and tamper-proof ones. I think if it's a Torx type it will be more likely to be the 6-point but just in case it's not are you sure you sure it's not a T40 security (tamper-proof) that has a centre raised circular nipple or entirely different fitting, there are also 5 point Torx but I don't know that VW use them (they might I've no idea and I'd guess they'd be 5 point security Torx too. I very much doubt the fixings are reverse thread but do check you are turning them in the correct direction to loosen, not set or left a tool to tighten by mistake - sometimes trying to tighten a very little before loosening can help in some cases but don't risk overtightening. The toll must fit the fixing correctly or you risk damage of some sort. With fittings in the engine bay being tight if it's not a case of damaged fixing or rust and/or muck, crud oil mix then leverage is often the answer, extending the leverage you have, longer bar for sockets or for spanners a spanner extender of some sort, sometimes another spanner to extend the first but this must be done right or there's more chances of damage to car or you. Of course you have to be careful of not damaging or breaking the fixing by using extra leverage. You need someone with a parts list to see what these fixing actually are or if possible take a photo and post it up here. Good luck.

Don't over rate ABS in normal driving conditions, in normal conditions ABS more compensates for poor quality driving. If you were in the UK I could possibly recommend a tyre from a very small independent which are great and not high priced. I know exactly what you mean about 13" tyres but there were still some very good ones in that size but you have to look away from the usual mass market advertising. If there is a motor sport club for standard or near standard road going Felicias or similar cars then looking at their approved tyres list can bring very useable road tyres. What size tyres do you use? Tyres and brakes unfortunately are also fashion items on cars and there is a great market for them, tyre tread patterns operated in a similar way to having this season's most fashionable dress, with brakes beyond a certain point it gets into sexy big-boys toys with added nerd appeal, the number of drilled holes and their patterns, some of this might be relevant at higher levels of track use but it's often more about mimicking, one-upmanship and perhaps some sort of worship when applied to road cars. This bit in the world at least is free so whatever someone wants or needs or thinks they need it's all fine, as always each to their own.

Hope this might help, stolen from another thread, Mk2. (more rounded lines) - And stolen from same thread Mk3. -