nta16

DerekU those alignment tools look a lot better than either of the ones I have. I was doing the wheel rotation on my concrete hard(luck)standing "drive", cold autumn in between cold showers/rain and like an idiot because I'd got three done I thought I'd get the last one done before it got dark to save doing it the next day. I'd only jacked the car up enough for the tyre to clear the ground by about an inch but I could easily see the alignment of the five holes (why 5, it's not a lorry or commercial) and was balancing the tyre on my shoe toe caps and the near non-existent centre ring and was reaching for a wheel bolt when the wheel slipped off and like a total idiot I moved to stop the wheel falling on its face and perhaps scratching, instead buggering my back to this day. My own stupid fault for being macho instead of sensible. IiRC the ET was clearly marked on the inside of the wheel or I'd not have noticed it, but I could be wrong. I hope you've got the conversion wrong as 52kg is only 8 stones 3 pounds.

What are you on about I've already put I'm over 60, I'm 64 and have suffered from many in the motor trade including mechanics, I know mechanics around my age so time served from 1960s and 1970s. I was just about to add to my previous post, I'd already put twice that the lip isn't big and that I got a bloody injury from the stupid wheel slipping 1" (25mm) to the ground I've had the injury from that for about 6 years, stupid half a second slip, from bloody wheel bolts instead of studs. Are you now or have you ever been a mechanic?

@Chug41 have a look at one of your wheels on the inside IIRC the details are on it for offset, or IIRC they are on my wife's 2015 Fabia.

Correct I'm not. Maybe you're think of having a lift available. Hold up, I've just had a realisation, perhaps - are you now or have you ever been a mechanic?

Alright I'll play along, when do you put the screwdriver into the hole, it'd have to have a small handle to slide a M14 hole over it and if you put the wheel up first and then the screwdriver you might as well use a bolt. But whatever works for you great, each to their own. I'm 64 so possibly older that you, possibly not. Perhaps Octavias are different to Fabias, holding the wheel up is fine until it slips, a gob of manly macho split won't hold the wheel to hub and the centre ring is only a bout a millimetre or deep (I've never measured with manly macho callipers or anything else to confirm this). Your procedure was the one I was using until the (insert expletive) wheel slipped 1" (25mm) to the ground as I was about to put the sixteenth wheel bolt which of course was the first on that wheel. Again you do it whatever way you want. I can assure all I don't want to fart about any number of alignment tools or ANY wheel bolts.

Thanks for that but personally I don't care as for four plus decades all my cars, real Skodas, British/English and Japanese made and all the European (current one only as VW product) and Japanese cars that my wife has had in that time have all had studs and nuts (four each wheel not five) and those studs and nuts have caused me no problems or injuries. The (add in expletive of your choice, or not) VW product my wife currently has with its bolts, instead of studs, caused me 6 years, so far, of ongoing back problems by the wheel slipping off the centre (hub) and falling 1" (25mm) to the ground, so if anyone suggests to my face that the bolts are a good idea I will disagree from my experience and the fact you need to use an alignment tool (TWO really) and if it's while my back is playing up they'll hear a wide range of expletives.

The first alignment tool I got was a gift from a friend (more later why it was bought for me) with using it I discovered two are needed on on wheel really for them to work well (four if swapping round wheels), the second one I bought myself and it was a poorer and rougher finish. So different prices and different finishes the rough one I got could scratch the wheel bolt hole for those that worry about such things.

You've posted in the wrong forum, this for the site generally, you would be better looking or posting in the 'Skoda Rapid & Spaceback (2012 > )' forum (or a similar model forum). - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/225-skoda-rapid-spaceback-2012/ HTH.

Hi, welcome. Ben. You've posted on the wrong forum this is for generally site forum help or instruction, you want the relevant Fabia section, you also help by giving more info about your model see my name plate below and often which infotainment you have but in this case you see thread(s) and posts on your question in the 'Skoda Fabia Mk III (2014-2021)' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/298-skoda-fabia-mk-iii-2014-2021/

Have tried going from above and below and using tools with long handles, for leverage, to rock the cable fitting side-to-side and levering it out from as many angles of the circumference as possible, if not try that next time, Sod's Law it either pop out at first touch or a fraction just before you're about to give up for good.

Up to you, it's your car, you'll get the benefit or consequences. If the fitting is at the top you won't loose much oil (more than you might have already lost) on a short drive. What comes out of the fitting (speedo drive?) will it get damaged if it jumps out on a short drive(?), If you want to try it you can let us know what happens. Personally on such hot days I'd leave it until tomorrow night when it's cooler and the 1/4 can of proper penetrating fluid has had plenty of time to soak in (did this stuff have the invasive American WD-40 Company logo at the bottom of the label on the back if not blazed on the front). Let us know how you get on.

So the engine might stop through lack of air and it's just wet legs pushing the car out, which is better.

That guy doesn't want to go anywhere near areas of flood water with that.

More knowledge and advice for you. The cars have a stupid bolt instead of stud arrangement this means fitting the wheel with the car on the ground can be a PITA (or back more accurately) so you need a bit more in the spare wheel kit that isn't provided to make the job easier. This is what some call a VW wheel alignment / fitting tool better than a single one is to buy a set of two. (Another example of German engineering "quality".

They were Nissan 240 and 260 (Zed, not Zee) over here, I always liked the look of them as a lad but they're too American with the dash (and we' will not mention the lardy American 280Z) plus they're a tin top, Fuel-injection may be more sensible but what the point of being sensible with such a car, you want to hear and feel the carbs. IIRC at some point for an anniversary Nissan bought back 50? old 240(?) and restored them to sell on at below cost.

Don't go to the garage yet, stay on it a little longer. The secret is time and patience, two things some don't have or don't want, the way to do it is to use a good penetrating/releasing fluid, soak it and leave it to soak in for around 24 hour before trying to loosen. You could then try the trick try R_U_AFA has suggested - if it didn't work first time the just repeat the steps, soak and leave (another 24 hours, time and patience) and try again, That generally works on stuff you don't need a hot flame on, but it does require the afore mentioned two factors. Personally I'm not a big WD-40 Multi-Use fan and would use PlusGas or GT85 as that has so many other uses and is a better and longer lasting lubricant the Multi-Use. Both GT85 and PlusGas were formerly British sadly no more. https://www.plusgas.co.uk/en-gb https://gt85.co.uk/about/

Thought you might like the following video, one of the members of our car club for decades, who like other members take their vehicles to shows to actually drive them, rather than static polished display, and take out anyone on a Sporting Bears Dream Rides passenger ride on the roads of the land for a donation to children's charities in the UK. Not all club members have quite that collection, some only one humble "classic" and a few without even one "classic" or sportscar but still volunteer their time and presence to help raise the funds with all the less exciting aspects needed. The video. -

I liked the post of Carlston's that corrected the idea that steel wheels are heavier than alloy. The belief that a wider wheel will give better handling and road grip just by being wider totally neglects the greater importance of the tyre fitted, again a wider tyre may not be better and can be worse, all depends on the tyre. Most don't know or realise what a very important car component tyres are and how complex their design and build is and it great effect on the car, it braking, steering, suspension, handling, grip, ride quality and comfort, In very broad terms the wheel size was about the weight of the vehicle and getting over the size of the brakes now it's a lot more about fashion and "filling the wheel arch" to look good (fashionable at a particular time).

No you are not, you don't know until the first time, none of us are born knowing and have to learn for a first time, then as you get older you to have to relearn repeatedly as you forget. 😄 Best never to mix different makes let alone types of coolants and as you never put the current coolant in unless you have some sort of evidence like a bill or receipt for the coolant type you can never be sure what it is so don't top up unless you really have to. If it is VW's (or others) G12evo then it's claimed to be life time fill, who or what's life time isn't stated but I'd leave it in 10 years before a full hot drain, cleaner pack and refill (under vacuum pressure). Personally I take very little notice of the VW recommended oil or their specification numbers as a good suitable oil is a good suitable oil and will probably have that it covers the current VW numbers whatever they might be or changed to. If you are in a hot part of Greece I would recommend a better oil to cover the heat and give more protection for longer but always annual or 10,000km, whichever is the sooner, engine oil & filter changes particularly if you do lots of short journeys where the oil temperature does not reach 90c before the end of your journey. I also recommend an appropriate battery charger and maintainer and giving the car 12v battery preventative chargers before the battery gets too low as even if the engine starts, the headlights seem bright enough and you have not yet had any warning lights or messages the battery can still be too low for the computers and they can make you suffer for this mistake. Usual first sign of low battery is the start/stop not operating when it usually would, by the time you get warnings the battery is pretty low and will take more to recover on charging, difficulty starting the engine first time and the battery may not ever fully recover, engine not starting often means most will want to replace the expensive battery (it may or may not be recoverable in reality). Good luck.

More info from other forum, thread, post - sparticus-84 "I'm new here and so sorry to ask if this is in wrong section please move to correct area again thank you in advance... I have a t reg skoda felcia pickup 1600 petrol now I have all power everywhere except to the fuel pump wires which I have traced and got back to the board and it's red yellow blue and brown... brown is earth I know ..anyway so have had new relays and cleaned the copper terminals all down so like new again and all power is going to lights horns etc etc but still no power to the 4 wires to pump even from the cable block on footwell side... so please help and all fuses looked good 👍 please help me" Is the wiring factory standard, if so you need the wiring diagram, if not has any other non-factory items been fitted or factory items replaced, I'm thinking of a kill switch or re-routing of power supply away from normal immobiliser (if fitted) and/or ignition switch. Have you done wire checks at connectors for continuity and supply (taken a direct live supply and/or from the battery or off-board 12v battery or tested wires with something like a reasonable sized bulb or diagnostic tester probe if you have one?

ETA: The following video refers to a Mk2 but it gives the info. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7caOutlHwg The following YouTube 'Playlist' is for the Mk2 but some/lots of it may apply generally to the Mk3 too but I don't know, Owner's Manual would cover this stuff too. - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHH-B9onXpOqSbufztgrEsE0U-QjwooWU

Have a look on your expansion bottle it might have a G number, G13 I'd guess, The Germans have to have their own specifications (same for oils) in addition to anyone else's and it's comical, so what took over from G13 and is the latest and recommended, G12evo of course, and that's pink but take no notice of coolant colours as they can vary anyway (G13 according to this chart is violet). They also like to keep the quantities well hidden. G12 evo is VW spec number TL 774 L, VW part number (I think) is G 12E 050 A3 (at least it is for the 5 litre bottle of premix for -35c I have in front of me). Table below for you to enjoy the previous twists and turns of the VW engineers, you need never be short of a spec number.

It was Ootohere that mention that and not me but all posters contributed to your pot of info on this.

Be aware that the sizes of tyres given are nominal and actual inflated sizes of the tyres in a boot well may vary a very little. The tyre manufacturers catalogue or website might give you actual sizes, and tyre tread depth from new can vary, say between 6.5mm to 8mm so be wary of tight squeezes if not getting official wheels. You can use the hyperlink Tintowellfan posted to compare nominal sizes of tyres (in mm or inches). About a quarter of a century ago I had to put a space saver tyre or a car that didn't have such overspec'd wheels and tyres as now (and much lighter car with much less electronic driver "aids") and going up hill in town at less than 30 mph when braking on a dry road I could feel the difference in grip and how it affected the braking (no power steering). That wasn't a very powerful car (but much lighter than now) but it put me off carrying a spacer or using one unless really necessary which was just to hold that corner of the car up whilst I got the tyre repaired or replaced. I'm not sure that the goo couldn't be sorted with a bit of effort but I'd sooner use a manual footpump, the plug in electric one are generally wheezy, very noisy and can get sometimes get hot and take a fuse out if used to fully inflate a flat tyre on a big wheel if not given rest and cooling down breaks and the pressure gauges well out - but perhaps the VW provided ones are of better quality now, I've tested the one in my wife's car a little but I only know for sure it's a bit wheezy, very noisy and gauge is out and no real idea of it's full inflation capabilities, it might surprise me - my wife bought a cheap manual footpump and put that in the boot as well.

Fair enough. It might be part of the reason but generally plugs are often left in well passed their optimum, or best anyway, many think if they're working that's all that's required, similarly if the car has a current (or even new) MoT then it must be OK or good and we know that's often not correct. I must admit I've dodged the PITA removal of airbox, coils and plugs as my wife said it wasn't worth investing in the extra tools, grease and buying the plugs as she won't have the car for the next change, she's learnt by her mistake of getting it, it was her choice and I can't persuade her not to change it so as to get the value out of buying it and replacing all the bits that needed replacing (that shouldn't have). I'm not a mechanic and I don't enjoy farting about with cars, particularly our own car(s).