nta16

If you have measured the gaps (to three decimal mm places) with a cheap digital caliper do you know its accuracy. "Dead on balls accurate?" "It's an industry term." A quote misses out Marisa Tomei though.

0,93 mm = 0.03661417" - (0.0365") - (36.5 thou) 0,889 mm = 0.035" - (35 thou) 0,88 mm = 0.03464567" - (0.0345") - (34.5 thou) 0,889 mm = 0.035" - (35 thou) The DIY blade feeler gauges we use over here work to thousandths of an inch. So 0.001" steps normally but the set might include 0.0015" and 0.0025" blades too, so to four decimal places at a push. So apart from the first gap you list the set of four is within "half a thou" so nothing to get too excited about and beyond my ability with a feeler gauge. You would have to ask your tuner if the gap when new for those plugs would remain at factory (Champion or Skoda?) setting for his programming or not and it depends on their use (mileage) how much they might wear from whatever was the gapping. Others here or viewing will know know a lot more than I about plugs, as I put I use whichever suitable NGK (copper) plugs are available at a good price and change every two years (if not before), I do check the gaps (and sometimes clean) at least each year.

That site is US of A, they didn't get Skodas, I only linked to it it as a quick reference to your plug manufacturer of choice. I do not know if the following link will work for you, and even if it does it will not improve your mood as it list 9 possible plugs for the 68hp engine in Champion codes - EON1/287 - EON1/286 - CET12PSB - CET12P - OE182/T10 - OE182/R04 - CCH9806 - OE145/T10 -OE145/R04. https://www.championautoparts.co.uk/catalogue.html#fitment_id=11193&search_type=vehicle&subcategory_id=686

Bit premature with the gloating, it's not been confirmed that the error code is the fault, and related, it's like how I sometimes am with reality. And you can have more than one problem related or not to the issue in hand and/or as yet undiscovered or unrecognised issues. The German car manufacturers often seem to go out of their way to make things over-complicated to show how clever they think they are which often leads to complex issues and solutions in and out of Warranty and these engines are more complex than most. Let's hope cleaning the coil or connector sorts the issue. 😁

Before looked fine to me, after is show condition. The follies of youth - sometimes turn into the aches and pains of older age. 😄

More info and conformation. - "3. Gapping fine-wire spark plugs While most NGK spark plugs are pre-gapped, there are occasions when the gap requires adjustment. Care must be taken to avoid bending or breaking off the fine-wire electrodes. NGK recommends a round wire-style or pin gauge gap tool to measure the gap. If the gap must be adjusted, use a tool that only moves the ground electrode and does not pry between or against the electrodes. NGK also recommends adjusting the gap no more than +/- 0.008” [0.2mm] from the factory preset gap." - https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/resources/5-things-you-should-know-about-spark-plugs DO I NEED TO SET THE “GAP” WHEN INSTALLING A NEW SET OF PLUGS? - https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/resources/set-gap-when-installing-new-plugs "SHOULD I GAP MY DENSO PLUGS? - Even if the preset gap matches that required by your engine, it is always good practice to physically check the gap as it may have shifted during transportation (not all spark plugs are packaged in a way that protects the firing end ). *Gapping is not recommended on multi-ground plugs." - https://www.densoproducts.com/should-i-gap-my-denso-plugs Also - "Fine Wire Plugs Spark Plug manufacturers typically warn against gapping fine wire spark plugs due to the fragile nature of their electrodes. They say a fine wire plug will outperform a standard spark plug, even if not properly gapped. However, Denso understands a plug can only operate to its optimum potential if properly gapped. Proper gapping technique should be followed with any spark plug, but special care should be taken with fine wire plugs. Denso will not warranty a plug who’s center electrode is snapped during gapping."

Gaps get wider with use - but as I put before, and Champion put in the link I put up, the gaps on new plugs should always be checked before installation and if not correct to their specification (and if factory gapped, olds ones were not) then returned the plug(s) to the seller. They could have been dropped, customers swapping them, production or packaging errors, who knows. "Do Spark Plugs Always Have to Be Gapped? Not always. In the past, it was necessary to gap spark plugs, but today spark plugs are usually pre-gapped. It is advisable to double check that the gap is correctly set to the vehicle's recommended setting when installing spark plugs." - https://www.championautoparts.com/Technical/Tech-Tips/Spark-Plug-Gap-Tip.html CHOOSING THE RIGHT SPARK PLUG GAP TOOL - https://www.championautoparts.com/Technical/Tech-Tips/choosing-the-right-spark-plug-gap-tool.html Away from plugs, generally, when getting any new parts it is best to inspect them, offer up to check fitment and if possible even test fit before change or use as they could be wrong for many various reasons.

If I'm looking at what you are referring to then those might(?) just be markings when viewed on a bigger screen or zoomed in.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. A lower, slower and longer recharge, at least overnight if not longer, might have got more useful life out of that battery but with VW's over-complicated and interconnected and intrusive computer programs you do want to be sure of the battery power you have.

I passed my test in 1977 in my driving tutor's car, I can't remember what it was, certainly not one I was used to seeing, at the same time I was driving my own pre-reg, so at least 14 years old, Ford Consul Cortina (Mk1) 1200cc about 50hp perhaps when new (standard front seat and long gear lever out of the floor). Old cars back then were not like old cars now most were really old bangers, and not "classic" either. I remember when my licence arrived it was valid until 2030, in the next century, I couldn't imagine that time and being that old. 😁

Spark plugs has been covered before, the plugs suggested were as factory standard car as your car is programmed the programmer I would have thought would mention or suggest if he thought different plugs might be need but I doubt he was tuning the car for the type of use you had. You could try different heat plugs as they may help with that type of use but would they be as good generally over a whole range of driving conditions, I do not know, they might be better if they suit your programming. I was surprised at the recommendation of platinum for factory cars, as it was the range of plugs was wider than I expected anyway. You probably have seen it already but attached is a NGK publication. ngk_zuendkerzen_code_en.pdf

Lake District Yes a bit lower scenery, doh. No doubt we've been on it with a few tours over the years.

I couldn't afford one of these new but went to a mate's test drive for one when they were first released, he could afford one, £12k new IIRC. It was at Corby Co-Op Motors (Northamptonshire) and the salesman said to my mate he probably knew more about the car (100% he would) so jus threw him the keys, no paperwork, as quick and simple as turning up for the appointment, can you imagine that now! As it was just us I drove first, with my mate telling me to slow down through the country roads even though we weren't going at great speed and then when he took over and drives a lot quicker than me I realised what he meant as a passenger. It was the year we had a lot of rain and in the farm fields with hilly slopes the dug up topsoil mud had slid down, I'd never seen that before. A number of years later I went to look at this car for someone I worked with and very surprisingly the very small local dealer had two of them in the very small showroom. When I went back home to suggest my wife sees them she said she didn't really want to as she'd want to buy one - so we did. At the time it was the modern day equivalent to a MG Midget, if they'd made one then but they didn't, but of course this was much better.

Boy were you rollin' in it £70 for a first car, back then! You're just showing off. 😊 And another rear-engined buddle of fun. I should recognised that road the Talbot Sunbeam 1.3 LS is on, think it might be Welsh. I was just about to widen the scope of the thread with a non-Skoda model but you beat me to it.

Sticking with rear-engined Skodas, two of my past three, period photos. 1986 Rapid 130 1985 120LS (4-speed)

Doubtful that it is the coolant sensor given what you have previously put - wiring generally , as I put before. I am not one for saying "it won't be that" but I can not see how the spark plugs will have the effect to cause the issues, they appear to start the engine easily, they do not misfire or cause other engine issues so how would they give effect to the longer high idle and high fuel consumption. They in themselves do not vary their operation.

Kobycat, the state of the battery charge is very important to these cars as the VW computer programs are over-complicated and over intrusive and very interconnected. So if the battery charge gets low, even if you can still start the car and even if the lights seem bright enough the charge might still be too low for the computers and their programs can/will throw up all sorts of unexpected warnings and issues. As already pointed out there are methods to keep this from becoming a problem and if you read your Driver's Handbook it will tell you when the start/stop does not operate. If you do not have the paper printed copy you can download a PDF copy from here. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models Other useful hyperlinks - update portal - https://updateportal.skoda-auto.com/ recall actions - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-actions

Ah, right, thanks. Yes, fun to drive and very practical too. On my 1987 130 LS (5-speed) saloon I fitted Goodyear Eagle (F1?) (NCT?) and they made the handling really good. On a nice B-road I was motoring along within the speed limit when I encountered a BMW who decided to loose me rather than be overtook, he couldn't loose the Skoda but rushed off when we hit town and I dropped to the 30mph limited. I really enjoyed the Eagles but they soon wore and I needed more miles out of tyres given the car's use and when I changed them the fitter warned me not to expect the new tyres to be as good as the worn Eagles and he was right. In the previous photo, my wife didn't want me to go over the Welsh mountains in the snow despite me explaining where the car was made and what would easily be expected of it. That red 1985 120LS was the best of the three but it was a four-speed and the revs and vibration didn't suit 70mph, fine at up to 60+ or 80+ but as I got a speeding ticket within 3 weeks of its ownership and driving was part of my job I didn't want more than the three pints I got. So funny as the Copper apologised for stopping me and having to book me, yet I was glad he stopped me where he did as I'd just shifted out of 2nd and was accelerating, I was young and (even more) foolish. A mate said he didn't take my reg number but my chassis number as I passed, given I'd heard all the 1980s Sun jokes many times I thought his was good. C-reg 1986 Rapid 130 (5-speed).

Sorry I did not make myself clear, I do not think that the TC-6 has any control over the fuelling or engine, only that it monitors. I personally doubt its absolute precision but it might be good and if its accuracy remains constant then it is a reasonable measuring tool. However if it splices into the factory wiring at any point, especially to a factory sensor, then that brings in a possibility of electric and electronic funny business.

Obviously if you are fitting a new plug connector all of the previous posts contents can wait until you have done this and confirmed the results of the replacement. Good luck, I hope it is this, often can be.

Fair enough but what about the wiring and connections to this, and the wiring and connections to the other sensors, what sensors do you have on your car? Then there's the other stuff previously mentioned. When you are getting this poor fuel economy are you are to tell if the car is lacking in power, or does the city driving prevent this. Whilst you are getting poor fuel economy have you noticed anything different coming out of the exhaust. As I understand it your TC-6 measures off the car's sensors (?), if so can you disconnect it from the sensors so they are running by themselves without any connection to any part of the TC-6 system and seal and protect any connections then drive the car normally for a few days with it disconnected. I know the TC-6 does not control anything only monitors but wiring or connection problems can throw up weird issues. Also have you confirmed that you are actually using more fuel other than the TC-6 readings and idle remaining at 1100 for minutes?

I lost a post a post so out of order (and topic again). One of mine had the aerial in the sunroof, another I think had a black metal aerial but I'm not sure now and one, the Rapid 130 coupe I guess, had the the aerial in the rear window which was OK until you turned the rear window heater element on. As I remember it the Rapid 130 coupe had a complex almost infinite range of settings for the interment wiper, I thought there was like three rotary knobs involved but when I looked at the cars on the stand at the NEC Classic Motor Show last November none had anything like that. And I was wrong about the rad grille, all three of mine had the same grille but on one I had added the fog lights that were part of the grille pieces, on another spot lights hanging below the front bumper. Photo below is from the end of November 1985, Raglan Castle (I think), Wales, I'm sure of the date as it was our honeymoon, though neither of us can remember if it was a three or four day honeymoon but it was abroad and in a new car, the vulgar extravagancy of it all.

If you can, get the engine oil as warm/hot as possible and leave it to drain for as long as possible to get as much old oil and contaminants out as possible so that you can get as much fresh clean oil in as possible, which will also mean the new fresh oil will be less diluted by the smaller quantity of residue old oil and contaminants. The thoroughness of oil changes help, as does regular timely changes and using good quality oils. Personally at the very end of the drain I like to pour a small quantity of warmed fresh new oil through to drain out to act as a mini-flush to transit any settled dregs, around the sump exit area at least. No doubt some will say this last bit of oil comes out of the placebo store, I will have to check its effectiveness by oil annalists of end of the drain of old oil and again with mini-flush oil, both conducted on pieces of white paper towel.

Well these are the only things I can think of and they are repeats from before and stuff you will not like or agree with but as I put I am not a mechanic or expert in anything just a distance observer of the information you have given. The cables to the coolant sensor may be significant especially the one with a bare patch and other with loose connection, you will find out from the results of the repairs if this is so, and all being well this might be the end of it. If not, I would confirm the TC-6 readings, reverse the environments and times of the starts, try to get scan tool readings if possible, perhaps consider that there is an error in some programming, consider if other sensors or the wiring or connections (as with coolant sensor) are faulty including at computer. What was different about the first 100km to not have this problem, could the coolant refill work have moved anything (wires, cables, hoses, tubes, flaps, mechanical, etc.) that temporarily sorted the problem to later resettled back to causing this problem. Any computer resets (battery disconnection perhaps) that cleared the problem for a while for it to return. If some starts are different to others and from that there is increased consumption it would suggest to me that some sensor or programming (or possibly even something mechanical or other electrical) is not moving away, or causing the effect, from a cold start setting to running setting quick enough and/or fully - in my car it would be something like a choke jet sticking on when it should be released. In the 3:42 minutes the idle is high from the cold start, I would look under the bonnet and after the normal time for the idle to drop has passed I would wiggle wires, connections, cables, mechanicals to see if it causes the idle to then instantly drop. I have little idea from the start but have totally run out of ideas now, sorry.

@danilob possibly some good new for you, whilst on another thread that included chain rattle I twice had it confirmed by a poster that - "Yes, all 1.3 Felicias have the rattly timing chain Skoda engine." So unless your is very rattlely or beyond normal rattle you can possibly lower the priority on this until you learn to do it yourself, if it is worth doing, the poster said a new chain does quieten things down but they were rattlely from 20k-miles when new anyway. Below same engine in later 1.4 MPI.