nta16

If you just want to compare like-for-like journeys and situation rather than overall that is fine depending on the repeated accuracy of the TC-6. It depends on whether this is an improvement or not on previous figures, if so good.

Your method of autofill and not more is about as good as it gets for a 'modern' (compared to mine) car like yours, as you have put using the TC-6 kilometres remaining function only relates to the previous 50 kilometres so unless all the preceding travel was at exactly the same circumstances it only relates to those last 50 kilometres which can vary going forward too. The nominal capacities are just that nominal. The link you put up about fuel tanks has no date to it so may not apply to a car from 2000.

Yes wrong valve gap and spark plug issues will effect the running, throw in ECU chip and lots of potential for lower performance and if the coolant was that thick perhaps that might make a bit of difference to the cold starting. IIRC you have had the chip program replaced, hopefully the correct spark plugs and correct gap for them and valves based on the ECU tuning so you should be good to see what difference the coolant makes, good luck.

That's better than won't then. You can start it and go through the suggestions above, checking for coolant loss too but as long as the coolant level doesn't get too low you've got the right time of year not to worry so much about it whilst testing. You are certainly at the stage where better scan tools help more. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

1. and 2., 100% (unless you like football, then 110%) but 3. and 4. depends even if you wouldn't touch a bottle of gear oil with a bargepole, just ask someone else with a similar car to try your car and see what they think. Perhaps if you threw out the shagpile floor mats it might help with the pedal.

I don't, I consulted an oil professional who gave me scientific fact, I went against all beliefs and faith (other than my own of course), unqualified opinion and whatever else is traded on the internet in place of facts, I used a fully synthetic GL5, like you say things move on. Even you have put it won't do any harm so why worry about it, for the Fabia Mk3 it less than £16 for the oil as I needed more than one bottle, my time of course is priceless (unlike professionals) given the results it was worth the effort with only ego-placebo perhaps for me, but you know how difficult that is to avoid.

Was that fluid in for the two years(? or am I getting mixed up) that you have had the cold start issue and/or lower kpl then?

A fully synthetic gearbox oil is a splash lubrication fluid with a comprehensive additive pack containing detergents, anti-oxidation, anti-foam, anti-shear agents among other components, it may well last the life of the gearbox* but it's not working as well in later life as earlier and very early life. We won't argue about what a fully synthetic oil actually is unless an oil engineer sees this and can put it into laymen terms for all. Whilst it doesn't suffer as much as engine oil it does have thermal cycles, there can be condensation and there will be some containments to the oil with time and use. I've got a 1980s Ford Type 9 gearbox it was Ford's first 5-speed RWD box and without a drain plug, whether that was meant as filled for life I don't know, but what is that life, the gearbox I have could be near enough 30 years old now and it's been in at least two vehicles. The oil that Ford specified for it was 'special' at the time but the specification widened to encompass other oils as the years passed as they used different oils in their gearboxes. The oil that the specialist professional gearbox rebuilders insist on is the Ford spec oil (despite that spec being on loads of oils) or a cheap Comma oil because it's the right spec and colour (dye). Luckily for me my Type 9 gearbox leaks, everywhere but possibly not the usual place, so it is a self flushing oil system as it needs regular topping up. As it doesn't have a drain plug, it's a really pain to syphon out as I can't a hose or tubing low enough to get all the oil out, some fit a drain plug, I never got a roundtuit, so I rely on staged renewal from what I can syphon out at changes and what leaks out. As Dave Allen (almost) used to say - let your oil belief go with you * Especially if it's the cause of the death of the box. 🤣

If by across the board you mean the forward gears and reverse gear then it could be the linkage adjustment, clutch, low oil level, old worn oil or any contributing combination or permutation. So it'd make sense to start with the easiest and least expensive fix first, I don't know how easy those fantastic plastic (German engineering quality?) cable adjusters are to get at and it depends if you have or can get for free spare gearbox oil for topping up as to which is most convenient as the first step. I've changed "filled for life" oil before and it was worth the effort. There is of course driver error to take into consideration, perhaps rushing, impatient especially on reverse and 1st perhaps when it's cold, or different footwear perhaps, one day carpet slippers and the next deep tread work boots. ETA: Having the driver's seat one notch back from usual can also make a difference.

Do both, linkage first, that will probably help this issue most, and of course it is real and not placebo. If the gearbox oil is low topping it up will also help. - ETA: see also PipH's advice. Then after you have confirmed how much the linkage adjustment has helped if your car is 15 years old and still with the original gear oil change it and get further improvements and better present and future protection. Buy very good quality oil as the extra cost isn't much, and it's normally a very easy job to do yourself, even I can do it, the better oil will make a difference and offer greater margins of protection which can be very useful on older vehicles. You will get a real improvement, it was the first job I done on my wife's 6 year-old Mk3 at 38k-miles, she said she noticed the difference on gearchanges and we've been together far too long not to be honest about such things. I've been told for years by mechanic-types that it makes no difference, and better oils are a waste of money, yet I have found both do. Just because oil been in the ground for millions of years some think that's how long it lasts in the gearbox when actually it starts to deteriorate quite quickly, yes it can last many, many years but it's not doing its job as well as it should (but perhaps good enough for some). I always drain the existing oil as hot as possible and leave to drain for as long as possible to get as much of the existing oil and crud out as possible and so that the new fresh oil is less diluted by the existing oil and crud residue left in the box. Dropping the gearbox oil also gives the chance to see if there are any metals bits in it, and to compare with the fresh new oil. Of course changing to fresh better quality gearbox oil won't repair worn parts but can help and protect more and better than very old very worn oil.

It might be the photo and lighting conditions but to me that mix looks pretty thick compared to the ready mixed you can buy. I would not want to work where you do.

I understand what you mean - but just in case there should be any confusion I am not American and here in Britain there are companies that know about blending oils and chemical products but it is just like with many countries in the world we have allowed the very invasive big American corporations in and with their money and power they very successfully market their products and under many different brand names. Amsoil is not a traditional American corporation and does not market itself in the same way as most of them do.

Being American probably with a 50/50 mix but as I put before you seem to have done your research why not have more faith in your research and yourself and go ahead and let us know how you get on and if it improves your kpl and cold starting.

D.FYLAKTOS, sorry I forgot to put in my last post the other side of the lubrication with the Amsoil, the sales brochure has "add 1 fl. oz. of Coolant Boost per quart of system of capacity" and "In applications using Coolant Boost with antifreeze/water mixtures, add Coolant Boost once per year or every 30,000 miles (48,280 km), whichever comes first. Follow coolant manufacturer recommendations for coolant change intervals." Not Note, tests were done with - "50/50 mix" "test coolant mixture" "aerated coolant mixtures" "corrosive water designed to simulate hard and corrosive water in degraded coolant". I do not know, you would have to look up the specifics of the tests yourself but I wonder if the mix was 50/50 for those tests and bear in mind, top race engines at least that are running on water and the additives, will have their oils and fluids changed every race they are far removed from street cars with usual coolant. See attached. g2785.pdf

Perhaps the if there is a lubricant it isn't hazardous, also depends on what is classed as a lubricant. Have a look at the attached SDS for AMSOIL Signature Series oil 90-98% by weight of the product doesn't appear on it, see attached. One of the best lubricants know to man or woman, real ale, has ingredients that anyone should be able to make an ale out of but it's the blend and the execution of manufacture that make some very good, some mediocre and others undrinkable, same with a sponge cake, dead easy for just about anyone to put the ingredients together and cook yet some will be superb, some mediocre, others inedible. Not speaking American I did not realise the sales brochure is called the Data Bulletin, see attached, on it very unsurprisingly they do use a 350 cubic inch (5.7 litre) Chevy for the tests and there is a Engine Warm-up Time Reduction with 50/50 mix at 30˚F TO 120˚F (49°C TO 82°C) from 6.3 Min to 3.2 Min with Coolant Boost added. By adding the Coolant Boost in a 50/50 mix there was a reported 8˚F (4.5°C) reduction (read the test details for yourself) and 25˚F (13.8°C) reduction reported when added to with straight water. azf.pdf g2785.pdf

I was thinking more of a hole that is added after manufacture. ETA: photo of underside of jiggle pin

I was comparing Water wetter with MoCool, neither say about aiding warm-up so with its tiered surfactant then the Amsoil must be your choice, of the three at least. In the video he explains why you do not see a difference on your temperature gauge with the MoCool Amsoil - 3:28 to 4:45 until the thermostat is fully open it is controlling the engine coolant temperature. Given your previous question about trust, this chap is not from Amsoil, he is just wearing one of their shirts, he is just someone trying to sell the product. He was talking about starting the car and leaving it at idle to warm up, as previously put this is not a good idea. These guys in USA have huge V8s that tick over really slow anyway. He says the coolant boost will boost the anti-corrosion and make it last longer which is fair enough but if you make timely changes of your coolant it will not be badly depleted anyway. I am not against additives, I particularly like them if they are already in the product but I think your car appears in your cold starts to warm quickly anyway, if you have your heater turned off at cold so the coolant does not go through it that would also speed up the engine warming a bit, in the same way as having the heater on when the engine is getting hot will help to cool it a little bit. In the video he was talking about 15 minutes for the engine to warm, has your car ever taken 15 minutes to show say 90 on the gauge. As has been shown these products originate from racing where they do not use coolant but rather just water and if you are not worried about water freezing then you could use these products and just water or as you have suggested a smaller ratio of antifreeze plus the Amsoil. You seem to have done your research why not have more faith in your research and yourself and go ahead and let us know how you get o and if it improves you kpl.

Yes but surely that is the same for MoCool. Some put a hole(s) in those type because they have removed a bypass, others when they get one without a jingle pin, or even with, to let air passed. It obviously lets some coolant passed when the thermostat is closed can slow warming up a little. I think you have the right idea to clean and start again, I do not think the mixing of different antifreezes and extra additives is a great idea, it might be fine but I would sooner keep to one type. I would put in a flush cleaner then after flush, backflush, flush again engine, radiator and heater making sure I had got as much residue out of each of the three areas at each stage as possible (but this is really a job for summer weather).

Two quick thoughts, IF you have a thermostat as above, or perhaps even other, have you drilled a hole through the plate? Did you make the mistake of putting more than 5% MoCool into your coolant?

IF your thermostat is as below then you would need to look for one that is the same but with at a different temperature - thing is if the temperate is higher this will mean it may open later at cold starts but it will also probably mean it only fully opens at a higher temperature which may not be so good for hot city driving. You would have to ask tropan what their manufacturing tolerances are for thermostats. (ETA: though they may have these made by another company or buy them in). Over here we are more used to seeing products like Waterwetter (it is American though). - https://www.redlineoil.com/waterwetter

You have only just introduced this aspect, I am not a Motul employee so will not defend them but on the bottle (if not the data sheet) it has "up to 15c / 30f" and about racing so I assume (always dangerous) this is at the top end of the temperatures and not runs 15c cooler throughout the range but again I would ask Motul what they mean. I understand you want your car running cooler in hot city traffic but I have no idea if this extra cooling effects your cold starts. mocool_en_fr_motul.pdf

I would ring the company and talk to one of the technical people and with my charm, age and experience try to get an off-the-record opinion as obviously they may normally have to stick to the "company line" but often given the right approach some people are prepared to be flexible. Or if you are now at 50% try the other extreme of 10% or 20% to see if gives you the change you want, if it does not you can always increase the concentration of antifreeze. I can not see how reducing the concentration will make the difference you want. If you want the engine warm up to be quicker and starting warmer then you might want to consider some sort of preheating/prewarming to the coolant system or engine or perhaps something to reduce the cold coming in like a radiator blind. Have you checked your coolant thermostat, that it is not stuck open or opens at around the correct temperature - though your temperature seems to rise quick enough to me - or you could install a thermostat that open at a higher temperature that would delay the cooling. Thermostats have a manufacturing tolerance and the American made ones at least have a +/- 3f tolerance, the stated temperature is when they start to open and are only fully open about 15f-20f degrees above its rated temperature so two thermostats with different ratings may still operate a lot closer than expected (say 82c and 88c). I do not know about European or other areas tolerances.

If you are using Motul and they put 33% as a minimum why not stick to that.

EPC on the Mk3 Fabia is another VW computer program speak for PANIC! - You the driver have broken the vehicle and you must seek help from a specialist garage.

You might find it was a error in the recording of work done and the box wasn't touched at all, a transfer of tickbox information perhaps. We had tyres gain rubber between visits according to the ticksheets.