MijIsTired

On this occasion it doesn’t (as far as I can see) seem to be coming from the timing chain side. But unless I can get under it again I can’t be sure if that. They defo weren’t talking about the crankcase breather valve, although it looks like one source of the oil may be the grommet for that. The valve is fine - I replaced over a year ago and checked it at the weekend - but the grommet has the beginnings of a split between the external part and the narrower tube bit. So now on the hunt for a part number for just the grommet, which I don’t know the proper name for.

Another shout out to the helpfulness of the instructions here. Retrieved and fixed a list clip, then used again when I needed to get behind the trim for wiring reasons. So many uses! 😉

Thanks @J.R.

That was our experience a few weeks ago, but that was on a Sunday and semi-rural. Today looks like less, at least I’m in a city and only 5 miles from the garage I want to get to. Let’s hope they take my recovery request at face value, and don’t decide to send a patrol that can’t tow first.

Thanks for sharing the instinct, @J.R.. But on that basis, as I can't jack it up where it is (too steep, too in the way), and I won't get home for another hour anyway, I'll get it recovered tomorrow, to the one garage that thinks it can get a pair of drive shafts. As I haven't troubled a breakdown service for years (before the last 9 months anyway), it's about time I got my money's worth. Follow-up Q: if it is loose bolts, can that be down to the crap condition of the shoddy used drive shaft we had to use? Or might I have to have a serious chat with our otherwise exemplary mechanics..? I appreciate that may be impossible to take a guess at. Again, asking just cos I have no prior experience to draw on.

Asking as I have to decide whether or not to try to nurse it 7 miles across a city to our garage, or call recovery from the get-go, and risk being stuck waiting for the RAC for 6+ hrs. I have a 2011 MkII Fabia Combi, 1.2 TSI, manual gearbox, 157.000 miles on the clock. Is there any way for me - a moderately confident but risk averse DIYer - to make a judgement as to how likely this clunking is going to: a) result in something falling out of the bottom of the vehicle on my way to the garage b) damage other parts on the way, even if it gets there in one piece? It's gone from the commonly-experienced clicking/clunking on lower speeds (worse on medium to far right lock), to making a significantly louder clunking, which I could feel through the floor - centrally - when I drove off on Saturday morning. I turned around within 100m and came back, and haven't moved it since. I can't get under it properly to see what's going on, and I don't really know what I'm looking for anyway - I know my way around the engine, but have very little hands-on experience with the suspension or transmission, as it's not work I can generally do myself without a garage, driveway, living on a hill etc etc. Looking with a torch, I can see what I thought was (yet another) oil leak, but considering how much ££ I've just put into leak-related repairs, I'm wondering if it's actually from the transmission / suspension. Context / history: OS drive shaft started making clicking/clunking noises (worse on lock and low speed, familiar story) a few months ago. As part of investigation of that, garage found source of an oil leak which meant that had to be prioritised (top cover, sump, rear valve, threw timing chain in for good measure). Booked in to do all of it at once, then they discovered they couldn't get drive shafts anywhere. Even original parts were on back order with dealers, with no estimated delivery date. So I sourced used parts from a supplier (VAG group specialists with decent reviews), triple checked part numbers, and also asked for mileage. They told me 68,000. When they arrived (late) at the garage, they called me to tell me 3 ball bearings rolled out of the parcel, so NS shaft unusable, and the other one was "no better than the one we've just taken off". As car was already in pieces, I had little choice but to ask them to fit it anyway, put our old NS one back on (it wasn't as bad as the OS) as we were about to go on holiday.

Thanks for asking, yes, but 20hrs after first called recovery, and on the back of a truck. The RAC had better brace themselves for feedback. New alternator went in on Tuesday. My regular garage queue-jumped me, which was very decent of them. In another emergency hire car now though, as sodding rip-off used replacement drive shaft bought when none could be sourced for love nor money a month ago, started making new and worse noises (which I could feel through the floor) and I couldn't let anyone drive the distance required today. Starting to question my car-related life choices tbh.

Stuck brushes defo part of it, as the thumping it approach worked briefly. Car has done 158,000. Didn’t have it from new but have done the majority of the miles. Can’t recall having a replacement and definitely haven’t changed it myself.

It didn’t go so well. 20mins into journey on new battery and everything shut down by load management. Luckily, had an inkling and was headed for a service area, so only had to push 100yds to safety. Switched battery to old but charged one, to shift to car park. RAC confirmed battery fine, no obvious sign of dodgy earth. Gave alternator a robust whack, which did nothing initially but a couple more thwacks saw multimeter go up to 14+V. Held for a couple of minutes. I took revs up a bit as an experiment (and as battery light didn’t always come on at tick over), and sure enough the bloody thing dipped again. tl:dr - we drove 40 mins to another service area with the RAC as escort, and power steering shut down as we coasted into the car park. So yeah… Now awaiting recovery (that RAC dude booked as insurance before we set off). But as we’re still 150 miles away and it’s 8.30pm on a Sunday night in school holidays, no idea what happens next. So if anyone has any more suggestions that might get us going before the area’s finest recovery folk arrive, hit me up. 😬

Dodging in to say - thank you all - setting off with fingers crossed - will reply properly when home and - new behaviour: when setting off from a brief essential pit stop, battery light was on/off for a couple of miles. Couldn’t find a pattern, wasn’t just on load / engine retard / other state. Any ideas..?

[Sigh] 200 miles from home, on holiday, and battery (alternator) light comes on. Turn everything non-essential off, plug in OBDEleven on the move, battery showing 11.8 and falling. Never seen it below 12.1 before, even though it's ancient, and when engine running it's usually 14+. Got as low as 11.6 while driving. Diverted immediately to nearest open car parts place (no option but Halfords) to get a new battery, as we're staying off the beaten track and didn't want to be unable to restart the car miles from anywhere, or have to call recovery. Engine barely turned over in the car park, so swapped in the new one there and then. Car started, but OBD told me on the way back, that the new one wasn't charging either, so ancient battery probably not to blame. Memory says 'alternator', but google / Briskoda says 'maybe just the regulator'. There's a thread on here about switching out the regulator with the alternator still in situ, but that's on an older Octavia. And as I have only basic tools with me, I'm guessing that's not really an immediate option. So having to weigh these options: - attempting to get back (on Sunday) as we are (original battery is charging tonight, and if necessary I can swap them out again tomorrow night) - calling recovery on Sunday morning, and accepting the potentially painful cost of a new alternator. Any thoughts?

Update, just in case it's of use to anyone else in the future: The valve I couldn't locate, is apparently only really visible from underneath, and as I can only work on ours on the slopey road, I can't get under it easily or safely without a big palaver with multiple chocks and neighbour inconvenience. I still can't find it referenced in the usual parts catalogues so none the wiser, but hey. The coolant leak wasn't found until the system had been pressurised and on diagnostics for about an hour at the garage, and nowhere near the water pump, which was replaced for a second time between initial and final fixes. Expensive way to find it, but at least that should be sorted for a bit.

Suzukis getting more mentions here than I’d have anticipated. I’d better gen up 😊

As an above average height person who still finds that some car cockpit layouts don’t provide good sight lines or reach (I drive a range of hire cars & vans regularly, if not frequently), I’m hoping you’re right, but it’s hard to imagine a much smaller person’s perspective, particularly when body proportions are also in play! Eldest has relatively long legs, for their height, so eg gearstick position may be marginally more important to get right than pedal to seat adjustment. Plus they’ve been indoctrinated by my borderline Jim Clark sitting position. I really like ‘driving instructor type cars’ as a reference point, cos of course they’d need highly adjustable positioning, thank you for that!

Thank you. We have a Fabia Mkll combi and yes it’s extremely useful, but we have no driveway and it’s an extremely snug parking situation on the road, so for a first car and adding to the vehicular mayhem outside, I’m thinking of a compact profile, if not actually mini-mini. As I only really think about what’s under the bonnet, in terms of reliability, economy/emissions, ease of fixing, and engineering quality, it’s useful to hear about trim etc that may make something a bargain, thank you.

The Citigo isn’t on my radar at all, will look it up! The others even less so. I clearly haven’t noticed any new cars since about 2010 😆 AutoExpress has a Citigo vs Up! Vs Mii showdown article. So it looks like VAG may well be dominating the adjustability for the leg-length challenged market.

Ah now I wondered about a fiesta, but haven’t been in one for a long time and got the impression from friends that their no frills model didn’t have much adjustability. But assuming that’s about tracking down the right model. The Suzuki looks interesting, I know nothing about Japanese cars from a DIY point of view, so will have a read around.

Hi folks Eldest is thinking about learning to drive, and is properly titchy. Also has some mobility issues, which those online articles that say 'hey, sports cars are great for shorter drivers!' don't consider. Hauling up and out of something low-seated isn't our solution, sadly. The obvious answer is a Fabia - it's what we drive, it has adjustable seat and steering, and gave them a go round a car park a few months back just to see if it would adjust sufficiently, and it does. But to gives ourselves (and them) a bit more choice, it would be useful to hear what other vehicles might work. And cos we're talking about an 18yr old, and OMG levels of insurance, let's assume our budget will allow for only older, modest makes and models. All experience of what works (and what doesn't!) gratefully received 🙏

I know the old 'replace things in pairs / sets' rule is less adhered to with newer cars, but when it comes to glitchy performance I'm inclined to at least buy a complete set. Then even if I do number 3 on its own first to check that the hesitations / hiccups go, I'll probably fit the lot so at least the service history is easier to keep track of. I keep finding parts that I would have assumed had been replaced 000s of miles ago are original (13yr old battery, shocks that had done 155,000). I haven't replaced the leads, and I don't remember them being done at a service, though I'll need to check as my memory is as glitchy as the leads. Thanks for input folks.

Thank you @sepulchrave I thought I’d be familiar with reputable brand names, but other than Lucas and Bosch (and probably Valeo now I think about it) I don’t think I’d recognise the others. So that list is really helpful. Was also wondering about the Euro Car Parts ones, just cos it’s a convenient same day opportunity.

Morning all I’ve searched but not coming up with any solid do buy / don’t buy messages for HT lead brands. Plus there’s the complication of armoured or not armoured (didn’t even know that was a thing til very recently). If anyone’s willing to share experience or opinion, that would be gratefully received. Ditto lead removal tools - I have the part number but not every one carrying that looks the same so… 🤔 I’m probably not going to go top of the range (my sporadic other posts tell a tale of an engine that has reached its everything falling off at once phase) but I’d like them to last more than a year, which is what I’m hearing about the cheapest. Thank you 🤩

Bumping to see if anyone's around... 🙂

Update (belated): garage gave OH this extra-concise handwritten note: "Top timing cover PCV valve on rear of engine Engine Sump" Full house for @xman and big thanks for sharing your knowledge. PCV valve question: I changed the breather valve that's under the chunky black pressure pipe only a year or so ago. I wouldn't have described it as being at the back of the engine, but that could just be a difference in orientation. Is there another one? (not sure how that would work, but what do I know...) I've searched, scoured diagrams, all the usual, but everything tagged PCV valve seems to relate to the one I replaced. Or does it have about 5 different names, like the bloody breather valve does, so I've been searching for the wrong thing? It's always possible I did a sh*te job, or the replacement has failed already, but I don't have any fumey smells and I went for a decent quality part (or at least, I tried to!) @Stelios26 had you (or a garage or previous owner) had the timing belt cover off in the past? Just wondering what the seals usually look like, as I have nothing to compare them to. Now have an additional issue: persistent - or new / different - coolant leak. The garage replaced the water pump a couple of months ago. Will search the forum before starting yet another thread, but putting here in case readers have ideas about what else is likely to be going on. I don't think the expansion tank is pressurising like it used to, as no grumpy hissing when I open it a little bit too soon... [OT but @xman just found your extremely helpful info in reply to an old thread re hesitation under load. So I'll add 'probably need to replace Lead No. 3 to the long list of jobs...]

I understand your reasoning, but there's no evidence of that. I appreciate you can't see that from those photos.

Anyone got wisdom they'd be willing to share? 2011 Mkll fabia combi, 1.2 tsi. The engine's been cleaned down (by a VAG knowledgeable garage I've used before) because they couldn't tell where it was coming from before. Went away to drive it for a bit, but then they couldn't fit in a re-inspection as quickly as they thought. So trying to gauge what to brace for. Photos below show what I can see and get to, to photograph. It's losing enough to pool in the tray at the front, then drip out of the drain hole further back. What I can't quite see, or doesn't completely make sense, is the amount dripping vs what & where there's evidence of oil on the engine. Before the clean down I thought head gasket, but, this is too high isn't it? Or have I lost myself in engine architecture navigation? I've looked up what happens when the usual suspect gaskets go, and I could be being dim / not translating others' photos to what I'm looking at properly, but it doesn't seem to match those. But the oily patches are definitely around seals and joins, so... The coolant leak was fixed with a pump replacement, but the leak predates that by some time.