yorkshirecoble

Does anybody know what thermostats were used by Jorily in their modified (circlip type) housing for the 1.3 MPi? My thermostat does need renewal, but I cannot get a match for the one I have anywhere here in Galway. It’s brass and is smaller than that used for the standard housing. Dimensions are: 46mm Max diameter, 42.5mm o/a height, 23 high under the flange. Markings are: METAL – INCAR MADE IN POLAND 13620001 11C 88°C Any ideas what other cars used a similar type or a suitable part number etc?

Okay folks, I thought I had it fixed this problem as I used the car yesterday and last night with no problems at all. Today though, it's back to an erratic heater temperature and coolant leakage from the expansion tank. A new temp sensor seems to have cured the wild movements of the temp gauge needle and I fitted a new radiator fan switch for good measure. The old one was found to have actually worked a bit loose, but there didn't seem to be leakage from it. Also the heater is back to reacting strongly to engine revs. Whilst driving, it takes about fifteen minutes for the temp gauge to reach 95°C, then about 20 secs to drop to a (now) fairly steady 65 - 70°C and doesn't really go over 75°C after that. Stationary, this is how it behaves from cold: 0°C - 70°C - (15 minutes) 70°C - 80°C - (4 mins) 80°C - 90°C - (3 mins) 90°C - 100°C - (7 mins) At about 102/ 103°C- Radiator fan kicks in and runs for 2 minutes until gauge needle drops to about 93°C. I've done the one minute running from cold to check expansion tank pressure and it let out a short, soft 'pssst', but it always seems to hiss after running. Can't see evidence of oil deposits on the coolant surface, or emulsified oil on the engine filler cap and the engine oil level is fine as well. To Ken O'Neill: I have a new expansion tank cap on it's way, hopefully that'll cure it. To RicardoM: yes, I am interested in knowing how to check the cooling system pressure, and also how to remove the dash heater controls if possible. Thanks for the replies, I'll keep you all posted.

Recent posts by RicardoM in the 'common issues and solutions' thread on cooling system problems are a timely addition... In the last few days my 1.3 Mpi has had an interior heater problem with the temperature varying between stone cold and hot (all of it's own accord). The interior facia temp control has felt stiff sometimes and jams, but with a bit of pressure clicks past the 'obstruction' and resumes normal operation, so I thought nothing of it. I've had it in mind to get into that assembly to sort it, but suddenly the problem has got much worse. On lifting the bonnet yesterday I noticed the coolant was down to the low level mark and there was evidence of leakage at the expansion tank. With a top-up and a wipe clean I fired the car up: The heater temp was still sporadic and once warmed up I checked the hoses in the engine bay; all were warming up nicely and the top hose from radiator to thermostat housing was easily squeezed, therefore I assume that coolant flow is fine, the heater matrix is not blocked and the thermostat is likely to be working well, and there is no evidence of leaks anywhere except the expansion tank cap. Driving today however, the heater temp not only fluctuates but is reacting strongly to engine rev levels (speeding up and slowing down with throttle speed). The temperature gauge is also fluctuating as well, rising (only once thankfully) right up near the red before dropping steadily to about 70, then half-way, then down, then up and so on... On stopping the car and raising the bonnet, the expansion tank cap was hissing and there was quite a lot of coolant sprayed around the engine bay in that area. The tank level eventually settled to the minimum mark. I'm thinking there could be air in the system or the temp sensor may be faulty, but am concerned about the head gasket. What do you guys think? I'll have to get the spanners out now for a bit of tinkering, but in the meantime, any thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc much appreciated.

The last posts by RicardoM on cooling system problems are a timely addition to this thread... In the last few days my 1.3 Mpi has had an interior heater problem with the temperature varying between stone cold and hot (all of it's own accord). The interior facia temp control has felt stiff sometimes and jams, but with a bit of pressure clicks past the 'obstruction' and resumes normal operation, so I thought nothing of it. I've had it in mind to get into that assembly to sort it, but suddenly the problem has got much worse. On lifting the bonnet yesterday I noticed the coolant was down to the low level mark and there was evidence of leakage at the expansion tank. With a top-up and a wipe clean I fired the car up: The heater temp was still sporadic and once warmed up I checked the hoses in the engine bay; all were warming up nicely and the top hose from radiator to themostat housing was easily squeezed, therefore I assume that coolant flow is fine, the heater matrix is not blocked and the thermostat is likely to be working well, and there is no evidence of leaks anywhere except the expansion tank cap. Driving today however, the heater temp not only fluctuates but is reacting strongly to engine rev levels (speeding up and slowing down with throttle speed). The temperature gauge is also fluctuating as well, rising (only once thankfully) right up near the red before dropping steadily to about 70, then half-way, then down, then up and so on... On stopping the car and raising the bonnet, the expansion tank cap was hissing and there was quite a lot of coolant sprayed around the engine bay in that area. The tank level eventually settled to the minimum mark. I'm thinking there could be air in the system or the temp sensor may be faulty, but am concerned about the head gasket. What do you guys think? I'll have to get the spanners out now for a bit of tinkering, but in the meantime, any thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc much appreciated.

Okay, cheers people. The Haynes book states drilling the pop rivet. (I've not replaced a wishbone with a pop rivet fitted before); and yes, it must be there, as I suspected, for alignment purposes. Bizarrely, referring back to the Haynes, it actually states fitting the new rivet after fitting and torquing up the two bolts! Seems a bit of an afterthought that... Incidentally, the complete assembly cost €46 all in from www.irishautoparts.ie, (about £33 sterling and better value than euro car parts by the sound of it)!

Hi everyone, In the next few days the old felly will be treated to a new front suspension wishbone; and I have a couple of queries relating to this. First, there is a pop rivet that needs to be drilled out at the rear bush mounting; when fitting the new assembly, is it crucial that a new rivet is fitted? Secondly, in the event that genuine parts are not readily available: it would be handy to know the dimensions and thread details of A) the ball joint pinch bolt and, the front pivot bolt. Does anyone have this info? Any help/ advice much appreciated.

Replacement brake discs are on the cards for the old Felly and I have to say that an on-line search has turned up quite a wide selection of replacements. Here are some of the makes on offer: Eicher, Quinton Hazell, Textar, Delphi, Bolk, Brembo, Bosch, TRW, and so on. I'm not particularly overwhelmed by the choice but there are one or two in there that I've not heard of before. I have an inclination to go for brembos, but I do wonder how they compare to Bosch for example; Delphi I understand to be linked to Lockheed and have their rear brake shoes and spring set currently fitted, but what have the rest of you Felicia drivers fitted as replacements? Are you satisfied by your choice or have you regretted fitting that particular brand? (I'm not talking anything fancy here, just standard type solid discs).

Update: A new resistor solved this problem. Before buying the new part I re-checked everything again and was satisfied that all was in good shape. The apparent 'weakness' that I spoke of in my initial post may have been the broken brush holder spring or dirt, then again it could have been my imagination... Thanks to those who responded to my query.

Hi all, I wasn't surprised when the heater/ blower stopped working recently as I thought it had seemed weaker (at least on the lower settings). The fuse is fine and I stripped the motor out, cleaned it and replaced a broken brush spring while I was at it. A replacement relay #18 made no difference and the reisitor, well what can you do? it looks okay but may not be, so I 'cleaned it up'. It was only after replacing the motor and messed about with the switches that I discovered my heater was actually working, but only on the highest setting. Further investigation on-line turned up a related topic in the Briskoda Fabia section. Apparently if the resistor on a Fabia dies you are left with just the highest blower setting which, unlike theother three is connected directly to the motor. My question to those in the know (and before I splash the cash): Does the Felicia resistor work in the same way so that I can assume a new one will solve the problem? Any help appreciated.

Try: www.rexbo.eu (Germany), they have all sorts for Favorits (and Formans) from mechanical bits to body panels. They also ship to the UK.

That's a result. No faffing about on this one! Shows what can be achieved when you know exactly what you want to do, stick to the plan and go for it. Nice pick-up, well done.

Your coulor looks the same as my '98 facelift LXi and the code marked inside the boot is W959 which is a pearlescent paint.

Had this problem myself recently after new brake pipes were fitted. Fluid needed minimal topping up and the handbrake light was still on; back off with the cap, jiggled the float, and bingo!

Yeah, it's really annoying. Job's done now and the retest is 3rd April. I didn't think of crawling under the car to tidy things up, did loads of other stuff though, everything from air filter and valve clearances to new front strut top mounts. The only thing I thought it would fail on was the middle silencer (which sounds like a low flying Cessna), but they seemed happy with that!

Congratulations on the pass, and the mammoth mileage! I wasn't so lucky as mine recently failed the Irish NCT 'national car test' for the first time in my 7 years ownership. Only on corroded rear brake pipes though. Annoyingly, ex-mechanic friend had a look and reckons they're not bad enough to fail; I then took it to a mechanic to assess the job and get a quote; he also reckons that he would not have failed the car. Aarrrrgh!!

If you don't mind settling for pattern parts, try Mapco in Germany, they'll probably have what you need as they do steering parts for the pick ups. I've had parts from them that are of quite good quality and very affordable. Postage is quite high but the service is very good in my experience. Google: mapco autotechnik gmbh.

Going back to the subject of wiring block connectors, a company called 'Vehicle wiring products' are worth a look at for bits and pieces, they have a handy free catalogue that you can send off for on-line.

A split rear seat would be useful.

Alright for some. When I last taxed my 1.3 felly in the UK just over 2 years ago it cost £125 for the year. In Ireland I was suddenly paying €333 euros (about £265 sterling per year), it's now €358 (approx £285 sterling). A 1.6 felly would be €514 (about £410), and a 1.9 deisel €673 (about £540)!!!

Don’t know if this has been before, but the idea for this thread has come off the back of nu99et18’s ‘Favorit and Felicia appreciation’ thread and is a kind of ‘my story’ thing, a chance to let the world know how your Favorit/ Felicia/ Skoda ownership came into being. So I’ll kick off, here’s mine… For twenty-five years the lure of motorbikes was strong enough to prevent a move onto four wheels, but a career change and a baby on the way strengthened the need for a car, lessons were taken and a few months later having passed my test, the hunt was on. Fords featured strong as they are, I suppose a natural consideration for an Essex boy (not an ounce of Yorkshire in me by the way). Dagenham was on the doorstep and there were loads to choose from. Thing was, the more I poured over car mags, the more I liked and the search not only widened but seemed to go on forever. I was deliberating too much and needed to take immediate action. When this brainstorm thundered home I had a fresh copy of Autotrader, and from within chose two Felicias (97 bohemia estate and 98 hatch) and a Mk3 escort. It was suggested by my other half that we avoid becoming sheep (bleedin’ cheek!), which whittled it down to the skodas, and although I fancied the bohemia, it had three times the mileage of the hatch. A trip to Bushey near Watford produced the felly I’ve been driving for the last six years. The price was negotiated and I got an engine and gearbox warranty into the bargain. When the seller wrote the receipt he said there was no value in the warranty as there was no way I was going to have problems. ‘I can guarantee that you will get at least five years out of that car trouble free’ were his exact words. He wasn’t wrong (long may his words bear truth). Not long after, I moved to Southampton, and those of you living in that area that keep an eye out for fellys may have previously seen mine around the itchen/ woolston area (dark green metallic hatch), or as a regular boot seller at Bursledon. As for felly spotting at Sainsbury’s (Yossarian G), it was at their hedge end store every Sunday without fail! It’s very much a workhorse and tbh I could have done with buying that bohemia estate, it’s moved us to Ireland, towed my old lobster boat on three occasions and heaved loads of turf for the fire down horrendous bog roads bad enough and with enough weight in the load to collapse the trailer suspension! Over time it’s surprised me how many people have made a point of complimenting the Skoda, the most recent being a Christmas trip to Aillwee caves in Co. Clare where, despite a heaving car park, one of the ‘caves’ employees made a beeline for us to talk about the car, he had previously owned a felly, and as is often transpires with these encounters, he had fond memories and wished he still had it. Just for a moment I considered asking him ‘what’s mine worth to you then’, but then thought I might regret selling. On my first trip to Ireland in the car (just after I bought it) a cousin actually said to me ‘what did you get buy one of those **** heaps for, you should have got one of these, (he patted his tatty VW golf boastfully), ‘you can’t beat them’! His brother had one as well and his mother, all three were diesel and on either ‘88 or ‘89 plates. Since then, all three golfs are long gone to the scrappers, but the felly has covered a further 36,000 virtually faultless miles. Touch wood that will continue; there’s currently 68,000 on the clock and the NCT (Irish MOT) is due this thursday...

Thanks for the replies chaps, i'll give that a go soon and let it be known if anything odd is discovered.

Has anyone got or previously had a squeaky interior heater? Its the main heater in the middle of the dash. At higher settings and after running for some time it starts a high pitched squeak and sounds like it could do with a good oiling somewhere inside. Now it's become regular on the second heat setting and intermittant on the lowest. Usually it's silent initially but when the car hits a bump it sets it off. It can be very persistant and really irritating after a while. In short it's become worse and needs a look at. Is there a know fault or part that fails inside or is it maintainable in some way, such as a well aimed squirt with a can of WD40?!

I don't think cool, retro, age, desirability, eyes of beholders etc have anything to do with classic, but is a general term used for insurance purposes etc. vintage, postwar, prewar and veteran define eras. A classic car is one that has set a standard, (or will become known (post-production) as one that did so). They are a bench mark that others hope to measure up to, or have to to keep up with the times. Cars like Marinas and dare i say it favorits and felicias are generally known as grey porridge (a derogoratory term). There is a need for grey porridge (cheap run-abouts), but when say, Audi come up with something new, it's crucial for BMW to keep pace. It's all relative I suppose. Cars i'd list as classics for example would be: Audi quattro, VW golf GTi, Escort XR3, Citreon DS (mentioned by someone here), Range Rover, Issigonis Mini, Escort Mk1? (lightweight monocoque shell), Model T ford! Some cars set bench marks however that others ignored such as the Austin's Maestro (the talking car) and Fiat multipla blah, blah, blah...They are not classics but will one day be vintage.

Years ago I had an old 1950's motorbike sidecar that I was fitting to my BSA; it had been on another Beeza for donkies years and the various fittings and couplings were well seized up. I was engineering at the time and had all the gear to hand, myself and a workmate tried just about every trick in the book to loosen them up, and this is what finally solved the problem.....cutting fluid. Cutting grease or paste is no good. Ambersil is a good brand to get. Use it as you would penetrating oil, and after soaking, start to ease and loosen the fitting; as soon as movement is felt move back and forth working the fluid in and (hopefully) increasing the amount of movement each time. If you are successful and the bits part company be sure to clean all traces of the cutting fluid off. Incidentally, those sidecar fittings worked like new when they were finished. Don't know if this method is applicable to the parts you have but could be worth a go. Good luck.