Highwayman

I've been topping my wifes car up for a couple of months only to discover when I took the car out for a drive and checked the radiator it was stone cold. The thermostat had failed but the temperature guage never went further than the middle where it usually is hence no warning! Do check your radiator and fans are working.

Sounds like you have some good advice re the possible blockage I'd like to confirm when my thermostat packed up (radiator stone cold) blowing water out of the header tank that my temperature guage stayed in the middle. Is this a common Skoda problem? bit worrying really if you don't get any warning of an over-heat situation:mad:

Thanks for all the help and advice - I picked up a 36mm "Impact Socket" from Halfords which hopefully should do the trick without any disasters!.

Thanks Moley from what I read in the Haynes Manual led me to believe that the engine wasn't a PD therefore I don't need the higher grade VW 505.01 thus by a process of elimination the lower spec VW505.00 must be the one - Thanks. ps you wouldn't know what sort of tool you use to undo the oil filter housing - the top being made of plastic doesn't look very strong? I would be a bit worried about putting a socket on the large hexagonal top?

My Fabia 1.9SDi is on a 52 plate and I believe by checking in the manual the VIN plate and Haynes manual the following to be true: The car has an ASY engine therfore it has an injection pump and not unit injectors so it is not a PD engine? Therfore I should be able to use the semi synthetic engine oil to the VW spec 505.00? Please can anyone tell me if I'm I correct ??????? :confused: If so Mole Valley Farmers do a very good line in Total Quartz 7000 oil to this spec. - £11 for 5 litres.

Oilman I am confused by your posting re VW 505.00 spec oil for cars older than Aug 2000. My Fabia 1.9SDi is 2002 and has an ASY type engine and therefore has an injection pump not unit injectors - it should therefore be ok with the VW 505 00 rated oil? Total Quartz 7000 (vw 505.00) at

I've experienced leaking in the rear n/s area from: 1) The wash wipe pipe blowing at the joint which runs behind the grey plastic trim top corner. 2) The small rubber doorstop in bottom corner of door became unscrewed preventing the door from seating onto the rubber seal correctly. Both quite easy to fix - I think the wash wipe pipes blow when antifreeze addatives aren't used - this leads to excess pressure on the pipe joints caused when the nozzles have frozen?