Breezy_Pete

Nice work! Will be interesting to look at those in detail later.

Nope too long ago. The cheap ones are all very similar, like the screwfix ones you linked. Just grease the threads well before use. Mine have probably done a dozen or so springs without any probs.

No; spring compressors.

They'll be great if you want to do the job on lots of cars on a regular basis. Arguably overkill/over-expensive for occasional DIY use. I think I spent £15 on my pair.

Search the phrase "mikes back" exactly as written, including quotation marks.

Nearside no. If you do the offside one, yes.

Yep, see if you get a whiff of 'eau de screenwash' in the cabin immediately after washing (or attempting to wash) the rear screen.

What vacuum? Diesels regulate fuel to control power, rather than airflow.

The pumping losses are far higher in petrol engines than diesels, you've got that the wrong way round.

Diesel engines are a whole different ballgame for EGR. It will be interesting to see the fuel usage figures after your long trip. @DataLog, the oxygen sensors will look after the fuelling to maintain lambda=1 during EGR activity. The engine ECU is also aware of the EGR flow via changes in MAP sensor measurements correlated to EGR valve opening/closing amounts.

@ColinD, Merry Christmas.

Luckily, with manifold/port injection, there is zero carbon build up on the intake valves. I can photograph some very 'mature' ones to demonstrate that, if you like. Exhaust ports gather a little soot, but not much really, photos just in time for Christmas if tomorrow goes to plan.

TPS are more likely to have what you need. TPS - Home page Supposedly only sell to trade customers but "if you don't ask, you do don't get" tends to apply.

Wow, that's almost brand new! My partner's has gone almost three times as far.

I did take a trip out to get fuel in the Fabia earlier, and attempted to log EGR activity, but something went wrong with my choice of measuring blocks, or something weird was going on with the EGR valve, I need to try it on a longer journey with some more steady-state conditions. How many km has your car travelled? (sorry if you've already mentioned this somewhere).

No. If you've already got something that allows you to view temperatures etc., you probably don't need VCDS at the moment. I think you will get a fault light (unless it's been concealed) after a few journeys without EGR working, let us know please. I'm glad to read of your curiosity and willingness to learn about your engine.

Do you have VCDS? Sounds like you should if you don't already. The registered (99USD) version of the freeware, VCDS Lite will do pretty much anything you want on a mk1 Fabia. Intake air temp is measured by the combined MAP/IAT sensor, so will be affected by EGR activity, but probably very minimally due to the proportion of recirculated gases being quite small. If your 12v doesn't feel responsive and 'eager' I'd say there may be a hiding fault somewhere, they're quite sparkly when running well.

I don't think EGR is active at low rpm like idle speeds on petrol engines. I'll do a log on our 1.2/12v later to see, but certainly on my 1.4 Polo, below 1500rpm the EGR closes completely, I seem to remember. On petrol engines at cruising speeds EGR improves fuel consumption by reducing pumping losses.

It's been on UK/EU petrol engines for quite a lot of years now. Most if not all of this century.

IAT sensor is often combined with MAP sensor.

Improvement in what?

Found this in the document about AUA/AUB 1.4 engines: Pressure balancing function, apparently.

EGR coolers use liquid cooling. Engine coolant. Only on diesel Fabias, and only later built ones.

I've seen some info on it in one of the self-study programmes for a different engine, I think. Remembering which one may be a challenge.

There are certainly some 1.2 engined Mk1 Fabias that have the sensor, if you look at 'ETKA-like' websites, there are different part numbers for timing chain covers to suit cars built with and without level sensors. If your car is on variable interval servicing, or was on that from new, it will have the oil level/temperature sensor.