Hi

I have a 1.2 12v Fabia, engine code AZQ. Does anyone know of a place selling reconditioned cylinder heads?

You could try this:

Skoda Parts - Skoda Spares

or google skoda spares...

BTW, what happened to your 1.2?

cars dismantled by skospares.com for all your skospares might have a hardly run in head from a 1.2

You could try this:

Skoda Parts - Skoda Spares

or google skoda spares...

BTW, what happened to your 1.2?

Well...thats quite a story. Went to start the car one Monday morning, and although it the engine was turning, it wouldn't fire. I went to check the battery (hoping that was all it was) and the bonnet release handle snapped off in my hand (the cable had snapped). I managed to get the bonnet up, took the battery off, but found nothing wrong. As I needed the car for work i rang a local garage, who towed it away, changed two ignition coils ,which didn't fix it, but they charged me £178 anyway! They advised me to take it to a dealer, which was very difficult as it would need towing.

I got it towed to Claybank Skoda on the Wednesday night, who said they had no courtesy car for me. I asked them to look at it as soon as possible, as I would need to hire a car in the meantime, and they said they would look at it on Thursday. Having lookedat it, they said the timing chain had jumped and needed replacing, quoting me £532! I told them to fix it and they said they would when they got the parts. They only started working on it the following Tuesday, and told me that evening that the road test had shown the cylinder head needed stripping, for another £150. On Thursday they told me the cylinder head had gone, and would need replacing, the total bill being now £1680! Claybak rang Skoda to ask for a goodwill payment, who promptly refused.

I told them no way was i paying that for a 2003 car with 89k on the clock and also told them that i thought they were not staight with me, as i would never have gone near them if i knew the price would get that high. I asked them if they would buy the car off me, and they offered me £250, in addition to wiping out the £682 (£532 + 150). I thoughtabout this and rang back on Monday. I spoke to a different person and they promised to get back to me. This person rang back on Wednesday and said that the car had scrap value only and they could only offer me £150, but i would still owe them for the repairs!

I went and paid the bill today and towed the car back home, i told Claybank that i would rather scrap it myself than give it to them for £150, especially considering that they would be selling it for £2600. They looked really shocked when i told them i was taking it, i think they thought i had a straight choice of paying them to fix it or accepting their insulting offer.

So now i'm thinking of either fixing it myself or selling it for 'repair or spares', any idea what it would be worth as the latter?

That sounds like a complete gong show. Did they say how the timing chain may have jumped? Do you have any mechanic friends who can verify that what they are saying is correct? Maybe the are just taking you for a ride. I would get a second opinion. I think that motor has an interference head, so if the timing chain slipped the valves could make contact with the pistons, which means you would have heard something pretty major when you tried to start it - or if they didn't make contact, they are jsut opening and closing off kilter.

Unless someone more knowledgeable comes on here, I woudl suggest a second opinion - preferably someone you trust and who will not insult you again.

The timing chain slipping is pretty common. 6v engines are safe but the 12v engines arent. The timing chain tensioner is fed by oil pressure, if the oil level gets low (and the engine only holds three litres) the tension goes and the chain slips.

Done a few Polos recently, there is a modified kit for them BUT both have had oil levels below the minimum mark on the dipstick so warranty isn't applicable.

12v engines always hit, bit of a waste of time putting a new chain on IMHO, I just quote for a new head when i get one.

try here for a cylinder head

http://www.ivorsearle.co.uk/public/index.asp

you might have to email them

also , I would write to your local Trading Standards Department ,because from your description the garages have not done this >> with reasonable care and skill; this means that the garage should do the work competently and to a standard expected of a garage of that type see here >>> Trading Standards Central - Consumer Advice Leaflets

Thanks for all your replies everyone.

I managed to get myself a second hand cylinder head yesterday. In regards to Claybank, its hard to view them in a good light. They said they could repair the car and quoted £532, then upped it £682, then upped it again to 'around £1680'. i have the feeling that someone thought they were going to make a lot of money out of me, either with this overpriced repair or by getting an otherwise good condition car for a song. I'm now trying to source the remaining parts. Claybank reckoned i need the following:

8nr head bolts

1nr head gasket

head sealant

2nr seals

2nr EGR gaskets

Exhaust manifold gasket

Exhaust manifold nuts

Heat shield bolts

Front pipe gasket

Front pipe bolts

Inlet manifold gasket

Thermostat seal

Obviously the head bolts and gasket will need renewing, but what about all the other stuff? Can't i just reuse the exhaust manifold bolts and front pipe bolts? Also, are all of these parts 'dealer only', or can i get them at partco (or similar)?

Thanks a lot

You will also need the modified timing chain set. That comes with chain, tensioner and the cam gears.

You dont have th renew the manifold nuts etc, as long as they come off ok.

Cheers Lummox,

That confirms what i thought, but i wanted to be sure. Claybank listed those parts as being necessary, but I was suspicious over whether they really would have replaced them. They have already fitted the modified timing chain set; the one thing they have done!

As I am fitting a used head as a replacement, would you recommend taking out the valves in the replacement for cleaning and reseating?