Does the 99 model year 1.4 polo engine have the same head gasget issues as the early fabia engines ?

I went to the local auction house at lunch to check out an A3 for a mate and noticed a pretty tidy polo which looks like a good punt if it runs ok.

I couldn't get in it as it was viewing only; ready for the auction tonight....

So what should a listen out for when it's being moved into the auction ring?

Bum... a bit more research and it looks like its the 8v 60bhp block......

Guess i'll have to see if it's any good tonight.

Bum... a bit more research and it looks like its the 8v 60bhp block......

Guess i'll have to see if it's any good tonight.

As used in the ibiza and polo of the period. No gasket problems like the skoda unit afaik but it does have a timing belt instead. Gearboxes were shoddy though. Could lose rivets and sh*gged bearings. Expect it to be not fast and not frugal but nice enough

fatty5000 has an equivalent ibiza

Ta, thinking of it as a touch up and sell on project to be honest. Unless it turns out to be mint under the hood. The auction house deals mainly with animals/farming rather than cars.

Which means that the cars go pretty cheap, so I could possibly bag a bargin.

If it is any good and I can get it cheapy cheapy, I may even get rid of the A4 and run that instead.

Edited 6 August, 200817 yr by auroan

The Fabia MPi engine that had the head gasket issues is a unique engine and not used in any Volkswagen.

Cheers Ross, guess thats one issue I don't have to worry much about then....

As long as they are serviced, pretty bullet proof on the major parts.

The Fabia MPi engine that had the head gasket issues is a unique engine and not used in any Volkswagen.

According to Autosoviet: SKODA (part II) at the bottom the VW Lupo and Seat Arosa 1 litre engines use the Skoda designed block.

Edit: Although I guess you can't believe everything you read on the net. A little research suggests the 1 litre engines are OHC which suggests they have nothing to do with Skoda.

Edited 6 August, 200817 yr by anewman

Well, went to the auction ....... and ......... no way I was spending £900 on buying it (which is what it went for)

Throttle bodies on Polos and many other VWs were an issue until around 2k (a bloody expensive issue too as my son will testify :thumbdwn:). Hadn't heard of this fault until it developed on his car and then a search brought up many examples.

According to Autosoviet: SKODA (part II) at the bottom the VW Lupo and Seat Arosa 1 litre engines use the Skoda designed block.

nah that's an 023 series vw block, the block itself dentical in every way to the 1.4/1.6 engine except it has smaller bores:)