Can anyone tell me why the Estelle engine had an alloy block and iron head rather than vice versa as that is more usual isn't it. I remember these as great willing little engines but always seemed to get knackered after about 60,000 miles:)

Beats both me and Wikipedia.

As far as I know, this engine dates from the 60's, and debuted in the 1000MB. Skoda at the time cited that the iron liners in an alloy block allowed high speed automation of manufacture of the main block (poured into moulds) then finely finished liners were inserted that could be replaced easily if needed (rather than re-bore the block). Workshops in CZ would have chucked you in a new set of liners while you waited and had a cup of strong tea (no milk;)).

As for the head, again, it was moulded and the valves drectly cut into the surface. Alloy blocks need inserts (meaning higher cost and room for error during assembly and future servicing).

Remember, the Estelle had to be solid, cheap to make and also easy to service. The opposite of today's autos.

When driving the Estelle, you are driving a car from the 60's whatever the reg plate says, and as such it is built with different perameters from cars of the 80's.

As for the 60,000 miles, regular oil changes are the key to a very long life. Ignore the oil and rattling with a hint of smoke will be your loyal companions on every journey. Estelles DEMAND a regular service - like other cars of that type.

TH

Tailhappy is spot on in his post.

Incedentially the Skoda 136 engine in my Bugrat has done over 190,000 miles. It's only had 2 head gaskets and 1 timing chain apart from maintenance and it runs very well, though a bit rattly. It still gets well thrashed, especially when I'm offroading.

using water instead of antifreeze also didn't help the lifespan of many of them!

didn't they end up making the later heads out of alloy as well?

Ah, I'd not considered the fitment of seat inserts in an alloy head, but there is such a thing as a linered cast iron block, so the alloy block argument appears to have gone slighly porous!

didn't they end up making the later heads out of alloy as well?

Yes, the 135 and 136 engines, which migrated into the Favorit and Felicia, were basically the same bottom end with an 8-port alloy head. My experience with 120, 130 and 135 engines suggests that while the 120 is a nice rugged thing, the 130 reduced the gap between the cylinders (remember that the increase of capacity from 1050 to 1300 was achieved entirely by bore, not stroke) to the point where the differential thermal expansion between head and block made the head gaskets unreliable. The alloy head solved that and I've never had to replace a gasket on a 135 (never owned a 136).

Mind you, gasket life in Estelles wasn't helped by their propensity to overheat. I never quite understood why they were so keen to do it - I had problems of that nature with all of mine, except that one that got crumped after only a few weeks. Perhaps it was just a bit of everything - complicated cooling system with lots of hoses, hotspotting in the 5-port head causing local boiling, poor water pump placement.... I've blamed all of those on various occasions but never though any of them could be a the sole cause.

there is such a thing as a linered cast iron block

Those were generally pretty rare, though something in the back of my mind tells me Jaguar used them at one time. But apart from anything else, I'd expect an iron liner in an iron block to rust solid after a few years and make replacement a complete nightmare. It's usually hard enough shifting the liners out of an alloy block. Anybody any experience?

And anyway I'm glad enough that the Skoda lump was alloy. It made it a one-man job to get in and out (and I'm no Charles Atlas). Even the smallest iron lumps are beyond all but the most muscly, realistically, without lifting tackle.

Edited 13 December, 200817 yr by Richard Black

Looking at a pic of Tailhappy's Avatur - reminds me of a mate of mine with one of these with clutch failure - we ended up taking engine out (ah those mad days of youth ,when anything was possible ,especially as a favour to a mate ) to replace the clutch , due to seizure of the thrust bearing , grinding off the arms of the plate ---dueto lack of lubrication - was this cured on later models -often wondered .

Yes, the cluch release bearing in later models was of the 'maintainance free' variety. The yellow car in my avatar has a brilliant clutch - like a sports car - easy to get on the power after pulling away and after 22 years is still on its original clutch:cool:.

TH

after 22 years is still on its original clutch

That says as much about you - i.e. you know how to drive - as about the car!

Cheers Richard.

Ages ago I gave a lift to one of the Estelle design team here in the UK and he told me to be much more 'direct' with the shifts - don't ride the cluch or rev too much between between the changes.

TH