OK Guys (and Girls),

I'm new here but perhaps someone can help me. Having been out of the motor trade for over 16 years it's rare I raise a spanner in anger on anything other than my rally cars but here's my problem.

My partner has a Fabia Classic 1.4 MPI (2002 registered) on a 51 plate. We purchased it cheap aware that there was an issue with it overheating - in fact the warning light was flashing and there was a bad leak from the hole in the end of the thermostat housing and the head gasket was well naff - blown across 2 and 3 cylinders and distorted across the water jacket. I have replaced the thermostat and housing and the sensor in it is new too. I have done the head gasket and there are now no leaks and it isn't pressurising.

The cooling system bled up perfectly first time and it now ticks over fine and both fans cut in and draw the temperature back down properly. The warning light for the temperature has reset and is OFF () but the engine management light is permanently on. Is there another sensor that might have been affected when it got hot (I'm assuming so as the thermostat housing had melted on it's mating face to the cylinder head :eek: so it must have been bl**dy hot)

Also - TAPPETS - does this engine have hydraulic lifters? If so why are there adjusters on the rocker arms? What is the procedure for adjusting these (if any). If I need to set an initial cold clearance what should this be?

Any help appreciated - apparently there is an independent specialist in Keighley (I'm in Leeds near the airport) - does anyone know anything about him or have anyone else in my area to recommend?

I've not been phased by the work I've done - I'm just rubbish at electrical faults. Was surprised to find a wet liner engine with only the base of the liners supported in the block but at least there was no need to fiddle with cams and timing.

One recommendation from me to anyone doing a head gasket on one of these comes from my rally experience. Sealers - I used a touch of MG/Rover sealant that I got when visiting one of my students on work experience. this sealer is used when rebuilding K-Series "Long Bolt" engines (the one where the same bolts strap the head to the block as hold the main bearings - they go right through the engine.

Enough rambling - over to you guys for a response

Your best answer for the CEL is a code read with VAG-COM. It will probably be a sensor out, but anything but a code read is guesswork.

As the man said; also some fault codes leave the CEL on until they are deleted from the computer, even though the underlying condition has been cured.

Ref the valve lifters, IIRC the 8v engine has solid tappets, and the 16v hydraulics.