Can anyone advise on this problem at all ? As the car is still under 2nd owner warrenty, don't know whether to take car back to dealer for fault-code check or if I should just put a bottle of STP fuel injector cleaner through the engine as advised for this problem on a 1.4 mpi ? The acceleration is particularly flat when going uphill or under load - with passengers. Even pulling away from junctions has become slower since I purchased the car at the end of January 2009 when it had been given a 'full service'...though I often wonder if they really check everything sometimes when they carry these out. The car has clocked just over 31,500 miles and is a 2001 plate 'Y'.:confused:

31,500 on a 2001 plate ? Mileage a bit low isn't it ? Sure you ain't got a ringer there mate ?

Any warning lights showing in the instrument binnacle ?

Nick

Some 1.4's have issues with their piston rings and a search will reveal more on this.

For the injector cleaner, I would stay clear of it and just speak to the supplying dealer as there are sensors that could cause flat performance too. It's worth checking the air filter is clean if you have the time to do so.

If that mileage is genuine, then the likelihood is that the car has either been laid up or used very little. In which case you'd probably have engine wear problems with any car.

And then whe you take the 16v Fab's known problems with piston ring wear:-

http://briskoda.net/search.php?searchid=4332872

. . . . . Bore/ring wear becomesa definite probability. remove the plugs and take a look. Take a look at deposits on the tail pipe of the exhaust.

Do a cylinder compression test (Usually No 1 cylinder is off, as with the Golf engine) and look for lots of blow-by engine oil residue in the EGR valve and piping - but you usually get a EPC (Engine pollution control) and occasionally an EM light come on in the instrument binnacle, 'cause, amongst other things, excessive blow-by oil will scr*w the catalytic converter. Blockages in the EGR may also give rise to minor backfires or stutters.

Equally, could be a head gasket leak/warped cylinder head - Golf engines were famed for that - talke a look at the radiator water and oil filling cap on cylinder head for oil emulsion (white).

Keep an eye on your engine oil as normal usuage, according to the handbook, can be 1 litre per 600Km ! So if you've got a worn engine it could exceed that.

- My 1.1. 1981 Vw Golf barely sipped oil. So much for progress.

The 1.4 16v engine is basically a minimally modded previous generation VW Polo engine. And if the truth be known, was probably designed to run on 20W/50 SAE engine oil. But in their haste to use VWs hand-me downs and maintain competiveness with other manufacturers in the eco-freindly 40 MPG market, I suspect Skoda decided to recommend a lower viscosity (and friction) oil 10W40 (Which 20 years ago was only used in motorcylce engines) and do a bit of material substitution and parts re-design. Looks like it failed with regard to pistons, rings and bores.

Car review: Skoda Fabia (2000 - 2007)

From the link above you'll also see there is also another problem with suppresion of throttle response by software so as to ensure compliance with Euro 4 pollution standards.

I find it a bloody menace and dangerous to boot. When you depress the throttle to take-off from rest at a junction, there is a time delay of 1.5 to 2 seconds before the engine responds, so if, as would be normal, you synchronise clutch release with throttle depression, you find that the engine stalls because of the delay in engine response - just the sort of thing that you need at a busy junction or entrance to roundabout ! In consequence, to prevent the engine stalling , you find yourself depressing the throttle a bit more than you normally would. The result is that a shed load of gas gets squirted into the engine 1-2 seconds late and the car then lurches foward and heads off down the road like a bat-out-of-hell in a cloud of black smoke. Obviously another tick-in-the box/brown envelope for the officials at the DOT who gave that feature type approval !

Nick

Edited 10 July, 200916 yr by Clunkclick

If that mileage is genuine, then the likelihood is that the car has either been laid up or used very little. In which case you'd probably have engine wear problems with any car.

And then whe you take the 16v Fab's known problems with piston ring wear:-

http://briskoda.net/search.php?searchid=4332872

. . . . . Bore/ring wear becomesa definite probability. remove the plugs and take a look. Take a look at deposits on the tail pipe of the exhaust.

Do a cylinder compression test (Usually No 1 cylinder is off, as with the Golf engine) and look for lots of blow-by engine oil residue in the EGR valve and piping - but you usually get a EPC (Engine pollution control) and occasionally an EM light come on in the instrument binnacle, 'cause, amongst other things, excessive blow-by oil will scr*w the catalytic converter. Blockages in the EGR may also give rise to minor backfires or stutters.

Equally, could be a head gasket leak/warped cylinder head - Golf engines were famed for that - talke a look at the radiator water and oil filling cap on cylinder head for oil emulsion (white).

Keep an eye on your engine oil as normal usuage, according to the handbook, can be 1 litre per 600Km ! So if you've got a worn engine it could exceed that.

- My 1.1. 1981 Vw Golf barely sipped oil. So much for progress.

The 1.4 16v engine is basically a minimally modded previous generation VW Polo engine. And if the truth be known, was probably designed to run on 20W/50 SAE engine oil. But in their haste to use VWs hand-me downs and maintain competiveness with other manufacturers in the eco-freindly 40 MPG market, I suspect Skoda decided to recommend a lower viscosity (and friction) oil 10W40 (Which 20 years ago was only used in motorcylce engines) and do a bit of material substitution and parts re-design. Looks like it failed with regard to pistons, rings and bores.

Car review: Skoda Fabia (2000 - 2007)

From the link above you'll also see there is also another problem with suppresion of throttle response by software so as to ensure compliance with Euro 4 pollution standards.

I find it a bloody menace and dangerous to boot. When you depress the throttle to take-off from rest at a junction, there is a time delay of 1.5 to 2 seconds before the engine responds, so if, as would be normal, you synchronise clutch release with throttle depression, you find that the engine stalls because of the delay in engine response - just the sort of thing that you need at a busy junction or entrance to roundabout ! In consequence, to prevent the engine stalling , you find yourself depressing the throttle a bit more than you normally would. The result is that a shed load of gas gets squirted into the engine 1-2 seconds late and the car then lurches foward and heads off down the road like a bat-out-of-hell in a cloud of black smoke. Obviously another tick-in-the box/brown envelope for the officials at the DOT who gave that feature type approval !

Nick

Recently took the car to North Wales - covered 570 miles. Still noticed that acceleration was sluggish under load. On return, took a look at engine oil level and was horrified to find oil was only half way up to the lower-level mark. Took it straight back to the dealer - they couldn't find anything wrong. Checked for clutch-slip on a test drive, but on fairly flat roads (unlike North wales !!) - they topped the oil to the upper mark using approx just over a litre so I was told. Looking at the oil level 'cold' today, from when they filled it just under a week ago, oil level has already dropped to half way up to the upper mark. So, where is the oil going ??...no obvious leaks on drive or externally. No smoke from exhaust either. Acceleration has been better though since oil was topped back up by the dealer...so what is going on ?

Dealer told me to monitor oil consumption over the next 1000 miles. If going down quickly, will look at it again. By the way, the mileage is genuine, just was a very low mileage car !!...so don't think it covered many long journeys in its earlier life. (By the way - did put STP fuel injector cleaner in...so maybe this has helped in improving the acceleration recently.)

EGR valve sticking?

The EGR valve was replaced in February under the warrenty as I had intermittant engine management light on when I first drove the car away from the garage.

Still monitoring that oil level at moment.:confused:

I've a horrible feeling something similar might be happening to mine too! Bought privately just over a week ago and all seemed perfect. 55,000 miles 2000 x plate 1.4 16v Elegance hatch. Nothing wrong with acceleration but 3 days in EM light came on - previous owner said that had happened a few weeks previously and he was advised (and did) replace the lamda sensor. Topped up the oil to max prior to wife's 400 mile round trip to Cornwall - she's back today and oil now at half full level!

It runs ok and does not smoke. Occasionally I have noticed the rev counter flicking up and down at idle but not always. The EM light remains on. She got 45 MPG average over the 400 miles which I'm impressed with. If I had a serious problem such as cyliner bore wear how would I know? What are the really obvious symptons?

Any help much appreciated.

Try also to use super petrol 98 RON, as the ECU of the Fabia 1.4 16V 100bhp is mapped for super petrol. Use it for 1-2 full tanks and see if you feel a difference, it will also clean the injectors . I use Shell V-power or Tesco 99+, as it seems they are the best(Tesco has some ethanol, I like V-power more). Using normal petrol will decrease the power(it is in the manual). If it is the AUB engine might have piston rings problems.

OK may try this fuel type...but this petrol is far more expensive, so could not afford to run on this all the time.

Noticed on fuel filler cap that it says 95/98 Octane unleaded petrol in any case ?, so not quite sure what you mean about the ECU being set up to use the higher Octane fuel ?

What is an AUB engine ? - can hear a rattle when under load and going uphill. I am worried that this is the piston rings that are making this noise. Is there any way of actually checking this myself...or is it back to the garage ? I live in Worcestershire...can any local mechanic assist or advise at all ? The car is now out of its warrenty, but the problem was reported before it expired, so they do have a record of the oil consumption - which is now at halfway between the lower and upper dipstick notches in only c. 500 miles from the level being at the top mark. :confused:

Edited 12 September, 200916 yr by spinnaker20
further investigation.

OK may try this fuel type...but this petrol is far more expensive, so could not afford to run on this all the time.

Noticed on fuel filler cap that it says 95/98 Octane unleaded petrol in any case ?, so not quite sure what you mean about the ECU being set up to use the higher Octane fuel ?

What is an AUB engine ? - can hear a rattle when under load and going uphill. I am worried that this is the piston rings that are making this noise. Is there any way of actually checking this myself...or is it back to the garage ? I live in Worcestershire...can any local mechanic assist or advise at all ? The car is now out of its warrenty, but the problem was reported before it expired, so they do have a record of the oil consumption - which is now at halfway between the lower and upper dipstick notches in only c. 500 miles from the level being at the top mark. :confused:

I have a W reg Fabia 1.4 16v Elegance and I definitely advise switching to a higher RON fuel (It says so in the manual!). I use shell V power and it has made a world of difference. seriously. I dont get the rattle when putting the engine under harsh acceleration or on hills and I don't have to rev it like mad to get it moving in 1st any more. Before, I was using Esso and Total normal unleaded (Min 95 Ron) and my car began to run terribly. In addition, it was literally drinking oil too however, this has all stopped now since using V Power..... and my mpg has shot right up too!!!!

is the car froma skoda dealer or just a car dealer?

i have now rebuilt a few of these engines due to compression faults and glazed bores also scrapped a couple due to the bore being out of shape, i have heard of people curing these problems with super unleaded too so its worth a try,

another thing is try and get the timing belt checked as the idlers break on the older cars and may be causing your rattle and loss of power

is the car froma skoda dealer or just a car dealer?

i have now rebuilt a few of these engines due to compression faults and glazed bores also scrapped a couple due to the bore being out of shape, i have heard of people curing these problems with super unleaded too so its worth a try,

another thing is try and get the timing belt checked as the idlers break on the older cars and may be causing your rattle and loss of power

OK will try the super-unleaded petrol to see if it makes the difference Briskodians seem to say ! (Car was purchased from a Skoda Dealer locally.)

Very recently had the Engine Management light come on a couple of weeks after an Inermediate Service at an AA-approved garage (Non-Dealer) ...took car back to Skoda Dealer and was informed that the fault was 'sporadic' - probably caused by them disturbing wires/sensor to the EGR valve ? Re-set code for me at no charge which I thought was fine (but got distinct impression that they recommend Servicing at a Skoda Dealer as 'we know what we are doing' !!

OK will try the super-unleaded petrol to see if it makes the difference Briskodians seem to say ! (Car was purchased from a Skoda Dealer locally.)

Very recently had the Engine Management light come on a couple of weeks after an Inermediate Service at an AA-approved garage (Non-Dealer) ...took car back to Skoda Dealer and was informed that the fault was 'sporadic' - probably caused by them disturbing wires/sensor to the EGR valve ? Re-set code for me at no charge which I thought was fine (but got distinct impression that they recommend Servicing at a Skoda Dealer as 'we know what we are doing' !!

hows the super unleaded going?

I have a 1.4 16V AUB... EGR valve fault so that was changed, oil also seemed to go down rather quickly and as for the acceleration.. :/