Hello, just brought my first Skoda a 1.8T Octavia on an 03 plate. Does this make is an Octavia 1 or 2? I've brought it as a Taxi to add to my fleet.

Also anything I should be aware of or know would be nice to know please.

Regards Ashley

www.ashbuck.com

Octy 1. Check that cambelt and water pump have been changed at 4yr / 40k intervals. whats the mileage?

Also check electrics such as central locking etc. Other than that enjoy!

It'll be an Octavia 1, as the Octavia 2 didn't come out until 2004. Unless it's a vRS, it will be the low-pressure 150bhp version, but to be honest, all flavours of the 1.8T are extremely reliable, PROVIDED the cambelt is changed often enough (4 years / 60k I think it is, in fact), and the waterpump impeller is either replaced at the same time or swapped for an aftermarket metal one.

Hope this helps!

Interesting, having picked the car up today been sat reading the service history and what they advise you have done at certain mileages. Book states that 60k cambelt should be changed if diesel only 80k is for petrol engines?!

Ignore the book mate, VAG change there minds every 5 mins on cambelt changes lol (i work for VW)

^yep i rang my dealer last week and they say its 75k across the board now! (i was enquiring about diesel)

Interesting, having picked the car up today been sat reading the service history and what they advise you have done at certain mileages. Book states that 60k cambelt should be changed if diesel only 80k is for petrol engines?!

1.8T is 4 years or 60K. Certainly would not leave it longer as the water pump is weak on these and the plastic impeller breaks up.

Rgds

Mark.

Lots of varied opinion here.

My 2003 (53) 1.8T drivers handbook service schedule said 120,000 miles for the cam belt.

We did it at 95,000.

I kept the old belt and parts. The main thing I noticed was that the very small bearing in the idler was very loose.

The rest of it was not too bad. There were a couple of weakish spots round the belt where on feeding through the hand it flopped a bit.

I see the comments about the water pump. Seems like we might need that changed now as its done 109,000

Only problem I have, and seen a lot on the net about it is kangaroo petrol on occasions at start up.

In other words the idle is unstable varying between 900 rpm and 1200. Its normal after 3 minutes.

Changed MAF. No difference. Perhaps it is vacuum reservoir or purge valve or Divert or some such item. There is a small reservoir top right with a two wire connector plug and vacuum hose. The cap fitting thing in there has a red O ring, and the guts look a bit dirty.

Peter