Hi I have just been advised to repost this query here. I have just passed my driving test so my husband bought me a lovely little Fabia (51 plate). The car got through its Mot without any issues and we collected it only recently. When we were looking under the bonnet it appears to have a cam belt situated to the left of the engine block. Looking through the full service history it does not appear to have ever been changed (it has now done approx 74k) I called the previous owner to ask her if she ever had it replaced and she advised that it did not have a cam belt and that is one of the reasons why she bought it. Can any one one of you much more experienced Skoda owners confirm this please. If it does have a cam belt, will it be easy to diy? If it does not have a cam belt does it have a chain belt and when would this need changing please? We would like to do some of the maintenance ourselfs so were hoping someone could also recommend a service manual worth buying for this car as it did not come with one. Many thanks

Chain driven

The only Petrol mk1 Fabia to have a Cambelt is the 1.4 16v (although the 2.0 may have one). All the rest, including 1.4 8v have a metal chain. You don't need any maintenance on them, unless they become noisy.

Oh, Welcome to Briskoda

Edited 18 September, 201114 yr by Jim H

Aye, mine has become rattly so that's next on my list.

Though from everything i've read in the manual it looks like a pain in the backside to get to...

...Anyone done it before? Any tips?

The only Petrol mk1 Fabia to have a Cambelt is the 1.4 16v (although the 2.0 may have one). All the rest, including 1.4 8v have a metal chain. You don't need any maintenance on them, unless they become noisy.

Oh, Welcome to Briskoda

Hi Jim, thanks for the advice. At least now we know that we do not have a biggish outlay straight away on day 2. Would you know what belt we would be looking at then on the left hand side of the engine? is it just a fan belt driving the water pump and alternator? I have read on here that possibly the 1.4 8v has the old Felicia style engine. What maintenance manual would be best to buy as the handbook does not go into real detail. Thanks very much.

The Haynes Fabia manual covers your engine (1.4 OHV). I think you are right though, it's an old engine, which was seen in the Felicia. You are also right in saying, the fan belt (sometimes called the Axillary or ribbed v-belt), drives the water pump, alternator and air-con compressor.

The Haynes Fabia manual covers your engine (1.4 OHV). I think you are right though, it's an old engine, which was seen in the Felicia. You are also right in saying, the fan belt (sometimes called the Axillary or ribbed v-belt), drives the water pump, alternator and air-con compressor.

Thanks for your replies. Now.....if only I can "get" the gears, I can start driving it. Took my lessons in a toyota and the gears are quite different and feel as if I had lots of space in between the gear changes. The Fabia feels (to me, at least) as if they are all very close together and it is not so good when I slip into first gear to pull away and found that I have engaged third!!! More practice needed

Thanks for your replies. Now.....if only I can "get" the gears, I can start driving it. Took my lessons in a toyota and the gears are quite different and feel as if I had lots of space in between the gear changes. The Fabia feels (to me, at least) as if they are all very close together and it is not so good when I slip into first gear to pull away and found that I have engaged third!!! More practice needed

It's all in the technique. To select first put your palm bottom right of the gearstick. Second palm top right. Third palm bottom. Etc.

I had quite a lot of space between the gears on my previous car as the gear linkage was very worn. Was a bit like stirring soup, lol.