Hi, ive just had my car serviced at 91k at a VAG specialist in Stafford, they changed pretty much every filter on the car and changed the fluids, however the car was returned with a small list of advisories.

1. The timing belt was recommended to be changed (was changed at 71k).

2. They said the engine has a water leak, i'm aware of this, but i've only topped up with a litre of water, at the most, in the last 10k. The garage say it could be the radiator or the water pump. (water pump was changed with the timing belt).

3. The fuel pump is apparently leaking fuel into the oil???

To remedy the above is going to cost in the region of £600. Does this sound realistic? or is the guy extracting the urine?

Is this something i could fix easily myself? any special tools required?

I assume the timing belt was last changed at four years or more ago? If it was less than that at 20,000 miles I'd say it's good for a while yet, 40,000 miles or four years, whichever you hit first.

There is loads of debate on when the timing belt should be changed as Skoda have changed it a few times over the years, the general concesus is better to be safe than sorry, still I'd wait until 40,000 miles unless the last change was 4 years ago.

This will be where the bulk of the cost is as its a time consuming and labour intensive job. Again prices vary and there are lots of threads on timing belt changes but anywhere between £250 and £350 is reasonable.

If the water pump was changed during the last timing belt change (good fore thought by the way) then I would be likely to eliminate this as the source of the water leak. That leaves a perished pipe or leaking radiator. If the later then with parts and labour I'd guess at around £150.

The fuel pump I beleive is also a pretty tricky job. Al-in-all £600 sounds quite reasonable if it includes all of the above...

I assume the timing belt was last changed at four years or more ago? If it was less than that at 20,000 miles I'd say it's good for a while yet, 40,000 miles or four years, whichever you hit first.

There is loads of debate on when the timing belt should be changed as Skoda have changed it a few times over the years, the general concesus is better to be safe than sorry, still I'd wait until 40,000 miles unless the last change was 4 years ago.

I thought that the timing belt was 60k or 4 years on 2.0PD

My mistake, I think it is.

My mistake, I think it is.

Hope so as I'm on 55k and 3.5 years and plan to change it early in the new year.

Are there any other reports of fuel pump failure? and please forgive my ignorance but how would diesel get into the oil via the pump?

Water leak - get some K-seal from a Motor Factors. About £10 and will fix the leak. I know a race engine builder and a rally team that use this as standard before a leak is present, to stop suddenly losing all coolant in the case of a small leak. I have sealed a pinhole leak in mine 15k miles ago at the last service and it has been absolutely fine since and not lost a drop. I wouldn't use it on some of the newer dual thermostat engines, but on a PD it will be fine.

Cam belt - 60k or 4 years so don't worry about it as previously said, unless it has hit the 4 year mark since the last change (which at a guess was late if it was at 71k?)

Fuel pump - don't know about, but I would be tempted to leave this to a specialist as my experience of diesels and fuel pumps is that they can be a nightmare to prime from dry without the right equipment.

Is your oil level rising in the sump then? Surely, if the fuel pump was leaking in to the oil you would soon have an overflowing sump?

I would seek a second opinion on that one.

cheers for the advice.

Coolant use could be a symptom of a cracked head. Mine had this before they replaced the engine.

Fuel pump will probably be the tandem pump, early versions had issues.

FWIW the cambelt is 80k miles (or 80k/4 years in the UK only) on the PD140 as far as I knew.

Edited 2 November, 201114 yr by cheezemonkhai

+1

Doesn't the 2.0PD suffer from porous heads?

Mike

I believe it's only the early ones.

Yep - it would have to be an early Octy II to suffer from a porous head as mine is a 2006MY and the head is not one of the notorious ones, it is a later revision.

A litre in 10K isn't a massive amount, but you shouldn't lose any really.

K-Seal is wonderful stuff but I doubt if it would fix a porous head!

Mine is a 2008 MY and had it.

Mine is a 2008 MY and had it.

Do you happen to know which version of cylinder head yours originally had? ie A, B or C?

The problem was supposed to be fixed by 'C' in about 2006 but there are a few cases of some later cars being fitted with older revision 'B' cylinder heads. Old stock perhaps?

Mine is 2008 MY, has a 'C' head, and has shown no signs of this problem.