Thanks for replies guys. Yes Maf readings seem ok. To completely rule it out though John has very kindly sent me a map with a MAP based smoke limiter. Got to do some testing and will report back. I wonder why later BLT engines switched to using the MAP smoke limiter rather than the MAF ?. Other than that i will have to start changing other parts. Santa better be generous this year cause im gonna change the thermostat, get a new clutch/dmf, new alternator and check the brakes are not sticking, my handbrake cable does feel slack, need spring mod?. I can smell fuel on start up from cold and the vac box buzzes sometimes. Also the injectors have never been cleaned only with in tank injector cleaner. It says in the haynes manual they need servicing every 50k miles. Could that be my problem and can i diagnose faulty injectors with Vag com ?. Once again many thanks for all help guys.

Edited 22 December, 201213 yr by RAPTURE

I just noticed it seems like my Tandem fuel pump is leaking from the gasket where it joins to the head. My car was recalled for for the LUK pump bolts to be replaced. Surely if they replaced the bolts a new gasket should also be used. Could this cause my mpg problem?. I wonder if Skoda have any responsibility and if they would be willing to sort the leak in goodwill?. Could be causing the fuel smell on start up.

take it back as explain to them what you have found and its an issue caused by them.

***FIXED***. I just replaced the thermostat and now the car warms up in 3-5 miles of driving. Much better feels smoother and MPG is improving. I imagine it is only going to get better once all the condensation the must have built up in the block is blown out. Really easy job, garage quoted me £130 quid to do it !. It took me an hour. For others that have a bad thermostat here is how to change it on a furby vrs.

1. Make sure Engine is cold. Remove coolant expansion cap and drain coolant. The drain tap is on right hand side of the radiator at bottom, easy to access with under tray off.

2. Remove engine cover and unscrew the Vacuume resevoir (round black thing on front of engine block) one bolt, and put to one side.

3. Now you can access the thermostat housing. You can remove the coolant hose from the thermostat housing but you do not need to.

4. Be prepared for coolant spillage. Undo the thermostat housing bolts with a allen key is much easier they are not very tight. With the bolts removed carefully twist the plastic housing unticlockwise and gently pull it out.

5. The remaining of the coolant in the block will spill out and the culprit will be staring at you.

6. Prise out the o- ring and pull out the old thermostat.

7. Refitting is reversal of removal making sure you use a new o-ring.

8. With it all tighted up and drain tap closed refill the system squeezing one of the coolant hoses intermitterntly to bleed out some air. The system will bleed its self once the engine is running but we dont want any large air blocks.

9. Jobs a good un remebering to top up the coolant after taking her for a test spin.

Items requied :

OEM termostat and o-ring, dont cheap out on this!.

I re-used my coolant as it had not long ago been changed but buy at least 1.5 liters of G13 coolant to replace the amount you will lose from the block and for topping up. Use the correct dilution.

T20 torx key for removing underside tray.

Allen key set (only 2 needed sorry did not write down the sizes).

Small flat blade screw driver to get old o-ring out.

Disposable gloves, nasty stuff that coolant.

Hope this helps as the Haynes manual does not tell you the location or way to access the thermostat on the vrs.

Edited 31 January, 201313 yr by RAPTURE

Very helpful and informative post Rapture, top man

I've been suffering poor fuel consumption recently, just change all of the boost pipe connectors as a couple were goosed and hoped it would have fixed it, nope :(

After filling her up, a 220 mile round trip to Devon coasting at 70 every inch of the way, 150 miles of town driving like I'm on a driving lesson and I need to fill her up again :( (370 and dash reads 0 miles left in the tank)

I haven't filled her up yet and therefore put the details in my app, but off the top of my head, that's about 39mpg?!

Anyway, think you're on to something here, suffering similar symptoms as above. How much we're the parts if you don't mind? Think I'm gonna give this a bash...... :wonder:

Can't be right. I'm getting 40mpg out of ahem standard petrol VRS when I stick it into cruise at 70

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Thx Jars , the thermostat was £26 quid and new o-ring 98p from Skoda main dealer, i have read many times to only buy a oem one not aftermarket . It has helped gained about 4 mpg and it feels happier warms up quicker but my mpg is still down a bit :(.

Edited 8 February, 201313 yr by RAPTURE

Thx Jars , the termostat was £26 quid and new o-ring 98p . It has helped gained about 4 mpg and it feels happier warms up quicker but my mpg is still down a bit :(.

OK awesome, cheaper than replacing the MAF for the time being then....

You still trying to get to the bottom of it? What else is there to check other than the obvious?!

Yes im still not defeated . Well courtesy of John at hidden power i am running a MAP based map now and the mpg did not change so it pretty much eliminates the the MAF being an issue. Next on the list for me will therfore be a new MAP sensor to see if it makes any diffrence. If its not that i can only think boost leaks or blocked cat so will look into to that if need be. Other than that my alternator bearings are shot and nearlry drown out the engine :( , maybe loading up the engine?. The quest for my over 50mpg again continues ......

Edited 8 February, 201313 yr by RAPTURE

Good man

I will remove the MAF next week sometime to see if that makes a difference then I'll start with start trying things which cost!

yep getting pretty expencive now but we love our furbys. MAP sensor is only 20 quid from here :

http://www.darksided...-906-051-c.html

A guy at the local GSF has a Fabia vrs same year and said to me a long time ago he bet's it's the MAP sensor as it went bad on his. So will be replacing this soon. Im not sure about tackling that one myself though due to hearing of MAP sensor's being bodged held on with mastic ect, maybe the mounting screws are a pain? so maybe a garage job.

Edited 8 February, 201313 yr by RAPTURE

Yeah had read somewhere this morning about the MAP sensor being another possibility, perhaps try that before the MAF then given the price

As for fitting myself.... I'm an office monkey, although do like to tinker so I'll try and find some info on changing the MAP and see if I can give it a go myself :wonder:

Hi Rapture, any developments on this??!! My MPG has dropped over the last couple of thousand miles so keen to know why - I was thinking maybe the EGR Valve.....

I just discovered that my dash fan is running all the time even when in the 0 position. I do have a auto hvac error in vagcom. I now think this is the main mpg problem as with the fan running all the time the car cannot optimize after a battery disconnect and vcds adaptions should be done with nothing running which it is permanently running the fans.

Running a vcds output test seems to have fixed the fans but mpg is still averaging on 40 mpg, town or motorway. Only things i have left to try are MAP sensor and fuel temp senor. If its not these then I think I either have a slightly doggy turbo or camshaft wear :(. I fitted a new egr, new gaskets ect and it made no diffence to mine :(. Stopped the oil seeping from the egr hole though and stopped my cabin diesel smell. I noticed the only way to line up the flexi pipe under the egr was to remove the flexi pipe completely from the manifold then do the bolts up under the egr then connect back to manifold. If i did not do this it leaked. Many people remove and clean there egr and maybe causing leaks on reassembly.

Edited 28 March, 201313 yr by RAPTURE