Hi guys, car is running rich and puffing light blue smoke when coasting down hill so i think the valve stem seals have gone. Any idea how much i will be looking at to get these replaced on a mk1 vrs? I dont want to get ripped off.

(If it costs a bomb is anyone in the market for a mk1 vrs with no valve seal issues....none what so ever......okay maybe a little worn!)

Found these on ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-OCTAVIA-1-8-BGA-Seal-Set-valve-stem-02-06-/360614523633?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ASkoda|Model%3AOctavia&hash=item53f64cf2f1

Thanks mate. I can get parts on the cheap. Just wondering about labour costs, How long the job takes at a garage. Dont fancy doing it myself. Past my skill level.

Head needs to come off and be stripped down so the timing belt will have to be taken off too and TBH I wouldn't put the old one back on. Not a short job I'm afraid mate

Guessed as much.

I have just changed all the breather pipes as they all had great big holes in, the MAF sensor and the temp sensor.

I think the temp sensor is faulty as the temp light comes on for no reason then goes off again when restarted.

So i will change the temp sensor for a OEM one not a cheap one and try cleaning the PCV valve before i go down the valve route.

Just out of curiosity, how long could i just keep topping up the oil and drive it with bad seals before something went bang?

If it is just the stem seals it will go for ages once you keep the oil topped up.

If you're sitting in traffic for a while does it puff smoke when you pull off?

First I've heard of valve stem seals failing on a 1.8t an your else had this problem?

Sent from my Galaxy S3, not a Crapple!

Seen a fair few now !!

Normally not massively bad mind early morning smoke

Must make surf its not turbo seals starting to fail as that is more common !!

Its a horrible fiddly job on the 20v engines to replace the valve stem seals, you need a special valve spring compressor for the intake valves because they are so small.

Or I got a mint engine you can come get cheap ;-)

Can't you get a decent head from a breakers? Saves sending it off to get the work done.

Also don't skimp on the seals. Standard affair are vitron and are about £4 each irrc. Cheap and cheerful ones don't last and you end up doing is all again.

Well i got in it this morning, temp light came on then went off (standard)

Decided to go the long way to work and gave it a blast down the bypass. Put foot down in 4th, felt like it missfired at bit and shook, big poof of smoke came out the back.

Then......... it decided to go better than it ever has!!!! Got to work, popped the reader on in the car park, no codes stored or pending. All systems ok. Live data showed it isnt running rich. I really am lost, have no idea what is up with it but got fingers crossed its like it when i drive home!

What I get with mine is it starts smoking if i sit idling for a good while, pull away in a big cloud and then nothing again (not good if I get stranded in the snow and have to keep the engine running to keep warm. OK should rephrase that, if I get stuck behind someone else in the snow ) Is this the valve seals? If so would the strip down be involved enough to look at a full upgrade, rods, pistons etc as the engine is in bits anyway and what sort of costs for that?

Generally if you sit in traffic for a few minutes and then puff a cloud of smoke when you pull off it's stem seals. You will probably get a puff of smoke on startup and on over run too.

Smoke on boost (with your foot down in 4th) wouldn't usually be anything to do with stem seals.

Sounds more like turbo seals if your getting it on boost

Again though turbo seals usually first show up with heavy smoke at idle which clears on boost. Smoke under load could be rings.

Compression test is and see what it shows dry then wet