There's ways round it.

 

Nope.

 

Anyway, some more logging this time looking at the O2 sensors:

 

This was on idle after my run to work. All looks within healthy range according to http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?1265064-VAG-COM-procedures-for-testing-the-MAF-O2-sensors-and-catalytic-converter O2 sensor and CAT test came back OK as well.

 

I had cleared the SAI code before doing this journey so no EML at the time. I'm beginning to think that keeping the code away may be key. The resistor method that had been working for a year+ isn't now... using a brand new resistor as well.

Edited 12 October, 20169 yr by DanHarper

I know plenty of places just take the readings from a completley different car or have the sensor on the floor by the exhaust so it passes.

Not much help i suppose and i guess poor advice if your wanting to do it properly.

A good service can help emissions tests but it might need a new cat to pass.

I know plenty of places just take the readings from a completley different car or have the sensor on the floor by the exhaust so it passes.

Not much help i suppose and i guess poor advice if your wanting to do it properly.

A good service can help emissions tests but it might need a new cat to pass.

 

I don't know of any such place.

 

The plugs and oil were changed in July, air filter in May and the CAT is just over a year old and from a reputable source (Longlife).

 

I'm going to book the retest for the first appointment and just get up early for a hoon on the moors first and try and keep it stinking hot through town. I'm reluctant to change too much as I'll not know what was the cause of the initial failure. However, I don't want it to fail either as it will be a full retest next time :(

Did you have stuff like air con switched on at the time of the test (if indeed your conversion had retained this)? I've read somewhere in the past that extra load on the engine can affect emissions particularly on marginal set ups.

Did you have stuff like air con switched on at the time of the test (if indeed your conversion had retained this)? I've read somewhere in the past that extra load on the engine can affect emissions particularly on marginal set ups.

 

Nope, aircon is not for racecars. :P

Passed.

 

Edit: Legitimately!

Edited 24 October, 20169 yr by DanHarper

So I took the car to the Brisky Racing Brands hatch day last weekend.

 

600miles dead on completed over the weekend and the car was faultless.

 

Brands day was wet and I found it quite tricky, much more so than Blyton which I really enjoyed in the wet - but that has no gradient changes and half the cars didn't bother once it started to rain so more space to have moments. Never really got in to my stride if I'm honest between red flags, traffic and the slippery surface. My brother did a lot more driving than I did in the end and he seemed to enjoy himself.

 

 

Have some brake judder after the 20minute session my brother put in. Going to have to find a solution... a) stop him from driving more cooling c) limited time sessions. Maybe just all 3

Edited 16 November, 20169 yr by DanHarper

Such an epic car, I can't believe I didn't recognise it when I'm watching the topic

Such an epic car, I can't believe I didn't recognise it when I'm watching the topic

 

Its forgettable from the outside... pretty much the whole idea was for it to be so :P

Oh i lied. The car wasn't faultless. The window regulator on the passenger side has started making some very funny noises. It would only go up with assistance so its stayed like that since

 

I've got a spare in the garage so hopefully I'll fit that before I forget and put the window down...

Was great to see this at Brands. Sorry I didn't get longer to chat with you guys

Was great to see this at Brands. Sorry I didn't get longer to chat with you guys

 

Always gets a bit mental doesn't it

 

 

Window regulator replaced as I wound the window down forgetting it wasn't going to go back up :( 

 

Oil changed again @ 59800. Oil cooler needed before next summer I think, it didn't look like 4-5month old oil.

So the Fabia passed a milestone this week:

 

 

This is for the engine, around 16k on the suspension etc and as a Fabia 1.8T and I think there is around 120k on the shell now.

 

The Fabia has been joined on the driveway by this:

 

 

Its got a bit of damage to the front end, and needs some airbags, I'll be looking out for a donor for those parts. Plan is to fix, lower, get some decent tyres on and try a few track days/enjoy some top down fun this summer just because :)

 

It will also soon be joined by this:

 

 

Um... there is no plan. I don't really know why other than it seemed cheap. 79k miles, 1.8T FR a spot of rear end damage (and 3 wheels). Maybe I'll make another Fabia, strip the body panels/lights and sell the shell & drivetrain for a Fabia conversion kit? Just break the lot? I don't know.

Edited 22 December, 20169 yr by DanHarper

 

Another track day, slightly more to report on the reliability front this time sadly!

 

On the sighting laps I decided to give it a bit out of a corner, hit around 6.5k and it sounded like I'd hit a hard limiter and the EML started to flash. Carried on and the car felt lumpy and didn't want to rev past 4.5k. So I cut the sighting laps short and came in after 1. Car sound like it was miss firing :( Got it on @pip_vrs's VCDS and it was showing a miss fire on cylinder 2 and a bunch of related codes, knock, bank 1 rich etc. Swapped the coil pack from 2 > 1, cleared the codes and went out to play on the access road. Fault comes back this time on Cylinder 1, fairly straight forward. Fortunately @hardcorehobbit (I think it was anyway! Sorry if I'm wrong...) had a spare coilpack. Put that in and took the car out on track. A few laps in the issue pops up again, this time on Cylinder 3. So, same procedure, swap 3 > 4 access road... faults on 4 now. Coincidence? Swapped 4 > 2 and checked again, miss fire on 2! So back to the garage to get the 2nd spare. Back out on track... same issue! VCDS shows 3 this time (already got new packs on 1,2). No more spares now...

 

So I called around a few parts places, no one had Bosch ones in that day, so I got 4 Technopart :( coils for £94 and fitted them in the car park of Tescos on the way back to the track. Some testing on the way back and everything is fine, it would seem. Tracks closed for lunch now though and I'm thoroughly down about wasting the whole morning :( The worst part of this is the coils I had on I only fitted last month as they were a newer revision of the ones I had in that were in the Ibiza I bought at Christmas... and now I had 3 suspect ones. The set I had been running for around a year were in the old engine which I sold :(

 

After lunch I finally get out and the car performs fine all afternoon! After missing the morning I think I annoyed some folk with my lines and not knowing where I was going, but after following @Hyphons around the corners for a few laps (and making cuppa's on the straights...) followed by trying to keep up with @andsoutham for a few laps I had a bit more idea of where to go.

 

Managed around 140miles on track. Things got quieter late afternoon as people broke down, ran out of fuel or got bored... 

Just now, DanHarper said:

following @Hyphons around the corners for a few laps (and making cuppa's on the straights...)

Poor David  Once you know the track well enough you'll have no issues leaving me just like @pip_vrs did! 

 

I need more power to keep up with you 1.8t guys

 

 

 

... Or I need a 1.8t hmmm

10 minutes ago, andsoutham said:

Poor David  Once you know the track well enough you'll have no issues leaving me just like @pip_vrs did! 

 

I need more power to keep up with you 1.8t guys

 

 

 

... Or I need a Citigo hmmm

FTFY 

Indeed that was me @DanHarper. Glad it could help and at least you got it sorted for some time on track. :-D

 

Well, some bad news for the Fabia, its time is limited.

 

I've been toying with several ideas over the past few months and even bought a couple of MX5's which I was going to amalgamate in to a dedicated track car, but that idea has been scrapped. I've now bought an Ibiza Cupra. Plan is to take the good bits of the Fabia and stick them in/on the Cupra, strip it, cage it and have it has a dedicated track/fun car and get a sensible plodder daily with enough beef to tow (X-trail looks likely). The Cupra will be stripped of its body kit and standard bumpers will be fitted, so I'll retain the same stealth theme, but starting off with a car that's a good chunk lighter is certainly going to help on track.

 

Is it a red one with rusty arches?

 

'The shovel'

10 minutes ago, pip_vrs said:

Is it a red one with rusty arches?

 

'The shovel'

 

Yep. Wings are pretty much first thing on the list followed by an MOT.

You picked it up yet?

Just now, pip_vrs said:

You picked it up yet?

 

Going to get it on the 2nd when I can get a lift. Train is 3 1/2 hours, or its a 50min drive if I can get a lift