Got help here before concerning my son's Fabia and need advice

again.The car is a 00 reg 1.4mpi 8 valve and the head gasket has been on the way out for the last year and a half. (Pressurising the bottle and constantly topping up.)

It finally gave up the ghost yesterday with the bottle emtyping and the sump filling up with coolant.

The dilemma is whether to do the head gasket

or fit the exchange engine I have sourced from a breaker for 150 euro's.

The old engine has 175,000 miles on the clock so while the head gasket job might be quickest, the thinking is there may be a lot of wear on a petrol engine with that sort of mileage, even though it doesn't use much oil.

How long to change out one of those engines or does anyone here have any advice on this?

Thanks in advance.

I'd just swap out the engine myself, should be done in one day fairly easily but I've no idea how good a mechanic you are.

Think with that mileage id swap the engine as well, only if you can 100% prove its a good low mileage engine your putting in.

If not then it turns into ifs and buts. The new engine could be knackered, the chain could fail, why was it removed etc...

If you've got access to good tools and equipment set a side a weekend and that should do you.

I'd just swap out the engine myself, should be done in one day fairly easily but I've no idea how good a mechanic you are.

Thank you both for the prompt replies,tools and equipment are no problem

and I work on HGV's for a living.

Is it necessary to remove the front of this car to get the engine out or is there an easier way?

If the sump has water in it, I'd be more concerned it had run much after the h/g went. All too easy to knock out the bearings.

No, no need to remove the front end. Take the gearbox off, remove wires and pipes and hook up an engine crane. Will come out the top no problem, plenty of room.

No, no need to remove the front end. Take the gearbox off, remove wires and pipes and hook up an engine crane. Will come out the top no problem, plenty of room.

Really? My crane was trying to push bonnet even further upwards. If going from top I'd get bonnet out of the way

I mean as far as removing bumper, slam panel and headlights etc. front end.

Really? My crane was trying to push bonnet even further upwards. If going from top I'd get bonnet out of the way

 

Dude, you should always remove the bonnet on any car you're yanking the engine out of, so much better and safer access and no prop to worry about. Remove it before you even start the job and throw rugs over the wings.

Dude, you should always remove the bonnet on any car you're yanking the engine out of, so much better and safer access and no prop to worry about. Remove it before you even start the job and throw rugs over the wings.

I prefer just pulling the front end off, lot better than through the top.

I prefer just pulling the front end off, lot better than through the top.

 Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

I am going to change the engine as suggested here.

I am not too keen on pulling the whole front asunder ( does seem like a lot of extra work? ) so I think I

will try lifting it upwards. .

After getting some advice here, I opted to go the secondhand engine route.

I removed the bonnet and lifted the old engine out the top -  not near as difficult as I first thought  it might be.

The second hand engine came with inlet manifold, injector rail and sensors in place.

On reading the Haynes manual, they say that if the Throttle Valve control unit is replaced the new one will have to be reprogrammed

by Skoda?

If I swap over my original intake manifold with the Throttle Valve control in place, will I avoid this?

Also am I likely to have codes after doing a job like this as I don't have access to  VCDS.

Thanks for the help so far. 

On reading the Haynes manual, they say that if the Throttle Valve control unit is replaced the new one will have to be reprogrammed

by Skoda?

 

You can do it yourself.

 

Do not touch throttle pedal while doing this...

Turn ignition on fully but do not crank.

*wait 60 seconds*

Turn ignition fully off but do not remove key.

*wait 10 seconds*

Start car as normal.

 

I might be wrong, but fairly sure that's for petrol models only.

I might be wrong, but fairly sure that's for petrol models only.

 

His car is a MPI 8 valve petrol - same as mine.

Also am I likely to have codes after doing a job like this as I don't have access to  VCDS.

 

 

You can buy cheap basic fault code readers on ebay. I have this one and it works fine for reading codes and turning off EML light if needed...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/U281-Universal-VAG-CAN-BUS-Fault-Code-Reader-Scanner-diagnostic-scan-tool-U-281-/111627154479?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19fd7f342f

His car is a MPI 8 valve petrol - same as mine.

Duh! Guilty again, I thought it was a different thread (the one with the spanner hitting the radiator and then causing the HG to fail)

Anyway, a basic code reader won't work, it needs to be programmed. I've just done this recently with mine after doing a head gasket. It was only done for fault finding reasons, not because I had to.

If you've taken the battery off and kept it off, just plug everything back in as normal before refitting and it should be fine.

Anyway, a basic code reader won't work, it needs to be programmed. I've just done this recently with mine after doing a head gasket. It was only done for fault finding reasons, not because I had to.

 

 

Ah well, it worked on mine.

Thanks for all the help, lads.

Hope to get this car running on Saturday. Will keep you posted.

TMB, what year is your car? Mine is June 2000 - just from the point of view

of the code reader working on such an early model as mine.

Update  I finally got this car started today and it started easily enough. I went through the procedure suggested by TMB and thankfully I have no engine light staying on.

One slight worry, the oil light come on when ignition is turned on as it should, but goes out again after 3 or 4 seconds, and this without the engine running.

I would have thought it should not go out till the engine starts and oil pressure builds up?

One slight worry, the oil light come on when ignition is turned on as it should, but goes out again after 3 or 4 seconds, and this without the engine running.

I would have thought it should not go out till the engine starts and oil pressure builds up?

 

That is normal

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Ya_eD25aU

TMB, what year is your car? Mine is June 2000 - just from the point of view

of the code reader working on such an early model as mine.

 

Mine is 2003. It would be fine on yours. The diagnostic socket is behind the little cubby box on the driver's side. Pull the lid right down past its stop to access.

 

That's a relief! Thanks for the prompt reply.

Did a bit more work on the car yesterday -nearly done.

Still one or two small issues.The engine is very rough on tick-over.

Disconnected injectors one by one and when no.2 is disconnected, no noticeable change to revs.

How do I determine if it's the coil pack or injector on that cylinder?

Both are from the old engine and worked fine on it before removal.

The plugs are brand new.

You need to read the fault codes, it's possible the ECU is shutting down number 2 due to a misfire, try an old plug in number 2 and clear all the codes.