Air intake BBZ

[Avante]

I'm thinking of removing the engine cover from my 1.4 16v 100HP Fabia and replacing it with a induction filter. Is there any piping that would fit this model specifically? I want the filter to be on the left side of the engine near the coolant expansion box with piping from the front leading to the filter. Any suggestions?

[Avante]

Scrap that, going for green cotton for now until I have money spare to get filter and silicone

[Breezy_Pete]

The one thing that actually is worth doing is checking the thermostat (within the cover/airbox assembly) that controls the mixing of pre-warmed and 'normal' air in the airbox/engine cover. Unfortunately, the typical failure mode of these leaves the air flap in the maximum pre-warmed position.

 

I replaced mine a while ago and took lots of pictures of all the innards; one of these days I'll update the thread I started, with my fix. (Found a Volvo part that works with minimal modification)

[rum4mo]

Wino, aye, I was thinking that you must have got nowhere with this, but you might just be about to prove me wrong! Wife's new car is either on a train making its way to Port Elizabeth, or waiting on the docks for a transporter boat so I have a bit less interest in this hopefully, though I'd still like to see what you have done and maybe have a look at the one in wife's car before sending it on its way to its next happy owner (hopefully)!

[Avante]

The one thing that actually is worth doing is checking the thermostat (within the cover/airbox assembly) that controls the mixing of pre-warmed and 'normal' air in the airbox/engine cover. Unfortunately, the typical failure mode of these leaves the air flap in the maximum pre-warmed position.

I replaced mine a while ago and took lots of pictures of all the innards; one of these days I'll update the thread I started, with my fix. (Found a Volvo part that works with minimal modification)

Would that be the spring loaded flap part? I've checked it, seems a little crooked like its not sat in place properly. But when I press the spring in it closes fully. I don't know how good the seal is though. I've heard something about blocking it off too?

[Breezy_Pete]

Yep, that's the badger.

You can take a bunch of torx screws out to get at the flap and the thermostat to examine them.  I bought a spare airbox hoping for a working thermostat, but ended up with another broken thermostat, and the flap plastic hinge/pivots on that one were also broken. Sounds like yours may have suffered the latter, possibly.

 

The thermostat sticks out more as it warms, which shifts the flap to 'more cold air' position.  Unfortunately, after the wax all leaks out of the 'stat, it never sticks out again.

[Avante]

Yep, that's the badger.

You can take a bunch of torx screws out to get at the flap and the thermostat to examine them. I bought a spare airbox hoping for a working thermostat, but ended up with another broken thermostat, and the flap plastic hinge/pivots on that one were also broken. Sounds like yours may have suffered the latter, possibly.

The thermostat sticks out more as it warms, which shifts the flap to 'more cold air' position. Unfortunately, after the wax all leaks out of the 'stat, it never sticks out again.

Could this be anything to do with why my car goes into limp mode when idled for so long?

[Avante]

I've replaced coils and spark plugs but it still goes into limp mode (I haven't cleared the code yet until I get my code reader Monday)

[Breezy_Pete]

Could this be anything to do with why my car goes into limp mode when idled for so long?

 

Yes, it could be a factor, but so could lots of other things.  Check whether that area of your airbox comes apart and if it does, see what's going on in there. I recently noticed that the set-up on the missus's 05-plate 1.2/AZQ has no screws to access that stuff, it's all stuck together. Dunno if that's a 1.2 thing or a later car thing.

[Avante]

Yes, it could be a factor, but so could lots of other things. Check whether that area of your airbox comes apart and if it does, see what's going on in there. I recently noticed that the set-up on the missus's 05-plate 1.2/AZQ has no screws to access that stuff, it's all stuck together. Dunno if that's a 1.2 thing or a later car thing.

I have done, my engine is the bbz 100HP 2005 model, with 4 individual coil packs. I took the engine cover apart, cleaned it all out with soapy water and dried it, noticed the flap your talking about, looks like the hinges aren't holding it in place properly but it seems to close properly when I apply pressure to the spring part. Sorry for my wording I'm still learning lol.

[YS53]

On 26/06/2015 at 14:35, Wino said:

The one thing that actually is worth doing is checking the thermostat (within the cover/airbox assembly) that controls the mixing of pre-warmed and 'normal' air in the airbox/engine cover. Unfortunately, the typical failure mode of these leaves the air flap in the maximum pre-warmed position.

 

I replaced mine a while ago and took lots of pictures of all the innards; one of these days I'll update the thread I started, with my fix. (Found a Volvo part that works with minimal modification)

@Wino - Hi Pete - I could not find  your thread on the Air Intake thermo fix,our 1.4 has a suspect flap thermostat and would like to fix it if poss,the volvo part sounds interesting.

 

rgds baz

[Breezy_Pete]

Will see what I can dig up.

Over the summer I discovered that the one on the missus's car had failed too. On her AZQ airbox, the blend flap stuff isn't accessible to replace anything (no screws), so I just fixed the thermostat in a position where it gave full cold. Probably the far easier fix. One drilled hole, one woodscrew. 

[YS53]

Thanks Pete - did you find a safe way of testing the pesky little blighter ?

[Breezy_Pete]

If you take the part off that houses the air filter, you can see the back end of the thermostat. Give that a push and you'll see the blend flap (with orangey rubber seal) move. Then warm up the back end of the thermostat with a hair dryer for a couple of minutes, being careful not to melt surrounding plastic.  If the blend flap moves the same as when pushed, the thermostat is still working.  If nothing happens at all, it isn't.

 

Here's a view towards the blend flap, with thermostat in foreground on the right of shot:

 

 

 

[TMB]

1 hour ago, Wino said:

Will see what I can dig up.

Over the summer I discovered that the one on the missus's car had failed too. On her AZQ airbox, the blend flap stuff isn't accessible to replace anything (no screws), so I just fixed the thermostat in a position where it gave full cold. Probably the far easier fix. One drilled hole, one woodscrew. 

 

Did that to mine too. Doesn't seem to make the slightest difference even in sub-zero temps.

 

Off for my MOT now....

[Breezy_Pete]

Good luck Lee, not that you'll need it.  Our Fabia has actually gained a decent chunk of fuel economy since fixing its airbox thermostat in the cold only position.

[Breezy_Pete]

2 hours ago, YS53 said:

@Wino - Hi Pete - I could not find  your thread on the Air Intake thermo fix,our 1.4 has a suspect flap thermostat and would like to fix it if poss,the volvo part sounds interesting.

 

rgds baz

 

There's a photo of the thermostat and mechanism in a post of mine two thirds of the way down page 1 of this thread:

 

 

Then at the start of the next page I have written the Volvo part number.  In hindsight, I wouldn't bother with this replacement now, I'd just wedge the thermo inward, to simulate a pin that actually extrudes as it should. Like I did on the AZQ version with a woodscrew!:

 

[YS53]

Many thanks for the info Pete - I will have a look at it later 

[TMB]

2 hours ago, Wino said:

Good luck Lee, not that you'll need it.  

 

Cheers, it passed, no advisories 

[Breezy_Pete]

S'pose I should look back at my advisories from last year and see if I've done anything about them, before its go tomorrow...

[TMB]

Just now, Wino said:

S'pose I should look back at my advisories from last year and see if I've done anything about them, before its go tomorrow...

 

Might be a good idea 

[Breezy_Pete]

Chip on screen in non-critical area - will still be there

Disintegrating rear bump stop - think I might have fixed that, will have a look in a minute Edit: well it's still hanging in there..

Both front brake hoses slightly deteriorated - have the new hoses ready to fit, but I'd be amazed if this years doesn't say exactly the same, no worse. Job for this summer.

Edited 25 February, 2019 by Wino

[YS53]

OK - the intake Flap thermo thingy is sorted LOL - I bunged a woodscrew into it as you suggested - so it is now locked into cold air.

 

Many Thanks - baz

[YS53]

All went OK  yesterday- the overnight forecast was +6c but as usual it was colder than forecast (the local weather station where they get the readings from is Strathallan Airfield - 6 miles away) and we set off for the Gliding Club at 0730 with the ambient temperature 0 deg c.On the 35 mile drive the ambient was varying from -1.0c to +4.0c - the engine never missed a beat - the Humidity was approx 90%.

So - OK so far.

[Breezy_Pete]

Keep an eye on fuel usage if you are in the habit of monitoring tank-to-tank trip mileages. Might get a nice surprise.

Doubt you'll get any trouble with TB freezing. Since the demise of carbs I think it's almost unheard of in the UK.