Hi, recently. Ought a fabia for a cheap run around and the other day the temperature light was on.

For the first few days the temperature gauge was still okay and it didn't seem to be dumping coolant out.

Now it's going through most of the coolant capacity in 35 ish miles and the interior heater doesn't seem to work on 3/4

Anyone recommend what parts I should be looking to replace or the best place to start?

Cheers Jak

Can you see any water drips under the car? The radiators can leak near the bottom corners. Could be the head gasket too - sometimes the water gets blown out of the exhaust.

Edited 29 November, 201510 yr by TMB

Drivers side of the engine down onto the under stray so I'm thinking possibly expansion bottle? If not could maybe be bottom drivers side of the rad?

8 valve or 16 valve engine?

Guessing but think it'll be the 1.4 mpi which is 16v I believe?

Check the connections where the pipes to the heater go through the bulkhead, they can drip when hot but they drip onto the exhaust and therefore disappear.

DB.

Guessing but think it'll be the 1.4 mpi which is 16v I believe?

The 1.4 mpi is 8v

The 62hp one? If so I'll take your word for it haha new to VAG of this era

Welcome, I'm afraid your head gasket has blown but it's a really simple and cheap job to fix it.

Any tell tale signs for head gasket as I've got no white smoke etc, best way to test? Compression test etc?

Any tell tale signs for head gasket as I've got no white smoke etc, best way to test? Compression test etc?

 

Yes, coolant system pressurising and blowing coolant out of the tank while driving plus it's very common on MPI engines as old as yours.

 

You can test by checking the for residual pressure in the cooling system by opening the coolant cap after the car has sat overnight, any pressure in the tank means the head gasket has definitely gone.

Check if your car has the revised head gasket. If it has, you will see the word 'TEMAC' in red letters on the right-hand corner of the gasket where it pokes out of the cylinder head.

 

Has anyone got a part number for the temac gasket? Can only seem to find aftermarket gaskets on eBay etc

Edited 1 December, 201510 yr by jakwadd

Has anyone got a part number for the temac gasket? Can only seem to find aftermarket gaskets on eBay etc

 

047103383J

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA-PETROL-CYLINDER-HEAD-GASKET-047103383J-/331163190086

Edited 1 December, 201510 yr by TMB

I'd rather not rework the engine. If the gasket would be blown, you'd see a lot of bubbles in the expansion tank when coolant would reach 90C, along with the mayo on the oil dipstick and/or in the expansion tank.

Check and replace the thermostat housing, along with the thermostat and G62 coolant temp sensor (047121111S). My car has been leaking about 2-300ml of coolant / week and there were no drips under the car or however. I've replaced that and it seems a lot better after about 2 weeks. Another leak point would be in the lower left side of the radiator, where the coolant drain knob (6Y0121086) is placed. Sometimes, even if it's twisted all the way up, it might be lose. I've replaced mine as well. It was leaking. But in this case, you should see marks on the ground or on the engine undertray, if you have one.

Edited 2 December, 201510 yr by Alexandru

Drivers side of the engine down onto the under stray so I'm thinking possibly expansion bottle? If not could maybe be bottom drivers side of the rad?

 

If its leaking down that side of the engine my money is on the water pump.

 

A pressure test of the cooling system will confirm if it's leaking. If it is the head gasket, which is very common don't panic. Its a very easy job to do and genuine parts aren't expensive.

 

You would only get mayo on the dipstick if there was oil/water contamination. Normally when the MPI headgasket goes it blows from the combustion chamber to the cooling system.

Edited 2 December, 201510 yr by Tech1e

Replacing the headgasket requires cylinder head rework/resurface. It will affect the compression. So you'd better leave this as the final extreme measure IMHO.

I have changed many MPi head gaskets without reworking the cylinder head. Checked with a straight edge and feeler gauge and have found minimal distortion. Fitted a genuine gasket and all has been well.

 

Do have to watch for a bit of corrosion around the water ways now as they are getting older though.

Head cleaned up, checked as ok and new gasket fitted.

Hi, I've yet another problem with my car. I've topped the coolant up this morning and driven about 15 miles then notice the gauge go up so ve instantly pulled over and let the engine cool for 30-40 mins then topped it back up and now the car won't start, any ideas?

Did you get the cooling system pressure tested as suggested earlier?

Hi, I've yet another problem with my car. I've topped the coolant up this morning and driven about 15 miles then notice the gauge go up so ve instantly pulled over and let the engine cool for 30-40 mins then topped it back up and now the car won't start, any ideas?

 

Have you actually done anything about the original problem yet?

 

The thermostat may be stuck shut.

Hi, I've made what I believe to be progress, well sort off, I've fitted a new thermostat as the original want functioning correctly, I've also replaced the expansion tank (for the sake of £9) I though I might as well, however after re fitting these today the problem appears to have worsened. I think it's most likely water pump.

Would I be right in saying it's located just under the drivers side engine mount and mounts to the drivers side of the engine, as I can now visibly see water leaking from the flange of the part that bolts to the drivers side of the engine.

Is this part gasketted between the flanges or is it likely the pressure from a broken water pump has caused damage to a gasket or O ring etc that seals the water pump?

Would I be right in saying it's located just under the drivers side engine mount and mounts to the drivers side of the engine, as I can now visibly see water leaking from the flange of the part that bolts to the drivers side of the engine.

 

 

Yes, that's right. There is a gasket where the pump mates to the engine and there is a spindle seal inside the pump, which is what usually leaks when they get worn.

 

The pump is item 1 here...

 

Yeah that it! What's the best way to get it off, remove the engine mount?