Evening Hive mechanical mind!

Driving my wifes Octavia at the mo and it died completely whilst going ontona roundabout. Had been doing 65-70 prior to that, all fine. Refused to start at all, turns over fine, just wont catch!

Had the RAC out to it - threw up DTC 18062. RAC chap contacted their tec support and was advised the oil level sensor was faulty! Strange as I had only replaced it in Jan this year!

So - bit the bullet - oil change, oil filter and oil level sensor. Still wouldnt start! A second RAC chap came out and was still not able to clear the DTC that is supposed to relate to the sensor.

Have confirmed it is NOT the following:

Wrong fuel

Dead fuel pump - fuel pumps through well when turned over

Compression issue

Egr stuck

Battery!

The only thing else that has been going on is the yellow flashing oil light on start up - bridged the bonnet sensor and that seems to have resolved it,so not sure its related.

I am thinking this is likely electrical not mechanical, probably a faulty ecu (rare I know).

Anyone have any other ideas or experience of this issue themselves?? Good ideas gratefully recieved before I have to ask Santa for a new ECU!!

Are you sure that code is correct, as that relates to checking fault code memory in the dash panel?.

Its the correct code - text read 'fault codes in instrument cluster', shown as a permanant fault. Would a faulty dash instrument stop the engine from starting?

Would have thought a poor connection to the dash pod to be more likely, although diesels and some other models do suffer from dry joints on the panel itself.

 

Oh and welcome to Briskoda by the way.

Edited 29 November, 201510 yr by kentphil1

Many thanks mate, i've set the morning aside to have a poke around the electrics (now im convinced its not mechanical!) is there any guides on line for the wiring behind the dash? Loving the forum!

You would be best to hold fire for one of the diesel guys on here to give you more info on the dash area, as there are an awful lot of relays that run to that area which also control the ability to start - relay 109 for example.

 

What engine code is your diesel, AGR, AHF etc?, with a bit more info I'll try to help you a fair bit myself.

 

KenONeill on here is a knowledgeable diesel man, so would be worth waiting to see if he sees this and gives you more info.

Morning mate

 

Engine code is ALH. Im going to try and find a workshop manual online with wiring diagrams so I can try and figure out what I need to test.

I dived into the foot well and pulled Relay 109 (thank you for the suggestion!) - found another thread about someone who had opened theirs up and checked the solder joints o the pcb - so thought I would give that a go.... just to discover there is no PCB!!! The relay is purely mechanical. I'm not sure if this means its more or less likely to be the culprit, but my local ECP has a compatible one in, so going to pick that up this afternoon and give it a go!

 

This is the other forum post: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/13570-skoda-19tdi-1999-relay-109/

 

Will see if I can post a photo of the inside of the relay later........

Regrettably, replacing relay 109 hasn't helped! Still not catching after I crank it over 

 

Any ideas gratefully welcomed! 

I would get someone local to you to plug vcds into it to get a more in depth code read. There is a section on here somewhere with a map of locations. Are you getting any other lights flashing on the dash when attempting to start? The dash has the immobiliser in it that communicates to the Ecu. It's only two multiplugs on the back of it. I've just had mind upgraded to an L&K dash, so I do have a spare set of clocks if needed? Get someone to check with vcds before going any further though. Hope that helps?

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See if this is of any help too?

http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk1/drive_unit/1.9_ltr./66_kw_(tdi)_engine_fuel_injection_and_glow_plug_system/self_diagnosis_v.a.g_inspection_service/self-diagnosis_ii/fault_table/

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Hi im far from an expert but there is a solenoid on top of diesel pump try checking that for any fault i think its linked to relay 109 for fuel cut off i think it switches on and off with ignition worth a try only aboout £10

Gents, apologies that I have only just come back to this, it took some time!

 

So I managed to find a friend of a friend who is a mechanic with 20+ years experience and MOT tester qualifications, He graciously came to mine and we spent the morning getting into this. 

 

We popped the timing belt cover and the belt itself looked all fine. Our initial thoughts were that one of the governors on the fuel pump had failed, so I bought a second hand pump and we were planning to drop it in, but when we removed the timing belt completely we discovered something interesting.

 

The paint marks on the timing belt pulley, which had been put on by someone during the last timing belt change, were no longer aligned!! Once we got the timing belt off, it became apparent that the reason for this was that the timing belt had a roller bearing stuck through it!! We quickly identified that this was from the water pump, which had not been changed during the last belt (before I bought it!). The pump had dis-integrated and its bearings had all fallen out, one of which had wedged through the belt and caused the fuel pump pulley to "skip" its timing.

 

New belt, water pump and correctly aligned fuel pump and she started on the first turn!

 

Thanks very much for all your suggestions gents, I hope this thread ends up helping someone else out. Incidentally, if anyone needs an fuel pump for a MK1 - I have one going spare