Fabia 1.4 16v comfort 2002

So i pulled up outside my house looking for a parking space and all of a sudden beeeeeeeeep!!!

Looked down and the temp gauge was at max so i thought s#it and quickly parked it.

Expecting that id lost the sump plug and ****ed oil everywhere i was supprised to see it was water instead that had ****ed everywhere.

Checked under the bonnet and the water in the expension bottle was way way over the max line and looked pretty dark. The leak seemed to be coming from under the expansion bottle. Left it alone to cool down.

Checked today and water in expansion tank was quite low with darker water at the bottom and clearer at the top. I topped it up a bit and drips started coming from underneath the expansion tank.

I'm new to skodas but I'd hazard a guess that the head gasket might have gone which pressurised the coolant system with combustion gasses thus bursting it somewhere. Does that sound about right? I don't have anywhere i can take it for a sniffer test so where going on guessing and probabilitees here.

Correct me if im wrong but id have thought that if something in the coolant system was going to blow, wouldn't it be a pipe rather than the tough bottle?

Ok so if im gonna do the gasket job.....without a haynes manual, can anyone point me in the direction of a good write up please.incl what the valve clearances will need to be once the gaskets in place etc. Thanks guys for any advice.

The bottle is designed to relieve the pressure, the cap pops up and allows the water and steam to vent out of the bottom, you can't see it do this.

 

It is rare to blow a head gasket on the 1.4 16v however not impossible, I would start with the thermostat if I were you, it's much more common for these to fail and block the cooling system causing overheating.

Thanks for your reply.

Would the thermostat breaking cause oil to mix with the water? I could clearly notice that throught the side of the expansion bottle.

What about how all of a sudden the temp alarm went off and the temp was at max when its usually at mid way all the time. A symptom of broken thermostat? Perhaps, but not the oily coolant surely.

The car was running very well prior to it happening. I'll admit that when i topped up the oil a couple of weeks back it was right on the max oil line of the dipstick, I don't know if this would have done anything bad though.

Thanks for your reply.

Would the thermostat breaking cause oil to mix with the water? I could clearly notice that throught the side of the expansion bottle.

What about how all of a sudden the temp alarm went off and the temp was at max when its usually at mid way all the time. A symptom of broken thermostat? Perhaps, but not the oily coolant surely.

The car was running very well prior to it happening. I'll admit that when i topped up the oil a couple of weeks back it was right on the max oil line of the dipstick, I don't know if this would have done anything bad though.

 

If it is oil mixed with the water then that isn't a good sign, however the head gasket has blown because the car has overheated, the head gasket will not fail without reason, that reason is usually the thermostat or a water pump failure so you must still find the cause of the failure before going any further, fix it then see if there is still a problem with the gasket.

Ok thanks again for the reply.

So its the thermostat or the waterpump gone and probably the head gasket gone (I'm guessing the oil in coolant indicates that...)

Without a haynes manual to follow I'm at a slight loss...do you know of any online manuals or forum write ups of these jobs or perhaps a few tips if you've done them before?

I've got a spare engine sat on my unit floor.

Ok thanks again for the reply.

So its the thermostat or the waterpump gone and probably the head gasket gone (I'm guessing the oil in coolant indicates that...)

Without a haynes manual to follow I'm at a slight loss...do you know of any online manuals or forum write ups of these jobs or perhaps a few tips if you've done them before?

 

Why not buy a Haynes manual? It's the first thing I buy when I get a car.

Edited 11 September, 20169 yr by TMB

Ok thanks again for the reply.

So its the thermostat or the waterpump gone and probably the head gasket gone (I'm guessing the oil in coolant indicates that...)

Without a haynes manual to follow I'm at a slight loss...do you know of any online manuals or forum write ups of these jobs or perhaps a few tips if you've done them before?

 

This is probably a bit beyond your scope if it's your first Rodeo, not a good place to start learning how to fix your car.

Realistically, you're going to need professional help with this one, either sell the car as spares/repair and buy another or pay someone to fix it for you, it won't be cheap though.

Why not buy a Haynes manual? It's the first thing I buy when I get a car.

Yes usually i also do but ive not had this long and halfords didnt have any haynes manuals. Now im not bothering to buy one online because as soon as this is fixed, its getting sold as I'm getting an a6.

This is probably a bit beyond your scope if it's your first Rodeo, not a good place to start learning how to fix your car.

Realistically, you're going to need professional help with this one, either sell the car as spares/repair and buy another or pay someone to fix it for you, it won't be cheap though.

Well i dont blame you for thinking that as this is a forum and you dont know me. Im not learning how to fix A car, i just dont know skodas. My first rodeo hahaha, most mechanics don't know a thing about my usual car which i do all the work on myself (mazda rx7 fd3s)....ive worked on dozens of cars over the years and being a qualified motorcycle mechanic i also do all the servicing on my kawasaki ninja.

Guys please, im no newbie to fixing vehicles and don't need unhelpful comments, just a bit of advice about my fabia... i read that changing a head gasket is relatively easy on a fabia and i don't see why it should be difficult...i can do the jobs practically in the dark. Expensive...hopefully not..head gasket is what £60-70?

Edited 12 September, 20169 yr by Charlie1978

Ok, but it isn't just a head gasket, you'll need various gaskets and seals, bolts, water pump, cam belts, tensioner/idler rollers, thermostat, head machining etc.

HG is an easy job on the pushrod 1.4,much less so on the DOHC 1.4 which you have.

I made assumptions about technical competence based on the type of questions you're asking, suggest you make a start on the job then post back if you hit any roadblocks.

Yes usually i also do but ive not had this long and halfords didnt have any haynes manuals. Now im not bothering to buy one online because as soon as this is fixed, its getting sold as I'm getting an a6.

 

 

OK well there's an online manual which may be of some help. Here's the guide to doing the cylinder head http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk1/power_unit/1.4/55;_59;_74_kw_mpi_engine/engine_cylinder_head_valve_gear/cylinder_head/removing_and_installing_the_cylinder_head/

Ok, but it isn't just a head gasket, you'll need various gaskets and seals, bolts, water pump, cam belts, tensioner/idler rollers, thermostat, head machining etc.

HG is an easy job on the pushrod 1.4,much less so on the DOHC 1.4 which you have.

I made assumptions about technical competence based on the type of questions you're asking, suggest you make a start on the job then post back if you hit any roadblocks.

Reg the head, is it likely that it would have warped if i turned the engine off as soon as I heard the temp alarm? It didnt overheat per se... well I havent been in a car that's overheated for 21 years...alot of steam coming from radiator and engine dies right? But this didnt happen now...alarm went off, temp needle at max, engine still worked fine but I quickly turned it off regardless. No steam. A bit of water came from the expansion tank and the level was way above max. Later I noticed the level had lowered and the coolant looked dark with clear liquid above it.

The cambelt was done not so long ago by a previous owner, the engine is around the 93k mark in mileage. I assume they changed the waterpump when doing it but I'll check again. Would these need to be changed again?

If I find that all of what you say needs doing perhaps it's better, as you advise to sell it for spares/repair or just scrap it for metal...whichever will gain me more cash back. I bought in for £400 seven months ago. Strange as it was running so well until this happened....and I quite enjoyed driving it.

I saw that ebay sells hg kits for £45 inc the seals for whatever else is needed. Not obviously including the cambelt/waterpump.

OK well there's an online manual which may be of some help. Here's the guide to doing the cylinder head http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk1/power_unit/1.4/55;_59;_74_kw_mpi_engine/engine_cylinder_head_valve_gear/cylinder_head/removing_and_installing_the_cylinder_head/

Thanks a lot I'll check it out. The free online manuals that I found don't seem to be any good. Either that or I've seen a 2nd hand haynes on ebay for a fiver + postage. Is this the correct set of instructions for my engine the 1.4 16v aub engine i think?

Thanks a lot guys for your help, I hope it works out to not be so bad...

Edited 12 September, 20169 yr by Charlie1978

I'd be interested to hear a reply from sepulchrave as to the queries in my last post? How likely is it that the head will be warped? And that it will need new cambelts etc?

I'm just trying to save myself the hassle of taking it apart tbh, if it'll cost me an arm and a leg to fix it then it's better to sell it spares/repair....which brings another question, would I be likely to get more for scrap or spares/repair?

I'd be interested to hear a reply from sepulchrave as to the queries in my last post? How likely is it that the head will be warped? And that it will need new cambelts etc?

I'm just trying to save myself the hassle of taking it apart tbh, if it'll cost me an arm and a leg to fix it then it's better to sell it spares/repair....which brings another question, would I be likely to get more for scrap or spares/repair?

 

If the head gasket has gone because the car overheated then the head will be warped because that's how a head gasket blows, when the head no longer sits flat then the gasket loses its seal in that area.

If the car overheated but the coolant level was fine then the most likely cause is that the thermostat has stuck shut or broken up blocking coolant flow, a failed water pump is possible but far less likely, a third possibility is that the electric cooling fan failed to cut in allowing the car to overheat suddenly.

The head casting will not return to its original shape once cool and will therefore need skimming flat otherwise the new gasket will blow straight away.

Since you have to remove the existing primary cam belt to replace the head gasket it makes no sense to put the old one back on again, likewise the water pump and tensioner/idler rollers and the secondary cam belt are easily replaced since it'll be in bits.

Honestly, I would sell the car for spares or repair on ebay as a drive-away proposition if you've fixed the thermostat or cooling fan and flushed the coolant since doing these simple and cheap fixes will stop the car overheating and reduce the rate of pressurisation from the leaky gasket.

which brings another question, would I be likely to get more for scrap or spares/repair?

About £200-£300 for spares or repair.