Off to look at a 1.4 tdi estate tomorrow

[Vfr400boy]

We’re on the lookout of a second car I drive a 1.9 Fabia estate it’s my second Fabia ( first one died with 240k on clock ) 

anyway iv found a 1.4 tdi for the wife 70k on the clock timing belt been changed at 55k , looks tidy on the pics, what should I look out for and are they a lot slower than the 1.9 ? Thanks 

[Vfr400boy]

Forgot to say it’s a 06 reg 

[mogwye]

Check the service history for the oil/filter changes & check the console bushes too.

 

Great cars.

 

DB.

Edited 7 July, 2018 by mogwye

[Vfr400boy]

Went and saw the car seemed like a genuine car full service history but unfortunately my wife was not impressed with the 1.4 ( she’s used to the 1.9 ) so we are still looking! 

[JWvrs25]

the 1.4 tdi have issues with the oil pump i think so stick to a 1.9 tdi.

 

[PD75]

4 hours ago, JWvrs25 said:

the 1.4 tdi have issues with the oil pump i think so stick to a 1.9 tdi.

 

I've been reading this forum for nearly 12 years and can only remember at most a handful of posts where someone who actually owned a 1.4 tdi had the oil pump drive go. Meanwhile, there have been countless threads of stuck vanes, blown turbos and knackered egr valves on 1.9 tdi.

Horses for courses and price\condition would be what I'd be basing which model to have now.

I bought 1.4 because its saved me a fortune in road tax over the years otherwise i would have gone for a 1.9 at the time.

Yes the extra 250 kg towing capacity would have been handy but the 1.4 is nippy enough and pulls well.

My oil pump did pack up at 320,000 km.

After a bit of searching, I bought a one owner hatchback at the right price in the same colour and trim, with half the mileage,  ran it for a year then swapped the engine. Back to 70 mpg. and the extra room and the tow bar with the estate plus a complete set of spare parts apart from the back lights and rear doors/glass.

 

[sepulchrave]

1 hour ago, PD75 said:

I've been reading this forum for nearly 12 years and can only remember at most a handful of posts where someone who actually owned a 1.4 tdi had the oil pump drive go. Meanwhile, there have been countless threads of stuck vanes, blown turbos and knackered egr valves on 1.9 tdi.

 

That'll be the PD130 not the PD100, the PD100 TDI is monster reliable.

[Vfr400boy]

So if any one sees a 1.9 for sale please let me know ta 

[bigjohn]

The 1.4pd is actually a 1.9pd 100 but one cylinder short of a full set. It even has the same cam belt, pistons etc. The risk with the 1.4pd to try and improve the roughness of a 3 cylinder diesel it also has a balancer shaft that unfortunately is fed by the same drive/chain that feeds the oil pump - due to the nature of the balancer shaft this can cause wear issues with this drive with predictable results.

 

In all other respects the 1.4pd is the same as the reliable 1.9pd(100) but does have the same potential issues although as mentioned the 100 version tends to be the most reliable! However both have a variable vane turbo and the same vacuum system to operate the vanes, EGR and anti-shudder valve. They also have an injector loom (easy to change) that sits in hot engine oil and can fail.

 

I ran (and it is still running under new ownership at well over 200k miles) a Superb 1.9pd100 and it was a fantastic engine (reliable, power, economy etc) - albeit slightly noisy. My engine up to 165k miles only needed an alternator and  a repair of one of the vacuum pipes (there are a lot of them both rigid and flexible - the rigid ones can rub through and the flexible ones can eventually rot). In fact for a 2003 car it still has it's original battery, exhaust and clutch. I never experienced the variable vane issue other than the vacuum leak issues as describe above (check that any potential cars don't shudder when the engine turns off - an indication that there is a vacuum issue!) 

 

In my opinion The 1.9pd100 is the one to find - it even tugs a Superb along really well and still does over 50mpg

Edited 7 July, 2018 by bigjohn

[PD75]

1.4 pd doesn't have variable vane turbo.

I'm not saying the 1.9 isn't reliable - I just don't know why every time someone mentions that they are thinking 1.4 the oil pump drive comes up as if it happens every day of the week.

Like I said, horses for courses. I'm sure I would have enjoyed every minute of owning a 1.9 as I have the 11 years of owning the 1.4 which has been  very economical, reliable, fun to drive and actually can pull over 1000kg.

Just offering the benefit of my experience.

[JWvrs25]

Pd100 doesn’t have variable vane either

just saying it’s a no brainier to go for the pd100 over a 75 unless you value slightly better fuel economy

i had a 1.2 12v which are supposed to be unreliable regarding valves burning, but mine was fine so yes some are ok some are not but it’s a risk where there is a known fault on  a particular engine so you might as well just go for the 100 as you have the choice

[bigjohn]

1 hour ago, JWvrs25 said:

Pd100 doesn’t have variable vane either

 

 

The pd 100 did have variable vanes on my Superb - must be different on the Fabia.

 

The 1.4pd has variable vanes in other cars - eg Polo

[sepulchrave]

1 hour ago, bigjohn said:

 

The pd 100 did have variable vanes on my Superb - must be different on the Fabia.

 

The 1.4pd has variable vanes in other cars - eg Polo

 

I've never seen a PD100 that had a fixed geometry turbo, they're all Garrett or KKK VGT, with the 1.4 PD engines some do and some don't, I think all the high output 1.4's are VGT.

[bigjohn]

4 hours ago, JWvrs25 said:

 

i had a 1.2 12v which are supposed to be unreliable regarding valves burning, but mine was fine so yes some are ok some are not but it’s a risk where there is a known fault on  a particular engine so you might as well just go for the 100 as you have the choice

 

Know the problem - I've still got my old  Octavia with the1.416v (75ps) mpi engine that's supposed to be made of butter , still going strong at 17 years old and 126,000 miles.

 

 

 

 

Edited 8 July, 2018 by bigjohn

[Dazza95]

I had a PD75 for 4 years and put over 90k miles in that time, it was very reliable however I can imagine it feeling a bit slow if you're used to a PD100. It used to rev at 2.6k+ at motorway speeds. I think the Audi A2 has the same engine with an output of 90bhp and VGT.

 

My other half has the PD80 and this too has been faultless over the last couple of years. 

 

Good luck with your search though, when I last checked, finding one in good condition was quite difficult compared to when I got mine.

Edited 8 July, 2018 by Dazza95

[Vfr400boy]

Thanks went to go look at mk2 with only 70k on clock when I got there 2 tyres were completely flat and they was not one straight panel on the car ! What a waste of time 

[KeithCheetham]

Your signature suggests your 1.9 is an SDI - not a real road rocket so what doesn't you wife not like about the 1.4.

 Had a 56 plate 1.4TDI 70bhp Classic (174K miles) which a workmate owns and is still driving, now running an 06 plate PD100 Elegance (167K miles) - difference in performance night/day but wouldn't class 1.4 as slow as used to drive it over Pennines very day, other half has a 1.4TDI 80bhp which I consider almost as quick as PD100 in everyday driving terms which may be down to gearing as her 1.4TDI 80 is the Greenline with taller gearing. May be worth looking at power rating of the one you tried as if a 70bhp not really representative of what 1.4 can do. The 1.4 actually drives nicer with less bulk over the front when running into corners.

 Suggest you look for right spec - Elegance Mk1 or 3 Mk2 - as this could also swing choice.

[VWD]

On 06/07/2018 at 22:36, Vfr400boy said:

We’re on the lookout of a second car I drive a 1.9 Fabia estate it’s my second Fabia ( first one died with 240k on clock ) 

anyway iv found a 1.4 tdi for the wife 70k on the clock timing belt been changed at 55k , looks tidy on the pics, what should I look out for and are they a lot slower than the 1.9 ? Thanks 

iI'd suggest that the 1.4TDi is a lot spriteler than a 1.9sdi, Just look at output /weight. 1.9 sdi (no idea of weight, but had a four pot engine) and has lower output than the Turbo 1.4, with one less pot-so lighter. They all share common problems with door cards. only problem I've had with mine was clutch failure ,possibly due to fuel pipe failure where fuel got into clutch housing, and EGR shut off valve sticking- due short runs. OH- and console bushes- best changed for Powerflex ones. But the lightr engine makes for better handling. on the motorway, even at 70-75, there's still acceleration to be had , and more than I've seen on rented Mondeo's WITH A 2 lITRE ENGINE.

[Vfr400boy]

My first Fabia was an sdi ( she died with about 260k on clock) but my current Fabia is a 1.9 tdi comfort much more nippy and easy to drive than the sdi was 

[mogwye]

9 hours ago, VWD said:

iI'd suggest that the 1.4TDi is a lot spriteler than a 1.9sdi, Just look at output /weight. 1.9 sdi (no idea of weight, but had a four pot engine) and has lower output than the Turbo 1.4, with one less pot-so lighter. They all share common problems with door cards. only problem I've had with mine was clutch failure ,possibly due to fuel pipe failure where fuel got into clutch housing, and EGR shut off valve sticking- due short runs. OH- and console bushes- best changed for Powerflex ones. But the lightr engine makes for better handling. on the motorway, even at 70-75, there's still acceleration to be had , and more than I've seen on rented Mondeo's WITH A 2 lITRE ENGINE.

 

Fitting the Powerflex console bushes to a 1.4 TDI is not advisable, in my case on both vehicles the noise level in the cabin was unbearable, i had to switch back to Skoda stock items,

 

DB.

[VWD]

No problem with noise in cabin  after changing bushes to Powerflex ones.