Hi folks, apologies for the new thread (which will be similar to previous ones) but I've spent quite a bit of time searching the forum and didn't quite find the specific answers I need. I'm not knowledgeable about cars, so any responses would be greatly appreciated. Circumstances are:

 

- I've been the happy owner of a '10 plate 1.4 MkII vRS that I bought second hand a few years ago (obviously well out of warranty, but full service history and a trusted seller gave me confidence)

- It's been running as sweet as a nut for years until the past 6 months when it developed a bit of a thirst for engine oil, but nothing crazy).

- Then a week or so ago, I got an engine management light (not going into limp mode) and it was obviously missfiring a little at low revs only (but otherwise fine)

- went to non-dealership - spark plugs & compression found to be fine. The injector was replaced as the next step (which I was happy to gamble on despite there being no guarantees of success), but it didn't fix anything and car now intermittently entering limp mode (but running decent (but clearly not correctly) when not in that mode).

- I'm not prepared to pay £1.5k+ in repairs given the age / value / overall reliability of the vRS (next proposed step would be replacing the cylinder).

- when not in limp mode, the car runs viably as an average, lowish powered runabout.

 

So my questions would be:

   
i) Are there any steps I should consider before scrapping the car? (either in terms of potential other repair options or any option that might give me a better deal when I scrap the car?)

ii) Am I endangering myself or other road users by driving the car medium term while I look at purchasing a new car?

iii) Does anyone have any experience of running the vRS for weeks (or even months) when you are intermittently getting the above warning lights?

iv) The MOT is due in a few weeks, does it have a hope in hell in passing if the car is 100% except for the warning lights?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Unlucky, my friend George will be along to help you soon for sure. He is the real knowledge1.4TSI twincharger vRS Briskoda help man . That being said there are others with a fair degree of experienced (sufferers )to support you.

 

Edited 25 August, 20187 yr by vrskeith

Pity that a Non VW Specialist got to mess about changing Injectors.

 

I would have put in 5w 40 FS (VW 502) & a Mahle Oil Filter,  New DENSO Plugs, a new Air Filter, Tesco Momentum, reset the fault codes and then taken it for 10 miles to warm up then thrashed it stupid. 

Seen what then happened.

 

?

So did your car ever have the Breather Mod & Software updates between 2010 and 2013, or a engine rebuild or replacement engine, 

or is it a standard car as it left the factory?

?

Has it had a new water pump / magnetic supercharger clutch fitted, and when?

?

What miles has the car done?

 

?

Can you put up the first 2 letters of your reg number and the last letter?    Just incase i know the car, i know about a few 2010 vRS.   What colour is it?

Thanks guys. The garage are VW group specialists, just not a dealership.  

 

- 60,000 miles

- been using Castrol Edge 5w40 for past year or two

- they've put some chemicals in the system to try and flush out any carbon buildup and I've to drive around for a week or so to see if how it goes. 

- I don't know the specifics of what was done to it in the past, I only know it was taken into the dealership and things were done to "sort the engine" and that these changes worked for the past 6-7 years. 

- it's a green one with a black roof that has been in the Central belt of Scotland all the time. I got it as a cherished transfer as previous owner had personalised plate, so it probably won't help but it is SO****H

 

Sounds like if I break down it might be worth getting it towed to a dealers just for a final opinion on any other options?

If you have had it for 2 years it is not one my friend traded in recently,

or another friends which is newer and has had a new engine and then a DSG rebuild....

 

Skoda UK Customer Services can tell you what was done under the Skoda Warranty 2010-2013 or since on goodwill. Or a Skoda Main Dealership can.

so just ask.   They need to tell you, not Data Protected or any such guff.

http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us 

 

So you want to know,  

Was the engine rebuilt or a base unit fitted, or a new engine,

was the Breather Mod done and a software update, or were new Oil Spray Jets fitted and a software update done?

 

This is just to know what you have as far as their records show.

 

I have run a Mk2 Fabia with the Engine Emissions Control Engine Warning light on, but care needs taken as the Turbo can be disabled. Also 2 cylinders can shut down.

 

I have use Castrol 5w 40 FS that B&M & Home Bargains were selling,  Much Cheapness,  i bough loads of it,

it was 'Sh!te'  total rubbish, correct spec, i suspected it was snide.

So i ended up using  it as Engine Flush.

 

Next time there is a EPC light or Engine Light or both get the Fault Codes ready and post them here.

 

If it is your Water Pump / Supercharger Clutch / Connector to those throwing up the fault because they need replaced, then there you are.

8 years old and 60,000 miles i would have expected a new Water Pump needed by now.

 

Problem is, you can get a new Water Pump, reset fault codes, car goes great, you use Cruise Control, there is a misfire and the Engine Warning light is back on.

Got the T-Shirt for that one....

Edited 25 August, 20187 yr by Offski

PS

How is your coolant,  is it dropping even just a small amount occasionally?

If so that is likely the Water Pump. 

If you need the Water Pump / Super Charger clutch threads are down this page, or the last page, bumped this past week.

It will cost you about £450-500 for the Water Pump & Belts to be replaced,  no need for £85-£100 on Diagnostics from a Skoda Main Dealership they should know fine the Water Pump needs changing as you are asking them to do it, and if the Master Tech knows Twinchargers he knows why the Engine Emissioins light is on at 8 years old and 60,000 miles.

Edited 25 August, 20187 yr by Offski

Thanks, I'll check that out with Skoda. The error message was apparently "missfire in cylinder 3" (although I'm getting this second hand as I don't have the VAG thingamybob myself). I'm not aware of any coolant issues - it has certainly never been topped up (but I'll be watching that more closely now).

Get the car on vcds to see first hand the problem. If you are in the Midlands I could help you with that. If misfiring try new plugs and or coils but you really need a scan on vcds first.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned coilpak. Aren't they top candidate for misfire plus EML? Especially 60k and that vintage. And usually about £25 to replace. Its surely the first thing to try?

Yes about £25-£30 each, but the place that the OP went to replaced a Injector, if that was what they actually did.  

I was assuming that when they had said the spark plugs were OK they had checked the Ignition Coils.

 

Misfire cylinder 3 usually is as a Spark Plug is dying / burning the tip off, and that can mean an ignition coil prematurely expires.

Then there is the valves for cylinder 3 being in a bad why.

It needs checked out really.  A borescope into the plug hole can be a good idea.

Edited 26 August, 20187 yr by Offski

Hi folks.  As an update in my MkII Fabia VRS I was able to change my driving style (avoiding low revs) and drive perfectly well (minus flooring it) for a further 2.5yrs and thousands of miles without any further expense and only very occasional appearance of the engine management light.  

 

Then on Xmas morning the engine management light came on followed by the dreaded EPC light came on and it appears every time I drive now. The engine misfires quite badly until the EPC comes on but once the EPC light comes on it behaves better, with no limit on revs and accepting speeds of 50mph (but still clearly not running smoothly like it should). The engine management light also never flashes after the EPC comes on.  

 

I am fully resigned to the car dying imminently and as it is only worth £2k now it makes no financial sense to me to get the any speculative repairs. However, the only factor complicating things in my mind is I've just today remembered that the EPC light appeared on the same journey as my central locking started locking me in my car as soon as I sit down. 

 

I see the central locking can be tied to the battery being low and is almost certainly unrelated, but the fact this happened on the same journey and that both issues now happen every time I drive makes me wonder if the EPC light could somehow be related to the central locking issue (even though the engine is clearly rougher)? Any thoughts?

 

My excellent local independent garage has kindly offered to check the fault codes for me to try and confirm the EPC light is nothing to do with an electrical issue (and is a sign of terminal decline in the engine) but I dont want to waste their time or my money investigating if this is just a hare brained theory on my part.  

 

Also, are there safety issues with driving in EPC mode until the either the car becomes undriveable or until car showrooms start opening up again? As I say it is perfectly driveable at present outside of motorways and feels safe (I wouldn't drive if otherwise).

 

Thanks as always for any thoughts and apologies if this post is really dumb!

Aside from the possible battery or connection issue,

what spark plugs did the car get over 2 years back and are they still in now?

Apologies, there was no further repairs attempted, so no change to the spark plugs (which reportedly "looked in good condition"). By revving a little whenever stationary and avoiding flooring it I had been able to avoid getting the engine management lights more than handful of times in the last two years. 

 

The error codes would skip cylinders (e.g. 'misfire in cylinder 3' one time, 'misfire in cylinder 2' the next time). I suppose you would argue that the spark plugs may have been the issue and deteriorated further and that the central locking is a red herring?

 

I appreciate I am making any investigation far harder due to penny pinching but paying £300 up front to get the dealer to even plug in and check the error code isnt something I can rationalise in the current financial climate.  I'd happily throw a couple of hundred at it in a speculative repair, but not £500+ on such an ageing car with known engine faults in the model. 

 

 

It is so basic that the spark plugs need removed and inspected, and the gap checked.  Properly inspected.

 

Then replaced.  No point taking out and putting back.

Spark Plugs have caused issues as far back as 2009 with the first SEAT Cupra Twin Chargers, and then on with the Fabia, Polo & A1.

Why the type was changed, then the gap, and still the OEM plugs were guff. 1 plug fails.

 

That could have been the issue in August 2018. 

?

When where the spark plugs that are in fitted, and what are they?   How many miles back and how long ago.

 

Edited 20 January, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

4 hours ago, Brucemagoose511 said:

Apologies, there was no further repairs attempted, so no change to the spark plugs (which reportedly "looked in good condition"). By revving a little whenever stationary and avoiding flooring it I had been able to avoid getting the engine management lights more than handful of times in the last two years. 

 

The error codes would skip cylinders (e.g. 'misfire in cylinder 3' one time, 'misfire in cylinder 2' the next time). I suppose you would argue that the spark plugs may have been the issue and deteriorated further and that the central locking is a red herring?

 

I appreciate I am making any investigation far harder due to penny pinching but paying £300 up front to get the dealer to even plug in and check the error code isnt something I can rationalise in the current financial climate.  I'd happily throw a couple of hundred at it in a speculative repair, but not £500+ on such an ageing car with known engine faults in the model. 

 

 

You know what I wouldn’t rule this engine out , could well be coil pack related or the wiring to the coil packs they are notoriously bad the wiring on these cars 

Thanks again guys. From your advice and reading the forum elsewhere, if the latest error codes match the cylinder misfire issues (rather than suggesting  anything electrical) my plan is:

 

 i) to ask my local garage to fit new spark plugs (specifically Denso Iridium with a 0.6mm gap - interesting reading the experiences of little changes in spark plug type and gap having a big impact)

 

Then if that doesn't work completely or at all:

 

ii) I'd ask to get coil packs replaced for any cylinders that are showing up misfiring (previously 2&3) or if it isn't going to cost that much more, then all the coil packs replaced. 

 

Any flaws in this cunning plan as a last roll of the dice on a modest budget? Do I need to be fussy about the type of coil packs or anything?

Yes, don't buy a brand you've never heard of from ECP, stick with the big names, the quality control is the difference and it's worth paying the extra.

Took it to dealers after all. Error code is "low compression in cylinder 3" and mechanic consider it needing a replaced engine and not worth trying things with.  They said spark plugs were in order and set at an apporpriate position/gap. So I don't see much point in going for speculative repairs but am very grateful for the advice from folks.   

Bad luck, curse of the VRS strikes again and claims another victim.

P1sses me off just how often on here and elsewhere i have heard of low compression with cylinder 3 and a new engine needed.

There are some that have actually had burned valves and even broken piston rings, and there are some that are absolutely fine with no issues once dealt with by someone that knows their arse from their elbow.

 

Here is a Cylinder 2 one.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/340296-fabia-vrs-engine-failed-loss-of-compression-cyl-2

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/360862-major-fabia-vrs-tsi-cave-engine-issue

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/474204-fabia-vrs-mk2-compression-test

 

This covers lots, valves, head, squirters and the sharks at Skoda.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/426905-2013-vrs-dead-any-advice

 

 

Edited 29 January, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

If you go to an independent specialist with a borescope they can take look inside cylinder 3 for you, they can also do a leakdown test to tell you if it's the valves or the rings.

I daresay the dealer just did a basic compression test then wrote the engine off.

16 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

If you go to an independent specialist with a borescope they can take look inside cylinder 3 for you, they can also do a leakdown test to tell you if it's the valves or the rings.

I daresay the dealer just did a basic compression test then wrote the engine off.

I doubt they even did a compression check as you don’t get a low compression error in Vcds you get a misfire fault code , did they check the coil packs ? 

As I had the same thing with my car “misfire on cylinder three” and the wiring to the coil packs was corroded and causing an issue what I did was changed cylinder two coil packs to cylinder three along with the wiring from cylinder two and the fault changed to cylinder two so I realised this to be at fault 

@Brucemagoose511 what is your next move?

 

They must have done something when they examined it because the car is now undriveable, as weak as a kitten and I barely got it home whereas before it was misfiring a lot but still had oomph. I don't know if a compression test would have done that, but there is no hard feelings from me.  

 

The bottom line is I've now had a dealer, a freelance VAG technician and a standard independent garage all tell me they aren't willing or able to get to the bottom of the matter and advising me to keep my money in my pocket rather than pay them to undertake further investigations. So my options appear somewhat limited. I've only had to pay £100 in total on a car valued at £2k to reach this state and any money I don't spend on investigating it goes towards the replacement car. 

 

The dealer basically said the spark plugs looked in order, that it was low compression and that previous investigations into that weren't things they could be confident of getting to the bottom of or resolving.  I didn't mention the coils because he was so certain it was a compression issue.  

 

I'm going to leave the car a week and see if it has a Lazarus-like recovery to the ECP state where I could do 50mph easily enough (sounds mad, but the engine warning lights can disappear after a few days and vehicle performance can change - although I imagine there is a less than 1% chance of that happening here). Then it is either a post on Gumtree for any one looking for VRS parts or getting it taken away to the scrappies.  I'll wait and see how the car is performing in a few days before making that decision.  

 

Then the Joy's of trying to buy a car with confidence when it's just been announced in Scotland that the 'lockdown' continues for at least another month (so no test drives until at least then from my local Skoda dealers). Thankfully I don't have to drive to get to my work so I've nowhere to drive to at the moment anyway!

Edited 2 February, 20215 yr by Brucemagoose511