Thought I’d start a project which is less a project and more a this went wrong so I fixed it thread lol. That said I do have some small plans for it bar sorting out what is wrong now.

 

So here is the car now.

 

 

So as you can see  “rogelio”  named after the character from Jane the Virgin obviously not my pick haha. Is a 1.2 6v Fabia. He has been used for nursery and gym runs mainly and we’ve had him for 5 years. Never really paid much attention to him but a couple of things have happened and it’s about time he got treated right.

 

Things done so far

- both front springs and top mounts

- new droplinks

- new discs and pads

- new fuel, air and cabin filters

- All new coil packs 

- new map sensor 

 

To Do

- Wishbones, ball joints and console rubbers (get rid of annoying squeak)

- brake servo pipe

- figure out dodgy idle

- fix scratches, clean and polish

- fix center vents (if possible)

 

Future Plans

- oem mudflaps all round and colour coded

- Heko wind deflectors all round

- Service and paint callipers and drums

- A1 16” rotor alloys

- lowering springs (depending on how the car sits)

 

Maybe

- rear window tint for the kids

- new stereo 

 

So that’s where we stand now.

Edited 18 April, 20197 yr by mikey362
Poor grammer

Did taping up the brake servo vac pipe not improve the idle stability?

10 minutes ago, Wino said:

Did taping up the brake servo vac pipe not improve the idle stability?

 

Hard to tell tbh, it’s not a great seal feels better some times and then doesn’t. I missed the delivery from Mike for the OEM part yesterday and can pick it up from Royal Mail till Tuesday now as I was doing wishbones and console bushes today which I’ll post about in a bit once I’ve had a shower haha.

 

Ive actually put some injector cleaner in with the fuel as I’m leaning towards a dodgy injector but it never dies just on idle or first revs feels like two cylinders off and on.

Do you have a compression tester?

Isn't the RM office open Saturday morning?

Unfortunately I don’t, I haven’t done much car wise since the kids made an appearance . I’m going to get some new spark plugs as well as I don’t think they’ve ever been changed, you know just in case.

 

I am honestly not sure with it being Easter, I have every intention of ringing them tomorrow and Saturday just to see if I’m lucky! 

 

 

Other than make this thread I actually did the offside console bush, wishbone and ball joint today. Man was it a pain in the arse! Seriously who puts the wish bone bolt behind the sump! 

 

Anyway seen as I borrow my mother-in-laws drive to do anything I didn’t have time to get some cupra buses so we are on standard console bushes.

 

the first issue was getting the bolt out of the wishbone as the sump was in the way. Off came the top engine mount which apparently wants replacing as well. Jacked up the engine carefully to get just enough clearance and thankfully out it came.

 

took me the best part of an hour to get the original one out. I managed to pull it about 10/15mm out with a tool I’d bought just for it to pull itself out wonky and the tool destroy itself. I got it the rest of the way out with a screw driver and a trusty hammer. 

 

 

old and new

 

After my tool destroyed itself I had a very long walk to Homebase to buy some threaded rod and matching nuts and washers and made a much stronger tool out of the two. After much spanner turning and swearing it popped in.

 

The wish bone then wouldn’t go in until I gave a persuasive two footer into place. Not to mention a healthy helping of washing up liquid which had a lovely apple smell.

 

 

Getting the ball joint in was the easy bit. 

 

And job done and only one war wound which was trapping my finger in the jack .

Good work.

Nothing wrong with that (revised) type of bush that you've fitted, they'll last the remaining lifetime of the car, I suspect.

Thanks Wino I thought they were just the bog standard ones if they are alright I’ll not bother doing it again and replacing them.

 

so long as I can pin down the cause of the dodgy idle it should live a while longer 

Stirling work on the motor. Some times things fight you, other times they go swimmingly!

 

looking forward to the updates.

1 hour ago, Lofty said:

Stirling work on the motor. Some times things fight you, other times they go swimmingly!

 

looking forward to the updates.

Thanks lofty, it’s nice to be playing again after almost a decade. Gotta be honest the console rubbers are probably the most trying job I’ve done and I’ve replaced the inlet manifold on a 1.9 Astra lol.

Quick update

 

The dodgy idle has gone, it now develops a random misfire when sat at lights for too long. After much fault finding and compression tests, continuity tests, changing coils, plugs and injectors nothing has worked or reared it’s head. So that’s something weird. 

 

I have fitted some A1 alloys which look good but make a catastrophic amount of road noise haha.

 

like how it looks but will be getting new tyres soon at 205/45r16.

 

A rather impulsive buy last week meant I came home this on Saturday morning.

a 1.6tdi 2013 Monte Carlo. At double the bhp and with stiffer suspension it’s certainly more my kind of car lol.

 

Tonight I have built up the new rear suspension ready for a dry morning to fit it.

 

 

For future reference, (esp if you ever have to replace the lower arm,) Normally, we undo the rear stabilizer mount (gearbox to subframe) and that gives us enough swing in the engine to release that bolt! 

A1 alloys really suit it 

Another little update.

 

This morning with the better weather arriving I took advantage a knocked a few things of my list of things to do.

 

The new rear shocks are now on and the car doesn’t feel like it’s bottoming it out over speed bumps anymore lol. The old one were more than done as you can see, the old one had been compressed about 5 minutes before by hand so I doubt it was actually doing anything on the car.

As I had the back wheels off I gave the rear wheel liners and well a quick clean out. When I dropped it back down the arch gap was pretty laughable! Will certainly looking at lowering springs or a 4” lift kit and going full off road😂.

 

I also finally installed the factory Mudflaps I’ve had for about 2 months, replaced the near side wishbone and ball joint and corrected the tracking issue I’ve had. So in the space of 3 hours I don’t think I did bad lol.

 

Next is to do the ARB bushes which is pretty straightforward and get it sent for it’s not after it’s had a bloody good clean!

 

Then it’s the almighty task of removing the head and having it sent off for the valves doing! Thank you to @Tech1e @Wino @sepulchrave And @TMB who have guided me through both the fault finding and given me advice on actually removing and refitting the head which I would t have ever thought about!

 

Link to the thread for diagnosing and prepping for burnt valve fix Click here! for anyone else trying to figure out the rocking engine and dodgy idel lol.

 

 

So after much time, research, consideration and question asking I have come to the decision that the Fabia will be under going an engine swap. Thanks to the wizards on here you know who you are and have already given me guidance.

 

As no one seems to have done this yet and their are plenty of things that can go wrong I thought I’d document it for others and myself to look back on.

 

The idea is to have a MK1 outside and interior with a more modern engine. 

 

The plan is to replace the BMD engine with a 1.2tsi variant. Either CBZ or CJZ the reasons for this are simply it should physically drop straight in! The engine and gearbox mounts are very similar to the MK1 platform. The biggest obsitcal is the wiring and the combination of MK1 and MK2 tech. It’s not known how the MK1 cluster will talk to the MK2 ECU. Or how the sensors in the pedal box will work and will all have to be figured out.

 

As a starting point I have done a fair bit of research into the CANBUS systems and how it works as well as what the minimal connections are the ECU needs to run.

 

At this point I should point out that the engine swap won’t take place till next year once the drive is finished and I’ve got everything together and the car ready. As I want to get the brakes upgraded and the body work sorted first.

 

I have spent tonight going through all the engine diagrams listing what pins on the ECU for both BMD and CBZ go to what. Their isn’t much difference in the inputs and outputs with the main CANBUS connections being the same and going to the 32pin dashboard panel connector. I hope to be able to make a go between loom so that the body loom can be connected to the CBZ ECU with relative ease but this will make more sense when I start creating it.

 

If this all works out I’m already looking at the 2.0tfsi S1 engines but at 4 times the price I’ll practise first lol.

So after a lot of research and planning the previous post just wasn’t viable. Problem being that no one can remove the immobiliser from the CBZ ECU’s. So with that in the toilet I thought about doing a BJX swap but after a while I decided against it as when I finish uni I intend to get a classic Porsche. So that left me with the option of repair the engine keep till I get the porsche or work my way round the misses and have the Porsche as a weekend car keep the Fabia as a daily toy that I can play with.

 

so with the later agreed work has commenced starting with having the head repaired!

 

so up went the car

 

engine and bay before

 

 

Pretty dirty but otherwise okay. Stripped everything off that I could air box, battery, injectors, alternator. Dropped the coolant and oil (didn’t get covered in it so that was a bonus).

nice red coolant came out which was actually surprising as I’d say before me this car had a rough life.

 

after this I removed the aux belt tensioner and started to look at setting the timing. Much to my disgust and after two hours of trying I couldn’t find tdc so after loosing my crap I stopped and packed up for the night.

 

next day I went out and simply removed the crank pulley, rocker cover, ignition coils, spark plugs, lamba sensor, heat shield and the exhaust manifold. Started to remove the timing cover only to find that some git of a previous owner had cracked it and jb welded it up... badly. Had to order a second hand one a new one is £400+ from TPS almost died.

 

eventually got it off and locked the timing chain tensioner and removed the cam sprocket. Removed the head. I forgot to take pictures but pretty much all three exhaust valves were toast!

as you can see from the pistons the engine hadn’t been running fantastically well despite still pulling really well and returning 40mpg on short runs.

 

took the head to Rotherham Engine Services in Sheffield really nice guys even cleaned me the second hand timing case cover for nothing and it was disgusting!

 

anyway how the head looks now

so new exhaust valves and guides plus had the head checked for being square and skimmed ready to be refitted. Had them order a full head set so also got all the baskets and new head bolts! 

 

and that is so far.

 

more things to do before the engine gets back together. Clean and paint the new timing cover. Clean the now accessible areas of the engine. Clear out the head bolt threads on the block which now have coolant in them 😒 clean the old sealant off the oil pan and block. Hopefully back together and running next Wednesday then it will be rear door leak fix, interior out for a proper clean as apparently there is now a swimming pool in each rear foot well. Coilovers, vrs hubs and brakes and the list goes on lol.

 

So this morning before uni it was reassemble the head time...

 

 

Started by lightly oiling the cam and replacing it in the head.

 

Applied a liberal amount of sealant to the rocker cover and sealed it (must remember to check the bolt tightness when I refit the head).

 

Next I wanted to replace all the exhaust studs with new ones as 4 came out with the nuts still attached.

 

So add a bit tighten as much as possible then undo the bottom nut and hay presto.

Then repeat

New hardware from my friend at TPS chesterfield.

Fitted loosely until it’s back on the block

Ignore the VW badge but this should help the engine bay look a little nicer! Ignore the VW badge though I’ll replace that eventually 😝

 

So once id done all this thought I’ll just check valve movement and.... nothing. So I sat there for minute then realised that when I dropped the head off for the valves doing the cam followers were still in it. And now they weren’t and sure enough one phone call later and they were still at the shop 😔 so another trip out tomorrow morning then strip and rebuild the head 😩.

Decided to try something with the timing case, not sure how I feel about it but the engine mount will be sanded and will be painted gloss black when I do the rest of the engine bay.

 

Also started to sort out the massive leak in apparently have in both rear foot wells just find that the rear door carriers on mine are riveted in. Thankfully the area that seals it’s pretty free moving so striped out the nasty foam seal, cleaned and applied a healthy amount of plumbers gold.

Little more done this morning...

 

finally found top dead centre so popped the tool in to keep everything in check.

 

 

So I dropped the rebuilt head and after much argument with the exhaust manifold it slipped on nicely. Next it was the fight with the timing chain and tensioner which at some point decided it was going to be bitey. 

 

 

Next was was a new crank seal in the timing cover and as I was running out of time I chucked it on the block for a test fit.

 

 

Also added the engine cover as well just to see how it looks

 

So the one thing stopping me putting it all back together now is that even the though the new timing cover has the exact same part number it has the whole in it for the oil level sensor which the original does not so I either need to find a sensor just to seal it or find a bung to fill it 😒

 

hopefully some other bits I ordered will turn up today 

 

 

Edited 27 January, 20206 yr by mikey362

So this morning I had some time so as soon as the kids left I was out side. Managed to get the exhaust manifold back on, cooling system reconnected, cam sprocket but torqued up, timing case on and crank bolt torqued up.

Then got stuck with the alternator that just wouldn’t go back on but will hopefully be able to look at that tomorrow.

 

new bits arrived yesterday though 😁 courtesy of dpmperformance 

 

 

 

 

will get some new top mounts, bearings and copper grease. Then get these fitted once I’ve sorted the interior out.

 

 

Edited 30 January, 20206 yr by mikey362

The engine is now all back together and is running better than ever if not with a a random issue of the water pump pulley having a very strange wobble which will get taken off at some point lol.

 

Once all the storms have come and gone and the weather chills out the rest of the engine bay will get a good clean.

 

before the engine went back together properly I had an issue with the coolant just escaping from the coolant regulator. Thanks to @Wino quick response order a new gasket from TPS and fitted it the next day which solved that problem. 

 

There was then then the issue of the car not wanting to start. Obviously all kinds of things spring to mind after having the engine in bits but turns out the battery was past it so a quick run to Motor World my local car spares had me with a new battery which will power future plans as well as the BMD.

 

For the engine that was that. During the time the car wasn’t in use mould took a hold on the interior. The misses kindly gifted me some car cleaning products for valentines from a brand called astonish?

Gotta day it worked great, but the interior on the Fabia is pretty hard wearing so I’m not sure it would be so good on a slightly more luxurious interior. 

 

Although most of it has cleaned up okay I’m now on the look out for a cheap black head liner and black carpet.

 

More parcels turned up over the last few days

 

new window switch as the windows do what they want 90% of the time.

 

new struts for the boot lid as it’s hit me in the head too many times now.

 

speaker adapters for the front speakers, soon to be followed by a full set of front and rear pioneer speakers. Then a sub and amp once I’ve decided on a head unit.

 

also fitted new top mounts to the coil overs ready for fitting with better weather and some copper grease.

 

so the shopping list increases to:

- 17cm front speakers

- 10cm rear speakers

- 1000w-ish amp

- 8” sub

- custom sub box

- sub and amp wiring

- vrs hubs, callipers, discs and pads

- braided brake lines

- Black headliner and trim pieces 

- black carpet

- sound deadening 

 

 

Nothing much has happened over the last week or so as the weather has been terrible and we have been having work done on the house.

 

Fitted the new speakers in the front of the car though which was fun.

 

nice new pioneers!

 

For anyone else doing this I found that once you have the door card off it is pretty straight forwards a 5mm metal drill bit and of course a power drill take care of the 4 rivets holding in the factory speakers. Which to say we’re done on my car was an understatement.

 

 

no pictures of the new ones in as it began to rain. I did replace the window switch though and the windows are now behaving.

 

All being well going to pick up some vrs hubs, callipers and carriers this week and once they are sorted I’ll fit them with the coilovers and possibly get some braided hoses and swap everything all at once but I’ll be waiting for the weather to improve.

 

Also have the car booked in for a full interior deep clean this week. Not bothered with the exterior as it’s got swirls on swirls on deep surface scratches lol 

Edited 7 March, 20206 yr by mikey362

Good effort mate. Looking forward to seeing what else you do. 

29 minutes ago, Luke6n said:

Good effort mate. Looking forward to seeing what else you do. 

Thanks, got lots of other goodies now just not had time to do anything due to lock down. Also thinking about doing something really stupid with the engine lol

15 hours ago, mikey362 said:

Thanks, got lots of other goodies now just not had time to do anything due to lock down. Also thinking about doing something really stupid with the engine lol

Standard engine or engine swap? 

1 hour ago, Luke6n said:

Standard engine or engine swap? 

Depends on price, I already have a AUQ from a Octavia VRS that I am either going to rebuild from the ground up and forge it and swap it into the Fabia or store for a future project. Or seen as I’ve Done the head I’m looking at options like adding a gt15 turbo but I need a proper look at space around the engine. Obviously the later is more for a laugh as it won’t be able to stand too much power also the cam and the valves will restrict just how much air I’d be able to squeeze in the chamber.

 

got plenty to do before then though lol