I'm looking at buying a 2011 Fabia 1.6 Tdi (90) and have found one that looks ok but the last MOT mentioned an exhaust leak near the DPF.

"Small exhaust gas leak from front of DPF"

 

Am I right in thinking that when this gets worse they are nigh on impossible to repair ? And if so, how much roughly to replace ?

 

I'm guessing it could be almost the value of the car to replace the front exhaust (and DPF?)

 

Any advice welcome !

Edited 3 May, 20197 yr by Prezafab

There was a thread about a similar leak just recently here but they can go down on the list quite quickly so may take a little finding...

The issue might be the flexible part and that may be hard to repair. Then, the actual replacement part can be pricey, especially from main dealers, etc. That said, if you know the part in question, a little research in to cost of replacement might give you a good negotiation on the purchase price as I assume this is a private sale. If it is a trader, they should fix this first but if you know about the fault (Unless you did your own check without them knowing) Then it is your own risk but sold faulty WITHOUT being declared, should be covered by the sellers warranty. They might still know about the fault but they may get some money to fix it under the warranty, if they have a third party covering this, not just themselves. DPF issues are usually into the four figure area. (£1000, up). That said, you might save cash on purchase, drive until it becomes noticeable and perhaps source a spare from eBay, etc in the meantime. Get your local MOT guy to fit it, if you can't manage yourself.

 

On Ebay, they have replacement flexi sections that clamp on. I don't know if your original part clamps on too or if you need to cut it off but cutting off the old one and clamping on the new section is a worthwhile choice at £25 with free postage! I just typed in Fabia 1.6 exhaust and it came up within a few listings! Fits various versions and they seem to have at least two versions.

Sorry did a search but just read through the other recent thread !

If it's blowing it's likely to be the flexi-pipe which joins the catalytic converter to the DPF. To repair potentially means removing the DFP. The flexi pipe is not a bolt on part, it's an integral part of the exhaust, but that's not to say it can't be repaired. I've just done this repair at the weekend. If you're mechanically minded, then it's entirely possible although I would think most garages will shy away from temporary fixes and will want to replace the flexi-pipe which means removing the DPF. Personally - I'd keep the DPF. Better the devil you know. A new DPF could come with it's own issues, and buying a new DPF isn't logical given a 11 plate car is worth £2-3k in current market.

 

Read this: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/465896-16-tdi-se-dpf-replacement/

 

This second link has a link to Skoda manual regards DPF removal here: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/466150-do-blocked-dpf-cause-fumes-smell-in-cabin/