Odd, blinking engine warning light on my Fabia 2 vrs

[Ootohere]

They do look like it is running rich.

Usually it is one plug that has soot, gets oiled, fouled and then breaks / burns up.

 

But then it has had a software update and is misfiring, and not getting thrashed.

 

Usually before i remove plugs i take the car get it hot, thrash it and get the plugs cleaned, then remove when cool and see how they look.

If the car is not runnung right it is not safe to do that.

 

Just examples from threads in this section.

Edited 21 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Smogzilla]

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

@Smogzilla - This may be your photography, but those plugs all look sooty to me.

You are correct, Ken. They do look quite sooty. Well, 3 of them do anyway. The other one has the greyish brown deposits I'd hope to see on a healthy engine.

 

Jesus, some of those plugs are shocking. 

Edited 21 September, 2019 by Smogzilla

[Ootohere]

well out of 1,800 CAVE engine Fabia in the UK the failure rate of the engines is greater than 20%, even replacement engines failing.

Then early CTHE still had issues and software updates were needed, and of the 1,100 of those the failure is much lower.

Pity they sorted some of the issues and in came the Timing chain problem.

Still Skoda / VW never changed the recommended spark plugs.

[Smogzilla]

I'm a bit surprised that mine still needed a software update when it has been serviced by Skoda dealers since new. Surely it should have been picked up on by now? Or is it something they only did if the car was having misfire issues? 20% is an astonishing failure rate. The first car I went to see was a 2013 hatch at a used car dealer. I decided against that one as it had a half empty bottle of oil in the boot. They didn't even try and hide it.

[Smogzilla]

Small update. So the tech at the dealership managed to get the car to fault as I have been getting. Still no error code being produced and plenty of misfires registered. They pulled the plugs, inspected them and did a compression test which all came back fine. Now they want to do an oil weight test. I've decided to let them keep it and do the test themselves so I'm not lumbered going back and forth to the garage. It also means they have to put the fuel in it and I won't get stuck if it goes into limp mode.

[Ootohere]

@Smogzilla

Has the car been using oil?

 

Do you know how a Oil Consumption test should be done correctly?  

 

New oil & Filter, filled to the correct level, taken for a drive till oil is at operating temp and check the oil is at the correct level.

Oil drained and weighed, then put back in engine, Filler cap and dipstick sealed and then you drive the car for 186 miles. (300km)

 

Then at operating temp the oil is drained and weighed and the report shows the difference in weight.

Well that is the correct way and then obviously they know 1 litre weighs 857 grams.   well unless they are stupid like this tech.

 

186 miles is not enough miles and a stupid distance, with oil users the 1,000 km  / 621 miles should be the correct distance to cover.

 

Please get a copy of the report and the procedure / tpi that they followed.

Weights being inportant.

But then if the car is not an oil user i do not see the point, your plug or more important the one plug was not oiled / fouled.

 

 

Edited 23 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Ootohere]

I think they are p1ssing in the wind.

[Smogzilla]

Thanks for replying. I've put approx 0.5l in the car since I got it and done about 2500 miles in that time. 

I didn't know the full extent of an oil weight test (but I do now) but I'd hope they know what to do.

To be honest I don't think they know what is the problem with it and they are running through a sort of "check this, check that routine" hoping to find the problem. It's quite obviously got a misfire on 3 of the 4 pistons by the look of the plugs but what is causing them I don't know. It appears that they don't either.

[Ootohere]

They need to look at the valves, but then supposedly they have a compression test all well.

 

I take it the coil on the plug / cylinder with the misfire has been changed for one they know is good.

As it is enough misfires in a cycle log, and they should know which cylinder or cylinders are misfiring.

 

They will be needing to measure the timing chain consifdering there is a TPI on that if they are just going through various possibilities.

 

?

Do you want to say what Dealership is dealing with your car, 

or just say where you are, because there have been enough twinchargers with issues, and some dealerships have all the gear and staff with more than an idea and others are pathetic with a Twincharger.

Edited 23 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Smogzilla]

To my knowledge all they have done so far is the ECU update, looked at the plugs, did a compression test and now they have started this oil weight test.

Forme only one of the plugs looked right, the other 3 were sooty. So does that indicate a fault on 3 cylinders? When I next go there I'm going to ask to see all the reports from the various tests they are performing to make sure they haven't done anything as daft as what you posted earlier.

As I said in the OP I'm struggling to find anyone who has had similar issues under similar circumstances.

I guess I was just hoping someone would post saying they had the same issue and it needed X replacing. 

The dealership is Derek Slack in Middlesbrough. They've been around forever and have a pretty good reputation.

[Ootohere]

My money is on the Timing Chain with all you have said, and the symptoms and it being a known issue with it covered by a TPI.

Why not just ask the Master Tech what he or she thinks.  They are the fully trained professional.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/424866-vrs-timing-chain

 

There are others had the same issues, and required them resolved in the same way. That is a CTHE issue.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/438447-2014-2014-cthe-mk2-fabia-vrs-timing-chain-issues

 

Edited 23 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Smogzilla]

I must say that 2nd link you posted is the closest to what I am experiencing and it does sound like the timing chain is the prime suspect. I shall call them tomorrow and ask them if they intend to check it since it's a tpi. At least they upgraded me from a citigo to another Fabia estate but only a 1.4 diesel with a manual box. Not quite the same but a vast improvement over the citigo.

[Smogzilla]

33 minutes ago, Smogzilla said:

If the timing chain is kaput and needs replacing would the water pump be changed as well like on a belt driven engine? 

I'll just add that the engine runs quiet with no rattles or other untoward noises.

 

Edited 23 September, 2019 by Smogzilla

[Ootohere]

^^^ Timing chain is likely this issue.

 

The water pump is another one.

That might be something you might need changing sometime as at 5 years or so some go some 9 year old cars are on the original.

That is the water pump including the supercharger magnetic clutch, and there are 2 belts.

When it needs replacing you can get the EML or the EPC or both and misfires and car into limp mode and the turbo inhibited.

Different thread altogether for that.

 

Edited 23 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Smogzilla]

Is the magnetic clutch part of the supercharger or a separate item? If the timing chain is stretched then would I be expecting too much for them to change those components as well? I suspect I would be but I know fine well they'll both go about 2 days after my warranty runs out 🙄 

I really do appreciate you taking time to reply, I thought I'd researched these cars pretty well before I bought one but it's quite obvious I was as green as my car when I handed over the money.

[Ootohere]

If the water pump is ok then it is OK and the belts should be inspected.

 

I will bump the thread with the part numbers.  You can not expect to have that changed unless it fails, 

then some techs support that under a Skoda Warranty and some do not.

[Smogzilla]

Thanks. I just want know what to say when/if they say the chain needs replacing and if it would have a knock on effect on the water pump or supercharger clutch. As I say, everything is quiet under the bonnet and no unpleasant rumbling or rattling from ruined bearings etc.

[Smogzilla]

I thought I'd update this thread as to the current situation. After Skoda had had the car for over a week they did the oil weight test, which it passed comfortably. The compression test came back fine (140 ISH on all 4) and they checked the timing chain which, again, was fine. They flashed yet another ECU update on it and said it was good to go. I've been driving it for 3 weeks now and I'm sure it's still misfiring although I've not yet had the engine warning light flashing again. Yesterday I had a few instances where it seemed very flat and reluctant to change gear and tonight on my drive home from work it was as lumpy as hell. I took it to the garage near home and he plugged it in to his scanner and it had a "pending" P0106 code which is the map sensor or something related to the pressure/vacuum hoses. After a bit of a Google it looks like this could be causing my headaches as most of the symptoms are intermittently evident in my car. So, it looks like it's going to have to go back to Skoda for them to investigate. Or I could just spend the £30 and replace the sensor....

[Smogzilla]

Update. I decided to just replace the map sensor myself after I got my mechanic mate to test it. All problems are now consigned to history and the car is running like a dream now.