Hello, since I got this car second hand, I've had to put a lot of money into it. Alternator, distribution sensor, brake fluid, suspension, water pump, recently gas filter and a few different things, probably around 1000 euros in total.

 

1. Smell of gas or exhaust gases in the cabin. This happens especially when idling at stoplights. On top of that the car seems a bit more sluggish.

Some said it could be the gas pump failing, others that the medium exhaust might be punctured, some that the plastic engine cover is not stable and leaking gas from the oil bay. (Sorry my english is really bad)

In fact the last one might be possible, as even if the plastic engine cover is fixed with 3 screws or so, it still gets loose on the top left corner and vibrates under the bonnet, haven't found a fix, maybe drill a hole and tie it to something internal, or as other users wrote on the forum here, get rid of it entirely and replace the oil cap with something that fits from another model. I plan on going today to a shop to check any errors on the cars computer and what not, or maybe straight to someone who deals with broken exhausts?

 

2. water getting in the left footspace of back passenger's seat, This happens once in a while, not every time it rains. I've tried to see if the windows were up (and they were fully) checked the door seal and it's intact every side. Also, there's no sign of water along the door to show the leak, it's always dry even when i checked right after the rain. It somehow gathers there on the rubber mat, as if it emerged from the floor.

3. related to issue 2 above, I noticed two air vents under each front seat, leading air probably to the passengers in the back, but right now they're covered by the side of the rubber floor mat (original one) so there's no air getting through to dry the carpet. I thought of cutting out a hole on that side just to let the vent outlet free, but then I think if water would gather on the rubber mat, it will also get into the air vent because it's at the same level with the floor.

 

Some of these issues have been talked about on the forum and I'm here posting after reading all the answers, which were mostly just letting others know they exist. I am here wondering if there's a fix to these, like I said, maybe a modification for the vents to go above the rubber mat without cutting and damaging it, maybe somehow to seal the leak at the rear left door because older posts had image links that expired and don't know most of the terms to try and see what's wrong and maybe fix it myself.

 

Thanks for the interest if you've read so far and hope we can find answers together that might also help others in the future.

One other thing I forgot to mention, the check engine is always lit on my dash. This is most likely because 2 years ago, I took it to a shop and the guy said it's the lambda sensor, replaced it, then after 6 months or so, the check engine light up again, so I left it that way, reading it's a common fault in skodas and not worth replacing every few months anyway.

Not sure if related to this, but when starting up the engine, and this doesn't happen every time, but no matter how high I'd rev the engine (like 3-4000 rpm, not killing it) the engine dies suddenly. So not because it's under revved, just dies and not sure why

8 hours ago, xandru said:

1. Smell of gas or exhaust gases in the cabin. This happens especially when idling at stoplights. On top of that the car seems a bit more sluggish.

Some said it could be the gas pump failing, others that the medium exhaust might be punctured, some that the plastic engine cover is not stable and leaking gas from the oil bay. (Sorry my english is really bad)

In fact the last one might be possible, as even if the plastic engine cover is fixed with 3 screws or so, it still gets loose on the top left corner and vibrates under the bonnet, haven't found a fix, maybe drill a hole and tie it to something internal, or as other users wrote on the forum here, get rid of it entirely and replace the oil cap with something that fits from another model. I plan on going today to a shop to check any errors on the cars computer and what not, or maybe straight to someone who deals with broken exhausts?

 

There should be a cap provided from the factory for use during servicing. They are clipped to the underside of the engine cover. You might find that it is missing, though. The cap is the same as was used on the Felicia 1.3. Part number 047103485. New caps usually come without the rubber seal which is 047103487

 

It's not clear from your description but has the car had the door carriers sealed up?

 

If not, here's a video...

 

 

As for the engine light coming on, do you have any codes?

@xandru

 

1. I suspect the flexible pipe in the exhaust system may have gone porous. This may also relate to your post #2.
2. I suspect a well-documented issue with the water sealing of the door.

12 hours ago, TMB said:

It's not clear from your description but has the car had the door carriers sealed up?

 

If not, here's a video...

 

 

But if you seal them up where would the water go? Just sit inside the doors until it evaporates? Surely the engineers would've also made a hole for the water to drain outside the car

 

@KenONeillhow do I find that pipe myself to check it?

8 hours ago, xandru said:

But if you seal them up where would the water go? Just sit inside the doors until it evaporates? Surely the engineers would've also made a hole for the water to drain outside the car

 

They did. There are drain holes in the bottom of the doors like all cars. There are factory foam seals on the back of the metal carrier panels that are not very good and allow water to leak past them before it gets to the drain holes. This problem and the solution has been known about for years.

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/2158-warning-fabia-door-leaks/

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 June, 20214 yr by TMB

Regarding the oil cap - here's a pic of the engine cover with auxiliary cap clipped underneath....

 

Been running mine without the cover since 2013.

 

 

9 hours ago, xandru said:

how do I find that pipe myself to check it?

 

Under the front of the car before the catalyst....

 

 

 

The gas smell will be coming from a damaged hose in the engine bay.. the smell is making its way through your air vents from the engine bay.

Have a garage do a smoke test. Then you will see the leaking pipe.

6 hours ago, GordonSuperbmk2 said:

The gas smell will be coming from a damaged hose in the engine bay.. the smell is making its way through your air vents from the engine bay.

Have a garage do a smoke test. Then you will see the leaking pipe.

I did yesterday, they checked and no broken exhaust. He told me the smell comes from unburnt fuel because the injectors are dirty, even though i change gears at 3-4000rmp, but who knows what the previous owner did. Then because they're clogged, they don't spray anymore, they leak drops of fuel which don't burn properly, they get pushed out the exhaust and because air currents at the back of the car and the down facing exhaust they get pushed back up to the cabin. This is coming from an old school mechanic and he also use the diagnostic tool to tell me both my lambda sensors were burnt, which I already knew, and that my catalythic converter was most likely empty. Also seemed like a dash light is not working and the passenger airbag sensor also not working. This is what the errors said, but didn't ask if they're fixable

3 hours ago, xandru said:

my catalythic converter was most likely empty.

No idea what this even means. The catalytic converter is a platinum/rhodium alloy deposited on a breathable ceramic matrix, isn't coming out the exhaust easily, and if removed will fail a UK MoT on emissions. Actually, so will failed lambda sensors.

I'm not sure if your guy just checked the exhaust by visual inspection.. A smoke test is a small machine that produces smoke and you place a feed pipe from the machine into  one of the hoses of the engine and smoke will leak though any damaged hoses..

Lambda sencer is easy to do.. it looks like a spark plug.. take that out and follow the wire and carefully unclipped that and replace with new one.. senor is about £96 for a decent one and then clear the codes and the light will go out from the dash

Put in a full bottle of fuel jet cleaner to your half tank of fuel and repeat process. that will help..

I'm would guess your throttle body will be needing cleaned as well. Carefully remove and clean.

The problem you have are all due to carbon build up and are very common when the car reaches a serton age..

One more thing go on the motor and sit in 4th gear at 3000 revs about 70mph and for 15 minutes and you'll burn off some of the carbon in the cat.. repeat following day.. 

Don't worry all those things are due to carbon build up.

I had experienced machanics tell me all sorts weird and wonderful explanations.. Until i spoke to a skoda/ VW machanic who know all the little problems.

Hello again, after all these second hand mechanics (4-5 of them I went to) voiced their opinions on the issues, especially the gas smell and abnormal fuel consumption, my father in law came this weekend to visit, also the toolbox i ordered arrived friday so it was the perfect time to check the engine cover and guess what, after we changed a gasket to thicken the seal, changed one bolt that was loose, now it doesn't rattle anymore and the smell is gone. It was because that engine cover was loose after all, and the gases were escaping the oil pit or whatever you call it (not good at english). This didn't make sense to me as to why a recipient that holds oil would release petrol gases, still doesn't, but whatever at least now it's fixed, will have to check if the fuel consumption also drops. I only have to clean my injectors and change the 2 lambda sensors to be sure i'm on the track, even though the sensors most likely will fail again after a few months.

So i kept the engine cover after all @TMB and also thanks for the video that covers how to seal my rear doors, after this rain stops I will get to work now that I also have new tools (including torx)

@GordonSuperbmk2 that was the my decision after all these "mechanics" didn't know the issue, to go to a skoda dealer and have the actual tester used that shows everything, but glad i didn't have to now

 

All that remains are the air vents from under the front seats, facing the rear passengers feet. I really wanna improvise something, maybe like a bend made out of plastic, so the mats don't block the vents anymore and they're actual functioning..

Just cut the corner of the mat so it doesn't block the vent.

On 20/06/2021 at 15:24, Wino said:

Just cut the corner of the mat so it doesn't block the vent.

1. I first tried to stick the mat under the vent but it looked too forced. So I ended up using a box cutter after marking the curvature with a pen and the rubber cut so nicely it almost looks like it came from the factory that way (joking). Picture with how much water it would gather when raining attached

2. I also sealed the rear doors today with some sanitary silicone. Somehow I couldn't pull the panels all the way off (I used a leverage to hold them up while working on them, cleaned with dish soap, dried, then applied the silicone with my gun a fair amount and smoothed it out leaving no gaps (didn't take pictures but happy with the result, at least until the first rain)

3. Now I'm looking on how to improve this car's performance. Better gas didn't quite help, I've tried for 2 months using OMV maxxmotion 100. I noticed the air intake being quite narrow, would modifing this with some sort of a wider different end help burn gas quicker?

4. What is that small thing on the right side of my dashboard? A sensor? The locking mechanism for when it had it on a remote? Now I can only close/open by putting the key in the lock. There's also a rattle coming from between the dashboard and the windshield

Very nice work on the mats!  

 

 

24 minutes ago, xandru said:

Better gas didn't quite help

3. Which engine is this? FWIW the standard intake on the 1.9TDi isn't restrictive with an engine remapped to 180BHP.

4. I don't think that's a standard VAG part. The receiver for a VAG plip is a plastic truncated cone beside the rear mirror and interior light.

The thread title conveys every possible piece of info to identify the engine Ken.

The receiver for the radio remote on a Fabia is within the Central Convenience control unit. A bit of sheet metal standing up from the PCB if I remember right.