Put my 2017 Octavia in for timing belt change at usual garage ( who are usually reliable).

It's a 1.4TSI petrol.

 

They were unable to do the change, as they could not remove the bolt ( 12 sided head, quite long ) on crankshaft pulley.

 

I'm guessing I should take it to a Skoda specialist ... Has anyone had a problem like this ??

 

Steve

In my experience avoid Skoda specialist. Go to vw specialist. same cars with usually more experienced staff.

6 sided socket, long extension. turn engine  over by hand till it's against the floor or something hard like subframe. Remove HT leads and give it a nudge with the starter.

Has worked for over 40 years & never ever failed.

8 minutes ago, Cap44 said:

6 sided socket, long extension. turn engine  over by hand till it's against the floor or something hard like subframe. Remove HT leads and give it a nudge with the starter.

Has worked for over 40 years & never ever failed.

 

wouldn't you need 2x 6 point sockets for a 12 point head? 😂

 

It is a bit dissapointing that somebody who works on cars for a living hasn't got a man enough impact wrench to get a bolt out.

 

 

8 hours ago, Cap44 said:

6 sided socket, long extension. turn engine  over by hand till it's against the floor or something hard like subframe. Remove HT leads and give it a nudge with the starter.

Has worked for over 40 years & never ever failed.

All well and good on keyed pulleys. I believe these are not keyed and free wheeling so you risk a lot of damage for what should be no problem with a big breaker bar or a decent impact gun.

 

 

9 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

In my experience avoid Skoda specialist. Go to vw specialist. same cars with usually more experienced staff.

what an odd thing to say? They are both the exact same thing. it’s just vag specialist seen as they are exactly the same. And I don’t think the name above the door dictates the level of specialist or experience. If they came from a main dealer they’d have the exact same training at both.

1 minute ago, ApertureS said:

 

what an odd thing to say? They are both the exact same thing. it’s just vag specialist seen as they are exactly the same. And I don’t think the name above the door dictates the level of specialist or experience. If they came from a main dealer they’d have the exact same training at both.

 

There's a Skoda specialist near me (forget the name) that I didn't like and the job I got them to do had mistakes. The service was also bad. Switch to a couple of different VW specialist and the experience is totally different. I agree that they should be the same but in (quite limited) experience this is not the case.

I was probably unlucky.

4 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

 

There's a Skoda specialist near me (forget the name) that I didn't like and the job I got them to do had mistakes. The service was also bad. Switch to a couple of different VW specialist and the experience is totally different. I agree that they should be the same but in (quite limited) experience this is not the case.

I was probably unlucky.

Yeah I’d say this is an issue with the garage itself rather than the specialisation above the door.just seems like you got unlucky with a garage! (No surprise there with all the dodgy and couldn’t care less garages about)

22 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

 

There's a Skoda specialist near me (forget the name) that I didn't like and the job I got them to do had mistakes. The service was also bad. Switch to a couple of different VW specialist and the experience is totally different. I agree that they should be the same but in (quite limited) experience this is not the case.

I was probably unlucky.

I had the same experience when living in Southampton, the local Skoda specialist was verging on incompetent (even letting my ex's car out with the reversing lights permanently on and denying they had done so!), so I started taking her Fabia to the VW specialist I used in Totton and the standard of their work on her Fabia was as good as on my RS4  i.e. excellent.

11 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

In my experience avoid Skoda specialist. Go to vw specialist. same cars with usually more experienced staff.

 

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

I had the same experience when living in Southampton, the local Skoda specialist was verging on incompetent (even letting my ex's car out with the reversing lights permanently on and denying they had done so!), so I started taking her Fabia to the VW specialist I used in Totton and the standard of their work on her Fabia was as good as on my RS4  i.e. excellent.

 

And I've a similar experience too.  More odd is that both the local Skoda and VW dealerships are in the same franchise (as is Audi).  Needing new rear discs while my vRS was in for other work, there was a two day delay on getting the discs.  I pointed out to Skoda that VW had them in stock 150 yards away and offered to pick up and deliver.  Skoda declined and I got the car back the same day, with new discs.  The local independent I've used (BMW & VAG specialising) for a long time goes to VW when needed, not Skoda if they can help it.

 

Gaz