I've got a coolant leak which I'm pretty certain is from the preheater in the intake manifold (what does that do?) and have removed throttle body, and injector rail to create access to the five splined head bolts holding the manifold to the head.

The intake still doesn't want to budge. Am I missing something that still holds it on? t still feels very firmly attached!I 

Answering my own question there was sixth deeply recessed bolt in the top centre of the intake. I'd like to get the intake out the way to replace the intake preheater, but the brake servo vacuum line prevents that. How do I disconnect that line from the intake please? It's not obvious.

Is it not just a push-fit, or is there a clip?

If push-fit, just ease it off from the end with a flat screwdriver or two, 'pushing' rather than pulling, if you see what I mean.

Or deplete vacuum from servo by pressing brake pedal a few times and prise out that end.

Thanks I'll try that and good tip on vacuum. Typically it's only thing holding me up — can see the intake preheater and it's very grungy with pink leaked coolant.

Nice to have visual confirmation of fault. 

Photos?

I’ll post tomorrow (having to work outside) but I could see the preheater with the manifold pushed out the way. I’ll detach it properly tomorrow and post a pic.

The "crankcase ventilation preheater" was leaking as suspected — seems to be leak via the seams on plastic part. Any ideas what it does and whether it's present on other Fabia petrol engines?

The vacuum hose I wanted to remove yesterday just pulled off from nipple at the intake — it's one part (according to parts catalogue) together with check valve so I don't think it's possible to separate the vacuum line from the check valve without causing vacuum leaks as seems to be heat shrunk on at the check valve.

If you can see a part number, stick it into skoda-parts.com search box and that will probably tell you which Skodas used it, at least.

Probably has an anti-icing function, to stop crankcase fumes freezing and blocking the breather as they drop pressure at the valve.

On older versions of 1.4/16v there's an electric heater in the PCV valve.

Share your VIN with me if you want current part numbers/prices if you wish.

Thanks Breezy_Pete that's a very useful link. It's 036121188B and seems was used on earlier Fabia as well as Octavia, Roomster and Rapid:

preheating pipe with a ventilation socket, intended for vehicles with 1.2HTP 44kW (CGPB), 1.4 16V 59kW/63kW (BUD, BXW, CGGA, CGGB), 1.6 16V 77kW (BTS, CFNA) engines

 

Thank you for help with parts/prices will take you up on that in future! I ordered this part on eBay (Febi so should be ok quality) a couple of days ago as was pretty certain it was problem. Also have new gaskets on way for throttle body and intake ports.

 

In past I'd fixed a leak with new coolant pump and it hadn't lost any coolant till very recently so this must be a newish fault. I used a coolant pressure tester which has been very useful on other cars — from underneath the Skoda the coolant dripping from under intake was very obvious and every other union for coolant was bone dry.

Edited 21 November, 20232 yr by Stratfordade