Crikey I wasnt expecting such detail thank you

I might as well buy a full timing kit then and replace the whole lot while Im at it

 

Ill use that parallel test at the weekend just to be certain of things because it would be gutting to take that cover off and find that somehow everythings fine

Yes, don't even start buying stuff until diagnosis is complete. 

It's a big job that you really wouldn't want to do unnecessarily. I won't do another, nasty engine to do such major work on. Easier to fit another engine.

So they should always be parallel with one another even if not at TDC?

Thats the left one (best photo angle I could get)

 

And thats the right one

Very much not parallel with one another

Yes, should be always parallel as their sprockets are same size and driven by same chain.

 

Chain has jumped a fair bit.

Surprised that the compression test didn't appear to show bent valves.

I can't picture how that can be the case.

 

 

45 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Yes, should be always parallel as their sprockets are same size and driven by same chain.

 

Chain has jumped a fair bit.

Surprised that the compression test didn't appear to show bent valves.

I can't picture how that can be the case.

 

 

OP might have been very very lucky in avoiding valve damage.

Maybe chain has snapped at exactly the right point to avoid valve damage or as engine wasn't running damage was avoided. Long shot I know. 

Hope its just a new timing kit required.

Alasdair

Im going to order a new timing chain kit and give it a go next week when Im off from college, is there anything very important that I should know beforehand?

 

Ive got enough space to get under the car but would struggle to jack it up to remove the offside front road wheel and lining which Haynes says I should do, is that completely necessary or just for ease of access?

 

Also, any recommendations for gasket sealant?

Ive seen posts here there and everywhere in which people have used a proper gasket or just sealant on its own and my plan is to use the latter

 

Anyway, fingers crossed this solves my problems and I will actually have something to drive 😅

Pretty sure removing the OSF wheel and wheel arch liner will be essential for sufficient access and visibility.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Pretty sure removing the OSF wheel and wheel arch liner will be essential for sufficient access and visibility.

Alright thats not the end of the world to be fair I'll just have to move the car a little

 

Ive just read a thread that mentions there being different sealant types for the sump and the timing cover... is this true?

I must admit this is another topic that I have very little knowledge on, am I able to just use something like this?

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tools/garage-equipment/head-gasket-and-exhaust-repairs/granville-instant-gasket-40g-174675.html

 

I doubt the exact sealant types are critical, I've no idea how the various Skoda ones differ. There's even a third one for the rocker cover, different from both the sump one and the chain cover one.  

 

Other things that you may or may not have acquired are a way to support the engine when the driver's side mount is off, and the sump is too. (Beam across wings typically)?

Locking tools set for cams and crank? Fitting the crank one in place of the crank sensor is a mission in itself, access being awful, and it may be corroded in if the alloy of the block has got a bit furry over the years.

 

Counterhold tool for when you do up the crank pulley bolt. The torque plus angle is very hard to achieve on the driveway with the new spec bolt, would have to check for your specific engine code, but the one I did was 150Nm PLUS 180°/ half turn. That's hard to do even with 3 foot+ long breaker bar on the socket, similar length counterhold tool keeping the pulley from coming round with the bolt, and one strong person on each, to be honest.

 

The other thing to consider is that there may well also be valve damage, in which case you might go through all the pain of changing out the chain kit, only to be no better off than you were. Consider endoscopic, borescope-type inspection via the spark plug holes to maybe spot this ahead of starting work.  

 

Sorry to be such a downer about this, but having done the job, I know it's not something an amateur is going to enjoy, or perhaps even be able to complete.

There is a full time mechanic @hutchysrs50 who used to post regularly on here, who did one on his own mk1 Fabia several years back, and I remember him describing the job as a right pain in the backside, or words to that effect.

 

 

 

Ive just read a thread that mentions there being different sealant types for the sump and the timing cover... is this true?

I must admit this is another topic that I have very little knowledge on, am I able to just use something like this?

 

I have in the past done a Toyota lucida 3cte engine sump which is sealed with special grey silcone and no gasket. Had to remove it to access rotten core plugs. Main problem was removing sump which is in two parts and cleaning up old silcone. I used small craft scalpel to cut slowly between the joins. The special grey sealant was available from Toyota but £50-00 for a small tube. Its supposedly for japanese import vehicles (hence the price). Did a fair bit of research and found Loctite SI5660 would do the same job so used it. I still have the people carrier and its been perfect for years plus I think it cost me  about £12-00 online. Its antifreeze and oil resistant.

On 12/02/2025 at 20:02, Breezy_Pete said:

but the one I did was 150Nm PLUS 180°/ half turn

Yeah when I first saw that I must admit I had to do a double take

Feels like way too much even though it is a pivotal part

 

I have an engine support beam as well as all the locking tools so decently equipped on that front

 

Ive had a little trouble sourcing new crank and camshaft pulley bolts since my local could only sell crank bolts in packs of 10 and cam bolts in packs of 5

 

That second one made me chuckle because then you have 2 sets of 2 and just 1 knocking about as a spare 😅

Although having said that what use would I have for the other 9 of those big ones either 😆

 

But anyway, fingers crossed tomorrow I can pick some up off VW from slightly further afield, and much cheaper

 

Since the compression was all decent and I did use a cheap little mobile phone linked borescope that seemed to show that everything was at least in the right place, Im absolutely going to give it a go

Ive got a whole week off college and the reason I bought it to begin with was as a project to learn from, it just turned out that I got half a year of running out of it as well

Not sure it liked the peak district though

How on earth do you get the alternator out of the way of the timing cover??

Ive got the two 13mm bolts but I cant for the life of me reach the battery lead or another 8mm bolt which I think is also holding it in

Unplug the 2-way connector if you haven't already. Bend the cat heatshield towards alt to improve access to the 8mm nut, then away from it after that's off, to give more room for the plastic cap and 13mm nut that holds positive lead on. Battery negative off before you attempt to undo that 13mm.

Then don't be surprised if the alt takes a bit of levering out, with large flat screwdriver or similar,  between it and block.

On 22/12/2024 at 16:49, Possum114251 said:

So I serviced my mother's 1.4 8v MPi (without issue) and then I proceeded to order and fit the same spark plugs for my own 1.2 12v which didnt appear to be a problem until I tried reversing the car off the drive

It started and ran but after moving a few metres the engine just died out (no awful noise) and hasnt started since

 

Obviously I quickly realised the spark plugs weren't correct (shorter than necessary and with multiple electrodes) but Ive fitted the correct ones, as well as replaced the ignition coils, with no luck

 

It appears to be difficult to test the ignition system as a whole on this engine to see if there is a spark but I may be missing something

 

This has been giving me a real headache for a few weeks now so if anybody has any suggestions of things to check they would be greatly appreciated

Have you made sure and checked if you're coil packs are working properly? My car got upset last time I touched that stuff👍

10 hours ago, AdverseFabiaOwner said:

Have you made sure and checked if you're coil packs are working properly?

Yes mate, was one of the first things I changed and wasted 50 squids on a new set of them when originals worked fine

 

Considering I bought the car with an oil-related problem that I thought Id remedied (evidently not) the timing chain being the culprit makes much more sense than Id like to admit

 

Currently at the point where the crankshaft pulley bolt needs to come off which will be great fun having almost lost a finger on my dominant hand last week ice skating 😭

8 hours ago, Possum114251 said:

Yes mate, was one of the first things I changed and wasted 50 squids on a new set of them when originals worked fine

 

Considering I bought the car with an oil-related problem that I thought Id remedied (evidently not) the timing chain being the culprit makes much more sense than Id like to admit

 

Currently at the point where the crankshaft pulley bolt needs to come off which will be great fun having almost lost a finger on my dominant hand last week ice skating 😭

Ohhh nah mate sorry to hear about your finger man, I was having the same problem along with running on 2 cylinders for a bit, hopefully you've got it cracked