engine SKODA FABIA 2004 1.G / 6Y Workshop Manual

Driving and the Environment161
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You should avoid fully exploiting the top speed of your vehicle wherever
possible. Fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises
increase disproportionally at high speeds.
The
⇒page 160, fig. 129 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the
speed of your vehicle. You will cut your fuel consumption by half if you only
make use three-quarters of the possible top speed of your vehicle.
Reducing idling
Idling also costs fuel.
It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at
a level crossing or at traffic lights with a lengthy red phase. Even after just
30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel than that is needed when
you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal
operating temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though,
are particularly high in the warming-up phase. This is why you should
drive off right after starting the engine. Do avoid high engine revolutions at
this time, however.
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high
amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a Škoda Dealer enables you to
satisfy one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you
set off on your journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not only
has a positive effect on the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its
value, but also saves on fuel. A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10%
higher than normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according
to the Service schedule by a Škoda dealer.
Also check the oil level
after refueling. Oil consumption is dependent to
a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consump-
tion could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of
driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first,
and reaches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is there-
fore not possible to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle
until after you have driven about 5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment
•You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by
using high-lubricity oils.
•Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any
leakages in good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a Škoda
dealer if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.

Driving and the Environment
162
Avoid driving short distances
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel
consumption.
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is
cold.
The engine and catalytic converter must first have reached their optimal
operating temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption
and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel
immediately after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10 litres/100 km
after just 1 kilometre. The engine reaches its operating temperature
(outside temperature and engine dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilo-
metres and the fuel consumption then stabilizes. You should therefore
avoid driving short distances whenever possible. An important factor in this connection is also the
ambient temperature.
The ⇒fig. 130 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same
distance, on the one hand at +20°C and on the other hand at -10°C. Your
vehicle has a higher fuel consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures
Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all
times. The rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is
too low. This will not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear and
the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when cold.
Do not drive with winter tyres all year round for this costs about 10 %
more fuel. Winter tyres are also louder.
No unnecessary ballast
Transporting ballast costs fuel.
The fact that every kilogram of extra weight increases your fuel consump-
tion means that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to
avoid transporting any unnecessary ballast.
It is particularly in town trafffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that
the vehicle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption.
A rule of thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will
cause an increase in fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
You may frequently also leave a roof rack fitted on just out of conven-
ience, although you no longer need it. The increased aerodynamic drag of
Fig. 130 Fuel
consumption in
litres/100 km at
different temperatures

Driving and the Environment163
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your vehicle causes it to use about 1 l more fuel than normal at a speed
of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.
Saving electricity
Generating electricity costs fuel.
– Switch off electrical components as soon as you no longer
need them.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies elec-
trical power. The greater the load on the alternator as a result of having a
large number of electrical components switched on, the more fuel will be
consumed for operating the alternator.
Keeping a log of your fuel consumption
If you really wish to keep a close check on your fuel consumption, it is
best to enter the figures in a logbook. This does not take much time but is
a very worthwhile exercise. It enables you to detect any change (positive
and negative) at an early stage and to take any appropriate action.
If you find that your fuel consumption is too high, you should reflect on
how, where and in what conditions you have driven the vehicle since you
last refuelled.
Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, selection
of materials and manufacture of your new Škoda. Particular emphasis has
been paid to a number of aspects, including:
Design measures
•Joints designed to be easily detached
•Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system
•Improved purity of different classes of materials
•Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommen-
dation 260
•Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO2
•Minimum fuel leakage during accidents
•Reduced noise
Choice of materials
•Extensive use of recyclable material
•Air conditioning filled with CFC-free refrigerant
•No cadmium
•No asbestos
•Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics
Manufacture
•Solvent-free cavity protection
•Solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the
production plant to the customer
•Use of solvent-free adhesives
•No CFCs used in the production process
•Without use of mercury
•Use of water-soluble paints

Driving and the Environment
164
Motoring abroad
General
Other circumstances may exist abroad.
It is also possible, in certain countries, that the Škoda dealership network
has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain
spare parts may be somewhat complicated and specialist garage
personnel may only be able to make limited repairs. Škoda Auto in the
Czech Republic and relevant importers are happy to provide information
about technical aspects of the vehicle, required maintenance work and
possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrol
A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with
unleaded petrol ⇒page 158. The automobile associations can provide
you with information regarding the locations of filling stations which offer
unleaded petrol.
Headlights
The low beam of your headlights is set asymmetrically. It illuminates the
side of the road on which you are driving to a greater extent. If you drive
abroad on the other side of the road, you will dazzle oncoming traffic.
It is necessary in order to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic to stick a sticker
over a certain part of the headlights.
Windscreen wiper stickers are available at Škoda dealers. Headlights with Xenon lamps are designed for driving in countries with
traffic on the right or on the left. Have this done always at a Škoda dealer.
Note
You can obtain further information regarding masking over or converting
the headlights from your Škoda dealer.
Avoiding damage to your vehicle
When driving on poor roads and lanes or when driving over kerbstones,
steep ramps etc., you must pay particular attention to ensuring that any
low-slung parts of the vehicle, such as spoiler and exhaust, do not touch
the ground and get damaged.
This particularly applies to models with a lowered suspension (sport
suspension) and also when your vehicle is fully laden.

Towing a trailer165
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Towing a trailer
Towing a trailer
Technical requirements
The towing device must satisfy certain technical require-
ments.
Your vehicle is designed primarily for transporting persons and luggage. It
can, however, also be used for towing a trailer - provided certain technical
equipment is fitted.
If your vehicle has already been supplied with a factory-fitted towing
device then everything that is necessary for towing a trailer in technical
terms, and in terms of the law, has already been taken into account.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket for the electrical connec-
tion between the vehicle and trailer. If the trailer which you wish to tow has
a 7-pin connector , you can use a suitable adapter
4) from Škoda original
accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's
specifications if a towing device is retrofitted.
Škoda dealers are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a towing
device and for any necessary modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda orig-
inal accessories installed by a Škoda dealer. He is familiar with all the relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment. There is
a risk of an accident if the towing device is not properly fitted!
General Maintenance
There are a number of points to pay attention to when
towing a trailer.
Tr a i l e r l o a d
The permissible trailer load must on no account be exceeded.
You can negotiate appropriately steeper inclines and descents if you do
not make full use of the permissible trailer load.
The trailer loads specified only apply for
altitudes up to 1 000 metres
above mean sea level. The fact that the engine power output drops with
increasing height due to a lowering of air pressure and thus the ability to
climb, means that the towed weight must be reduced by 10% for every
further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea level. The towed
weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer together.
One should take this into account before driving up to higher altitudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the
towing device are merely test data for the towing device The data
relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can
be found in your vehicle registration documents or in the brochure -
Technical Data .
4)In some countires the adapter is supplied with the towing device.
WARNING (continued)

Towing a trailer167
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before negotiating a downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a
brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to
negotiate a lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engine speed when the
outside temperature is very high
⇒page 13.
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand
area or even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately.
Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light
 in the instrument
cluster begins flashing. Wait a few minutes and check the level of coolant
in the coolant expansion bottle ⇒page 189, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 31, “Coolant tempera-
ture/coolant level ”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down
a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan
speed is independent of the engine speed. One should also not drop a
gear for this reason when towing a trailer as long as the engine can
manage the slope without any drop in speed.
Detachable towing device*
The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in the spare
wheel well in the luggage compartment.
An instruction for correct installation and removal of the ball head of the
towing device is supplied with the ball head
Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is properly locked each time before
setting off. The inspection is performed by turning the closed locking lever
downwards. If the locking lever can only be turned approx. 5°, the locking
mechanism is O.K. After the inspection pull the locking lever back again
to its stop. The towing device must not be used, if it does not wish to close
or the locking lever turns slightly in the closed position.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head.
This might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent
Fig. 131 Detachable
ball head

Care and cleaning
174
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning the wheels that moisture, ice
and road salt may adversely affect braking efficiency - risk of an
accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also result in wheel imbalance.
This may show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted
to the steering wheel which, in certain circumstances, can cause prema-
ture wear of the steering. This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protection
The underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and
mechanical influences.
One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the protective layer
when driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on
the underside of your vehicle and on the chassis at certain intervals - this
is best done at the beginning and end of the winter - and to touch up any
damaged areas.
Škoda dealers have suitable spray products available as well as the
necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for its use. It is
therefore best to have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protec-
tion measures carried out by a Škoda dealer.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection
agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields.
Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Protection of hollow spaces
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are
protected for life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. Please
remove any small amount of wax which flows out of the cavities at high
temperatures with a plastic scraper and clean the spot using petroleum
cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed
when using petroleum cleaner to remove wax - a risk of fire!
Engine compartment
Good corrosion protection is very important, particularly in winter when
one often drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the
whole engine compartment and the radiator tank before and after the salt
spreading period and treat with preservative in order to prevent the salt
from being destructive.
Škoda dealers have the cleaning agents and preservatives recommended
by the manufacturer and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•It is necessary to observe the guidelines given in the chapter
before working on the engine compartment ⇒page 183.
•Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compart-
ment.

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Caution
•Engine cleaning may be only be undertaken when the ignition is off.
•It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine
compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol,
and residues of grease and oil and should therefore be cleaned by an oil
separator. This is why engine washing should only be undertaken in a
garage or at a fueling station (when these are fitted with the required
equipment).
Care of the interior of vehicle
Plastic parts, artificial leather and cloths
You can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You
should only treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning
and care products it does prove to be adequate.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the doors, luggage compartment cover,
headliner etc. are best treated with special cleaning products, using if
necessary a dry foam and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accesso-
ries offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.
Fabric covers of electrically heated seats
Do not clean the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the
seat heating system.
Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.
Natural leather
Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.
Leather should be treated from time to time according the
following guidelines depending on how much it is used.
Normal cleaning
– Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or woollen cloth.
Severe soiling
– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild soapy solution (2 spoonfuls of natural soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains
– Remove fresh stains which are water-based (e.g. coffee, tea,
juices, blood etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household paper
or use the cleaner from the care set for a stain which has
already dried in.

Fuel
178
Fuel
Petrol
Grades of petrol
There are various grades of petrol. Please read the brochure “Technical
Data” in order to know which grade of petrol your vehicle requires. You will
also find the same information affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap of
your vehicle ⇒page 180, fig. 133 .
A distinction is made between unleaded and leaded petrol. All Škoda vehi-
cles with petrol engines are equipped with a catalytic converter and must
therefore be only driven with unleaded petrol. Unleaded petrol complies
with the standard EN 228 .
The individual grades of petrol are distinguished by their octane number
(RON). Please adopt the following procedure if the grade of petrol which
you normally use is not be available in exceptional circumstances:
•Engines which need unleaded premium petrol 95 RON can also be
run on unleaded regular petrol 91 RON. This does, however, result in a
slight loss in performance.
•Engines which need unleaded premium petrol 98 RON can also be
run on unleaded regular petrol 95 RON. This does, however, result in a
slight loss in performance. You can in exceptional circumstances also
use unleaded regular petrol of 91 RON in the event that no unleaded
premium petrol of 98 RON or 95 RON is available. Refuel as soon as
possible with unleaded premium plus of 98 RON or unleaded premium
petrol of 95 RON.
If, in an emergency, the only fuel available is one which has a lower octane
number than that required by the engine then only drive at medium engine
speeds and lower engine loadings. You can make unlimited use of fuel which has a higher octane number
than that required by the engine. There will, however, be no advantages
gained by this in terms of engine performance and fuel consumption!
The handling, performance and life of your engine are determined to a
significant extent by the quality of the fuel. Do not use any petrol additives.
Use a fuel complying with the standard.
You can find further information on refuelling
⇒page 180.
Caution
•Filling the tank even only once with leaded petrol will result in the cata-
lytic converter being destroyed.
•Operating the engine with petrol of a low octane number can result in
engine damage at high revolutions or severe engine loading.
Diesel
Grade of diesel fuel
Grades of diesel fuel
Your vehicle can be driven with the following grades of diesel fuel:
•Diesel fuel with a cetane number of at least CN 49 (the cetane number
CN is a measure of the ignition performance of the diesel fuel). Diesel fuel
must comply with the standard EN 590.
•Biofuel (RME rape oil methyl ester Biofuel) must comply with the
standard EN 14 214 . Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 179,
“Biofuel”.

Fuel179
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Fuel additives
You must not use fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and
similar products) in diesel fuel.
It is then necessary to have the
fuel filter drained of water by a Škoda
dealer more often than stated in the service schedule if the quality of the
diesel fuel used is poor.
You can find information on refuelling ⇒page 180, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•Use a fuel complying with the standard. Filling the tank even only once,
which does not comply with the standard, can result in damage to the fuel
system.
•Water which has collected in the fuel filter can result in engine
problems.
Biofuel
Biofuel (methyl ester from rape oil) is manufactured from vegetable oil by
means of a chemical process.
Biofuel does not contain sulphur. This means that no sulphur dioxide
(SO
2) is produced when it is burnt.
The exhaust gases contain less
•carbon monoxide (CO)
•hydrocarbons (HC)
•particles (soot)
than when operating with conventional diesel fuel.
The Biofuel is more biodegradable. When using biofuel pay attention to the following points:
•The
Performance may be reduced slightly if you switch to driving with
biofuel.
•The Fuel consumption may increase slightly if you switch to driving
with biofuel.
Biodiesel conforming to the standard EN 14 214 can be mixed in any
desired ratio with diesel fuel conforming to the standard EN 590.
We recommend refuelling with diesel fuel at temperatures below -10°C.
Caution
Filling the tank even only once with biofuel, which does not comply with
the standard standard EN 14 214 , can result in damage to the fuel
system.
Operation in winter
Winter-grade diesel fuel
A different grade of diesel fuel is available at filling stations in winter than
during the summer. Using “summer-grade diesel fuel” at temperatures
below 0°C can result in operational problems because the diesel becomes
viscous as a result of paraffin separation.
It is therefore the case that DIN EN 590 prescribes diesel fuel class for
certain periods of the year which can also be purchased at the corre-
sponding time during the year. “Winter-grade diesel fuel” will still operate
properly even at a temperature of -20°C.
It is often the case in countries with different climatic conditions that diesel
fuels available have a different temperature characteristic. Škoda dealers
and filling stations in the country concerned will be able to provide you with
information regarding the diesel fuels available.