My brother got this Skoda Favorit made in around 1990 (dont know if you ever heard of this car, but it's quite popular here in Croatia) and he is having problems with it - the car won't record how much he has traveled. The thing is like this: there are two counters - one for all-time traveled kilometers, and the other smaller one which you can reset. If he resets the small one, both of those will record his first 100 meters, and will stop after that, won't turn any more. If he resets them again - they will both do the same, 100 meters and stop. Now I am wondering, what parts could go wrong here and would require checking? I'd really like to fix it for him, because he'll ruin the engine if I don't, because he changed oil once in 4 years on this Civic I have now, and if I can't monitor how much has passed since his last service, he most certainly won't.

Thanks for any help,

Kresho

Probably if it's a stand alone then it might need replacement. Actually the best way to find if you need to change your oil, check it often and when it gets discolored and then on your finger after that is discolored, its time to change.

Mechanical odometers, that count distance, have a series of gears in them. It sounds like there is a problem with the one between the hundreds and thousands. You might take it apart, but it may not be designed to be serviced. In the United States, odometers must be, by law, tamper proof. Even if you get it apart and find a bad part, you might not be able to find a new one. A new unit may the only fix.

The color or appearance of oil is no guide to when to change it. Unless your brother is driving long distances every day, a time based oil change schedule might be good. Many American cars recommend a 3 month/3,000 miles (4800 km) oil change. I would never run a conventional, non synthetic, oil longer than 3-6 months. It could cause a bad sludge problem. I change the oil in my truck and car every 3 months. The truck usually has much less than the 3000 miles, and depending on the usage, the car may have up to 7000-8000. Oil can go a greater distance if it is longer trips on a highway. Short trips and starting and stopping are harder on oil.

Thank you very much for your answers.

On a side note, how to fix a sludge problem? Mineral based oil was in my Civic for 2 years, and hasn't been changed in that time :-S

Personally I have never done much. I hear good reports of products meant for it, Auto Rx and Fuel Power. I don't if they are available in Croatia. I have also heard of adding some transmission fluid. You can also add a little diesel fuel or kerosene and run the engine a few minutes before draining the oil.

Actually I forgot to mention that the color does indicate when to change, as well as smell and when on your fingers if its kind of thin it needs it but that's for the people who are cheap to not get the meter fixed, but yes regulatory oil changes work, no trans fluid. Now white or rather clear kerosene is what in the old days makes the oil thin, running the engine for a few minutes to maybe 15 min etc. then drain the oil will help. Kerosene's used to clean it out when mixed with oil it won't hurt the engine and will basically kill the sludge. But kero and running the engine for a few then draining will ensure almost total oil drain. Then a good synthetic and you can go over 3,000 miles no problem with synthetic, and you'll pick up some performance, not much but the bads of synthetic is that its expensive but it lasts longer.