Roger Blassberg

This is uncannily similar to what has been happening to mine. First off, are you absolutely confident that the new plugs are of the correct specification? NGK BKR5EKUP, about £3.60 each from http://www.sparkplugs.com Secondly, are you sure that the mechanic didn't damage the HT leads by just tugging them off when doing the service? They should be taken off with a proper tool. I strongly suggest that you look at the HT leads; with the engine idling, spray a mist of water onto the coil pack ends of the leads (in the dark is better); look and listen for leaking sparks when you sharply rev the engine. A weak insulator cap will spark and crackle as the revs increase. There may also be a general deterioration and leakage of spark anywhere along their lengths. So, then change the offending lead(s) as necessary. BE CAREFUL WITH LIVE HT LEADS. YOU WON'T FORGET THE SHOCK OF 40kV FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE, WHICH MAY NOT BE AS LONG AS YOU WOULD LIKE. Sorry for shouting, but it's an important point.......... just jumping back and slashing the top of your head on the bonnet catch can be quite enough to ruin your whole day. If you still have a problem look very carefully at the coil pack itself for hairline cracks in the moulded plastic and replace as necessary (about £120 if you shop around, and they come up on eBay quite often). It is easy enough to change once the HT lead guides have been taken off. A temporary repair is possible with the likes of Araldite, but you are only putting off the fateful day, (which will, without doubt, be at 3 a.m. on a remote windswept hillside in the pouring rain.) Best wishes RB

Sounds like the dreaded ignition switch. It's a cheap fix, but mighty fiddly - there's a "how-to" somewhere on here. Best wishes RB

It took the garage about 5 hours, so whatever that costs at your friendly local spannermeister. You need also to factor-in the high likelihood of a new brake pressure valve , about £70, as this will most probably have to be sawn off. Might as well get the brake fluid changed too as the system will be open anyway. Best wishes RB

My Schabak modell has a red VR6 grille badge, but an old style bonnet, 4 stud wheels and a 16V engine. This new Revell looks to be worth waiting for. Best wishes RB

Back to the misfiring. I took off the coil pack and had a good look - no cracks or signs of deterioration - so I got a set of replacement HT leads and the problem seems to have been solved. Thanks for everyone's interest and suggestions. Best wishes RB

Eric, I'm interested in this! Can I register on the net or do you have an address?? Best wishes RBB

The effort of undoing the bolts can actually bend the locating lugs on the hub, so that when you put it all back together the caliper is not centrally mounted over the disc which leads to all sorts of strange braking problems. A bit of heat and hammer will sort it out. Best wishes RB

Jonrb, make sure that the new pump has the same electrical connector as the original - there are at least 2 different shapes of socket around and its a pain to get home only to discover that you have the wrong one.........Can you guess how I know this?? Yes, it's a fiddly job but not too bad. Best wishes RB

I'm confident that the MAF is ok - it's quite new. If I unplug it, the engine stalls from idle. The drop in revs is very slight and transitory, and doesn't threaten to stall. It sounds as though this is a bit of a red herring. Best wishes RB

Thanks for your thoughts, Andy. I'll try swapping nr. 4 lead with nr. 5 (if they will reach) and see if the arcing is transferred with it. Do you think that the plugs have been damaged by the wire-brushing? - I used one with brass wire bristles so not too abrasive. What about this "gulping" when I snap the throttle fully open? I accept that, the laws of physics being what they are, the engine cannot respond instantaneously to any given throttle position and that maybe I am being over-critical of an engine with lots of rotational inertia. Best wishes RB

Just of late the VR6 is starting to miss a beat or two when opening the throttle from low revs/min. under load, in such circumstances as coming out of a roundabout. The plugs are new-ish, (5000 miles at the most). I took them all out and wire-brushed them; nr.1 plug was a bit black, but not too bad. Apart from this, the engine runs very well and smoothly above 2000 revs/min. and gives good mpg., new lambda probe, no obvious leaking sparks from the leads. I'm not certain as to the state of the coil-pack, though. If I spray water at it (a very severe test I know), there is a leak from nr.4 lead cap(centre, top row) upwards. But in the dry there is no apparent sparking. Is this indicative of a coil pack in its last throes of reliability? It looks to be fairly easily removed: is it just a case of unscrewing the four socket-headed screws and unplugging the leads? What are the telltale signs of failure, if any? The other question is this: if, and only if, I fully open the throttle suddenly by operating the quadrant on the throttle body, there is a momentary gulping induction roar and drop in revs, a slight pop in the exhaust and then a recovery to the expected revving up. All hoses seem to be secure, but there is a constant hissing coming from the area around the ISV and what I take to be its silencer (a plastic housing with rounded edges right at the back of the engine and close to the heater pipes as they go to the bulkhead). Is this normal or is there an induction leak somewhere? Normal, more progressive throttle operation is entirely as expected. Best wishes RB

Well, this sounds as though you have some sort of intermittent wiring problem. I went through a similar problem with the Passat last year, changed and checked just about everything that you have, and it was finally traced by a persistent and patient electrician to a broken wire. I sympathise with you on this, knowing how demoralising it can be and how your faith in the car's reliability can be irreparably damaged. Best wishes RB

I went for standard rubber bushes as I prefer comfort and quiet rather than ultimate cornering. Definitely getting old. Incidentally, my son claims that the rear seat is so comfortable and the sound of the engine so soothing that it is the best car he has travelled in for falling asleep........so I didn't want to spoil that with crashy noisy suspension. Best wishes RB

At last I have had the rear suspension bushes changed. By sheer coincidence, whilst it was being done those nice people at Herts County Council went out and filled in all the potholes, resurfaced all the roads with velvet and installed some very effective (and invisible) guide rails in the road surface on all bends. Or so it seems............. Best wishes RB

Sounds like hours (i.e. £££££££s) of work. I assume that it will be sensible to replace the sensor and thermostat housings at the same time during this full-frontal exposure. This car is now getting beyond a joke. I still have rattling drive shafts, I still need the rear bushes changing and I still need to do the chains. Every time I think that I am making progress towards affording these things, something else crops up. My (older) Passat, with just as many miles on it , is a paragon of reliability compared to this money-pit. Best wishes RB

It's a '94 VR6, manual with aircon. Best wishes RB

I got to work yesterday, switched off the engine and the car was enveloped in steam with water pouring out of the area around the oil cooler water hose, towards the top where it joins the plastic pipe. The 2 oil cooler hoses were changed about 3 years ago so should (!!) be ok and I'm suspecting the plastic pipe. Water which I poured into the expansion tank just fell straight out again. It looks to be a complete bar-steward to get at it. Any tips/observations on accessing the relevant pipes/hoses? It seems to be obstructed by the radiator, fans and a/c heat exchanger. Best wishes RB

I changed the gearbox mounting, it was broken, and thought I had solved it. But no!! it's getting worse. It only starts clicking after about half an hour's driving and then comes and goes. Not a stone in the tyre tread by the way. Best wishes RB

Could it be the belt tensioner bearing? There's a very good guide to replacement in the Knowledge Base. Best wishes RB

No I haven't. Just shows my pessimistic nature, always looking for a serious cause of what might be a simple problem.......I'll have a good look at lunchtime. Best wishes RB

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think it's that. It is a rhythmical clicking which is variable in rate, directly related to road speed. Best wishes RB

er, is there anybody there.................?

I occasionally get a very pronounced clicking in the drive train, which is sometimes severe enough to be felt through the floor. It happens both when accelerating and decelerating but practically disappears at constant road speed or if I dip the clutch. It is unaffected by the position of the steering, so I am tending to discount outer cv joint(s). Most maddeningly, it will start doing it apparently at random, do it for several minutes, and then go away again (especially if it gets anywhere near a garage - the mechanics have so far been unable to provoke it into happening for them). I'm thinking, "inner cv joint(s)", or "final drive bearings". Has anyone had similar problems and if so did you sort it out? It's a VR6 by the way. Best wishes RB

It's easier to push the bottom wishbone down if you undo the anti-roll bar drop link. It's best to get the camber checked afterwards even if you have marked the position of the plate. Best wishes RB

I don't know, really. I always use the pvc insulating tape - I haven't seen the cloth stuff for ages. Maybe the veteran/vintage/classic car suppliers might have it. Best wishes RB