Some good advice needed (Radweld question with prob history)

[NickRStorm 0]

A failed coilpack only takes out 2 cylinders IME (I've had 2 go in 6 years on the Golf). The engine still runs but feels very under-powered & generally unhappy.

 

I'd be inclined to try another ECU if possible. I'm just having the ECU in the wife's Highline Golf replaced due to terminal water damage :( Hers failed at 90 on a dual carriageway with no warning. Car started again when it cooled down & then cut out when it warmed up. It felt like the crank speed sensor, but we couldn't even get VAG-COM to read the ECU.

[Ka` 0]

Hi Nick,

 

Thanks. Yeah, I've bought another ECU which I will be swapping over. Does anyone have any idea what happens to mileage and so on, if I swap the whole unit, including PCB? Has anyone tried to have their car recertified as genuine when using a second hand ECU?

 

Cheers,

Rica

[NickRStorm 0]

One thing to watch for is the immobiliser if it's a late model VR6 - it will either need the matching ignition key or the original recoded by VAG.

[Ka` 0]

Hi,

 

That's what I've been occasionally wondering as well. I have a late '93 and for a while I was paranoid wondering whether all this has started since I bought a spare key. But the errors in VAG-COM also speak for something more sinister other than an occasional immobiliser kicking in. I've had another alarm installed and was assured that all the factory fitted stuff has been disabled.

 

The ECU is from a '94. Don't know whether it's late or early, so I may run into problems? I take it, it either starts and dies immediately, or doesn't start at all...

 

Cheers,

Rica

[NickRStorm 0]

Starts & dies within a second.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Rica,

 

mine is a very early '94.

 

If you want, and as you seem to live quite close to me (same county at least) you could try swapping my ECU (no integral immobiliser) into your car sometime to see if it does the trick.

 

You may have a broken wire or something as an alternative source of the intermittent cutting out. Clutching at straws, it may be the ECU relay.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Ka` 0]

Hi Roger,

 

Thanks for the offer. I've swapped the ECU relay already so now it's down to tracing earths and so on. At least today's my last work day for the rest of the year, so I can pull things apart as the car's not needed for two weeks or so.

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Ka` 0]

Right,

 

New ECU now in, after some breaking bits and a lot of cursing. And it started! Woo!

Now off to do some driving, teach the new ECU my car. Once again, fingers crossed this is it.

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Great!! Good luck!! Let us know how it all pans out.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Ka` 0]

Hi all,

 

Well, all's well in the queendom of Rado at the moment :) I won't get my hopes up yet, as sometimes the Rado behaved weeks on end before having a fit. Definitely a girl, my Rado :D Merry Christmas to all!

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Ka` 0]

Hi all,

 

Well, it didn't help. The car was fine for maybe a week, but being as bitchy as always now. I suppose wiring check is next in line?

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Rica,

I've looked back through this thread and can't find a reference to a changed ignition switch. Have you done that? It might be worth a shot. It's very cheap and very, very fiddly.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Ka` 0]

Roger,

 

No, the ignition switch has not been changed. I've heard some horror stories about

lying in the footwell and killing your back, so I'll try to get the mechanic to install

it for me, unless he's asking silly money.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Yes you will need the attentions of a good orthopaedic surgeon afterwards if you try to do it without taking off the column lock. Do give Mike Chapman in St.Albans a call. He's pretty good and a lot cheaper than Wayside.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[striderwilson 0]

KA'

In 1989, my first car (don't laugh) was a Fiat Strada. I brought it for £90, and lasted 3 years. The one problem I had (apart from the terminal rust) was very similar to the one you are discribing. I would be bombing along the motorway one miniute, then all of a sudden the engine would die. Most of the time it would drop to about 20mph and just jerk along at that speed untill it cleared itself, or, I gave up and stopped and repeatedly restarted the car every 5mins until it would run smoothly. Sometimes it would continue to jolt back and forth unitil it came to a stop by itself. 2 or 3 garages looked at it but couldn't find anything wrong - they replaced the plugs, leads, dizzy cap etc - but nothing helped. Finally a back street 'specialist' found the problem - a sticking fuel pump. A new one fitted cost nearly twice the cost of the car.

I have no idea if this is a possibility on a raddo, but should be considered.

James

[Ka` 0]

Hi all,

 

As I've been following MarioVR6's problems, I am definitely leaning towards the ignition switch, even if I am not getting 'crackling'(!) noise from the key area. Definitely in for a change...

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Ka` 0]

Hi all,

 

Just to keep you up-to-date. Ignition switch changed. The mechanic took the Corrado out for a test drive on Friday and actually

experienced first hand what we've been talking about! So they're not wild tales after all.

 

This of course means that we have no idea what to check next.

 

Cheers,

Rica

[Roger Blassberg 0]

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

[Ka` 0]

Thank you one and all,

 

I will persist. I hate the car when I can't see it, but as soon as it is parked in front

of my house again, I'll forgive anything. Must be a nut, me.

 

Thank you for all the information and help. It has come to good use and I have learned so much more. I will keep this thread up-to-date.

 

Cheers,

Rica

[stevemac 0]

Ka`, bit of a longshot here but I'll explain my thinking.

 

Mercedes have a problem with some of their vehicles, which I will try not to bore you yoo much with. The root of he problem that they have is the routing of some of the engine bay wiring. This gives the symptoms of a defective coil. When the coil is replaced, the wiring needs to be disturbed (which for a time solves the problem). The impression is that the coils keep going faulty & indeed keep being replaced. The fault is actually the routing of the wiring - the coils which are being removed are perfectly okay. If a person was to remove the "defective" coil & put the same (old) coil back on, it would work perfectly well. I'm not even sure if Mercedes are aware of this phenomena - so far as I know they still replace the coils.

 

My point is wether or not any electrical work has been carried out on your car, thus moving/altering the wiring & possibly causing your problem ? Possibly you have some wiring too close to a heat source - may explain why the fault is intermittent. Wiring which gets too hot can become brittle with age.

[Ka` 0]

Gawd,

 

I think it's coming up to a year since I last drove the Corrado and enjoyed it.

Good points are that I haven't paid more than £300 for various people trying to fix it, and mileage for this year.... 1000 :D

 

Probably should've declared it SORN though...

 

Anyways, saga continues. Going to find out today what's been happening lately.

 

Cheers,

One very upset Corradoless owner

Rica

[KipVR 1]

Hi Rica, just to let you know I had exactly the same problems with my corrado, ended up being the fuel pump.....This is easy to check, when it's happening turn off the engine, disconnect the fuel feed next to the airbox and see how the fuel is coming out....You'll need a buddy for this job to turn the ignition on to prime the pump while you hold a collector for the fuel.

 

Don't despair with your C too much, I think many owners will agree with me that Corrado's are a strictly love hate relationship!

 

Chris

[striderwilson 0]

I agree, my money is still on the fuel pump - a sticking pump causes the same symptons, but is nearly impossible to detect without a specific fuel pump check.

[Ka` 0]

Oh well,

 

Due to time/money constrictions and having lost the sparkle of driving the beast. I've sold it on. I sold it broken, with the looms out. Still got full price for it so am happy. Here's my new beast :D

[stevemac 0]

Nice one - my ex-g/f bought one of those a couple of months ago. Very quick, apparently.