VR6 Stutter (Power back)

[Rinse 0]

Right, first off, I know its my fault for not properly reading up on the subject but the problem occured after washing my engine with Autoglym's cleaner then a pressure washer. Read up on a couple sites about doing it but never covered the spark plug holes or dizzy on my VR6 - didn't say but i'm kicking myself for not thinking to!

I let the car dry overnight, but took it out for a wee drive as i was bricking it thinking it was knackered after realizing they should have been covered... Turns out it is! Idles very poorly when I first started it, drove fine above 3k rpm. But when I put the foot down under 3k the car kind of kangaroo's (great description :lol:) with power and there's a misfire when coming off the accelerator.

 

I'm thinking WD40 on the dizzy but I'm really not wanting to do anything to cock it up even more since it was my stupidity that caused this in the first place. Its a 93 VR6, not sure if it's coilpack or not so not really sure on what to do to WD40 the dizzy. Took the plugs off the dizzy and they look dry.

[harryc 0]

If it is a dizzy, take the cap off, dry the inside of the cap, rotar arm and apply some wd40. Do the same on the ht lead connections to the dizzy and onto the spark plugs. Use carrier bags and cling film next time..

[The_Dude 0]

I would go round the entire bay and check every electrical connection one by one just to be safe. If you pressure washed it the water could have got anywhere, they're made to clean patios not engine bays!

[tandino 0]

it wont be the dissy end thats the problem, it will be the plug recesses in the cylinder head full of water, just let the thing tick over for 1/2 hour, most of the water should evaporate from the recesses.

Over the next couple of days it will eventually dry out.

[harryc 0]

it wont be the dissy end thats the problem, it will be the plug recesses in the cylinder head full of water, just let the thing tick over for 1/2 hour, most of the water should evaporate from the recesses.

Over the next couple of days it will eventually dry out.

 

If you gun it with a pressure washer water will get in the dizzy! Pressure washers arent good on engine bays, my mate just shagged 4 of his coils on his s4...

[tandino 0]

I know what your saying Harry and yes the dissy might have water in but it is sealed to an extent and is partly hidden by the engine covers, the plug recesses will definitely have water in though!!

[Rinse 0]

Yeah I made sure I didn't spray directly onto the dissy but there will more than likely be water in the recesses. I've ran the car up to temperature a couple times to see if the heat would help it dry out but its not gotten better.

 

When you say tick over for 1/2 hour do you mean disconnect the king lead and just keep cranking it over? Or would I be better just leaving it for a couple days and see if it dries out? or spray some WD40 into the recesses?

 

Also, the car was feeling like it was lacking performance under 3k rpm before this, could it be that there was a problem with one of the leads/spark plugs and this has made it worse? Feel like such a nonce for this. :bad-words:

[tandino 0]

Your going to have to help it along a bit then by removing the plug leads and drying as much water as you can from the recesses, its fiddly but a rag pushed down with a screwdriver into the recesses will help.

[The_Dude 0]

When you say tick over for 1/2 hour do you mean disconnect the king lead and just keep cranking it over? Or would I be better just leaving it for a couple days and see if it dries out? or spray some WD40 into the recesses?

 

No, you'll kill your battery and probably burn out the starter. He means let it idle. Unless its really hot weather to evaporate the water it'll take a few days it would be better to run the engine and dry it out like that. If you already had issues before this then it could be prudent to replace sparks and leads and maybe even the dizzy, but try taking them off and drying with rags in the area and WD40ing first as has already been said.

Don't feel like a nonce, its a mistake a lot of people make.

[Jim Bowen 1]

not sure if wd40 is the exact same thing as damp start but i know you can spray damp start everywhere, does sound like the coilpack/dizzy to me

[Rinse 0]

When you say tick over for 1/2 hour do you mean disconnect the king lead and just keep cranking it over? Or would I be better just leaving it for a couple days and see if it dries out? or spray some WD40 into the recesses?

 

No, you'll kill your battery and probably burn out the starter. He means let it idle. Unless its really hot weather to evaporate the water it'll take a few days it would be better to run the engine and dry it out like that. If you already had issues before this then it could be prudent to replace sparks and leads and maybe even the dizzy, but try taking them off and drying with rags in the area and WD40ing first as has already been said.

Don't feel like a nonce, its a mistake a lot of people make.

Yeah I wasn't quite sure about letting it tick over that much :lol:.

Going to take out the leads and clean up with a rag and some WD40 tonight and see how that goes.

[Rinse 0]

Right so took out all ignition leads, sprayed wd40 on the spark plug ends and wiped over with a rag. couldn't see any water left in with the spark plugs but used a rag and knitting needle to get down about the plugs and wasn't getting wet either. Sprayed WD40 in each hole of the dizzy when i was cleaning out all the ignition leads. Fired it up, still the same. Checked electrical connections and sprayed with WD40 but no change.

 

After running it again today I don't think its a misfire/backfire. It sounds metal and from the front of the engine. Only happens now and again if I put the throttle to the floor at a low rpm in a high gear. - Is there any way water could have got in the throttle body or exhaust? or is that a stupid idea?

 

Ran it through VAGCOM after washing and oxygen sensor (Which I assume is the lambda sensor) came up. - don't know if that was there before washing though. Where can I disconnect the Lambda sensor from to see if its this?

Sorry if these are stupid things to try, clutching at straws hoping I don't need to fork out for parts that may or may not fix the problem. Already spent quite a bit this month on it...

 

I've taken some videos of me driving it that shows the splutty exhaust but struggling getting them onto the computer.

Cheers

Keeve

 

EDIT: heres the video, not much but best I can do.

 

I also have the shareware version of VAGCOM if that will help diagnose if a cylinder isn't running? Not sure how to though still learning how to use it.

[Rinse 0]

Right, Finally took the time to find out the difference between coilpack and Dissy. Turns out I have a Coil pack... :sleeping:

Took the coil pack off, cleaned up the outside as it had oil on it (My coilpack didn't look as if it came apart. Bosch? Also discovered a leaky rocker cover gasket whilst i was at it hence the oil...) Sprayed down with WD40 and re-fitted. Still the same. Started the car without the lambda and was worse so didn't bother driving with it. Just misted water over the coilpack too when it was dark and no sparks... so can write that off.

 

Noticed now though when the ignition is on theres a humm coming from the circular collection of wired behind it. Loom? Is this normal?

 

Got under the car and gave the exhaust a good shake. Looks like the cat to middle silencer joint is pretty loose and sagging. and exhaust has become pretty noisey.... Surely this wouldn't cause my car to judder that much at low rpm?? Have a feeling I've been down the wrong street following this pressure washer! :lol: Cars also slightly erratic idleing... Starting to loose hope in this C :(

[RW1 0]

Noticed now though when the ignition is on theres a humm coming from the circular collection of wired behind it. Loom? Is this normal?

 

Cars also slightly erratic idleing... Starting to loose hope in this C :(

 

Hum is most liely the Aux Water Pump just in front of the loom connection - normal to work with ignition only :)

 

Irratic idle - clean the Idle Stabilisation Valve (ISV). It may be sticking slightly and causing the engine to hunt the rpm.

 

VCDS doesn't really go to cylinder level for diagnosis, good old engine know how to tackle that level. measure the ignition and plug caps out, 5k ohm each. Dizzy - Coil 5k ohm.

 

Water into the throttle body/exhaust? - No.

 

Would help to get the Lambda fixed! Before tackling the ISV.

 

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[dr_mat 0]

Description of the problem sound a bit like you're describing pinking, which can occur on heavy throttle at low revs when you have bad fuel/air mix or are running exceptionally lean, which *does* point back towards the lambda ..

[Rinse 0]

Hum is most liely the Aux Water Pump just in front of the loom connection - normal to work with ignition only :)

 

Irratic idle - clean the Idle Stabilisation Valve (ISV). It may be sticking slightly and causing the engine to hunt the rpm.

 

VCDS doesn't really go to cylinder level for diagnosis, good old engine know how to tackle that level. measure the ignition and plug caps out, 5k ohm each. Dizzy - Coil 5k ohm.

 

Water into the throttle body/exhaust? - No.

 

Would help to get the Lambda fixed! Before tackling the ISV.

 

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Glad the hum is normal! Was thinking that'd be a nightmare to fix if it wasn't!

Will give the ISV a clean, don't think it'll help the issues with it under load but won't do any harm.

Not sure how to measure ignition etc so going to get a garage to do that one.

Think I'm just going to bite the bullet and start replacing parts that could be suspect.

 

One of my mates was speaking to a mechanic about this too and was told to get me to try and start the engine with no spark plugs in in case there's water in the head? Surely that can't be right? :pale:

[RW1 0]

If the plugs were in when washed then no,

if the plugs came out AFTER you dried up the 6 spark plug recesses, then no.

if you took the spark plugs out while still some water in the bottom of the spark plug recesses, then yes, but unless they were flooded still upto the top of the spark plugs, not enough.

 

Change your mechanic!

 

ISV has an influence on engine running with the throttle open besides controlling idle rpm.

 

Get the Lambda fixed first before the ISV, thats a big influence!!!

 

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[Rinse 0]

Is there any thought on the noise the cars making from the noise in this video?

 

Have changed plugs, fixed the leak in exhaust, re-connected to VAGCOM and the Lambda fault code has gone. Have checked all the HT leads with a multimeter and they are all reading about 5.5 with one just above 6. One of the leads has a slight tear in the rubber where it looks like a 'grip'. - that shouldn't effect if if the resistance is still okay? right?

About to go to halfords and pick up some jubilee clips so I can clean this ISV and see how I get on with that.

 

Also, the misfire is still there after fixing the exhuast. Will that still point to the isv?

[Rinse 0]

VAG COM just showed intermittent short to ground on the MAF. I had the MAF disconnected earlier and the car spluttered after starting and died when i tried starting it later, unplugged and reconnected the MAF then it started fine. Have a feeling its going to be that thats causing the problem anyway. Will try another and see how I get on.

[Rinse 0]

Another MAF. Still the same!

 

Last chance before I put it into the garage for sorting this and paying for them to find out what the problem is.. Was under the car checking the exhaust after changing U clamps and noticed the stutter seems to be coming from the rear of the car. Took a closer look and the noise appears to be where the fuel pump (or filter, the one just infront of the OS rear wheel?) is...

 

VIDEO:

(was going to take the computer to the engine at the end but there was no point.)

 

Had the car out to get petrol into it (less than 20mpg) and there was no power behind the car at all. Can someone confirm that changing the fuel filter/pump will help? Still need to Clean the ISV also. Will have to be a job tomorrow if its required. Keep forgetting to buy new jubilee clips.

 

 

EDIT: Just went back to double check my diagnosis... that noise Is coming from the rear silencer. So fuel filter is out of the question. :bad-words:

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

defo sounds like your car is running on 5 cyl and sounds like either plug arcing or manifold gasket blowing,in the dark,look down the plug holes to the plugs...can you see any arcing?

[Rinse 0]

No arcing from the plugs and pulled each one when the car was running, and all of them made the engine change note and all of thier resistance is good. Lambda and ISV are my last point of call before its off to a garage. :brickwall:

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

No arcing from the plugs and pulled each one when the car was running, and all of them made the engine change note and all of thier resistance is good. Lambda and ISV are my last point of call before its off to a garage. :brickwall:

 

 

odd as the vid defo makes the car sounds ruff as hell....?

[Rinse 0]

One of the 4 wires on the loom side of the Lambda Connection has been cut? Ran the car without the lambda also and was exactly the same. Going to get The garage to fix the connection, too short on one side for me to re-crimp it and given up trying to sort this problem myself.

 

About to clean out the ISV but noticed a bit of an air leak here. What is this part and how would I go about sealing it?

[RW1 0]

The case shaped unit is the sound damper for the ISV. Not good if it's leaking around there. Be better off replacing.

 

If its the pipe thats perished, then its 021 133 394B Don't know the price off hand. But £16 is typical.

If its the damper case its 021 133 429A. Was quoted £10.90 plus VAT last week... instock at VW.

 

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