HELP! Corrado doesnt want to idle! :(

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

Hi all,

 

I parked my Corrado 1.8 16v in my driveway last night and all was well - but when i started her up this morning, she stalled every time i took my foot off the throttle! The revs just dropped away to nothing and the car stalled.

 

This may have been because i tried to start her whilst it was in gear (forgot to knock it out of gear! doh!) , ie, so it didnt start - do you think it could have flooded it or something? (i always depress the throttle a little when i start the car). I managed to drive it for a minute or two and after that it ran like a dream, just as normal. Im wondering if maybe there was a problem with the automatic 'choke' type thing? Just a little worried as i need to drive the car 250 miles to Cornwall this weekend (and back again with any luck! lol) and im worried ill damage it. Its always started before, not too keenly when cold, you need to give it some throttle and the starter turns for a few seconds before it actually catches and starts - but its never stalled every time i lift off the throttle before!

 

What could this be? Will i damage her if i drive her?

 

Cheers in anticipation guys!

 

Dave

[.A.N.T. 0]

I've got the same thing. Just happens occasionly but when I start, unless I keep my foot on the throttle to keep the engine speed up it dies.

After a couple of miles it'll idle, but around 400rpm instead of the more usual 900. It'll stay like that for another few miles, then once fully warm it'll be ok.

Reading what I've jsut written it sounds like it could be something to do with the autochoke or warm up regualtor???

 

Anyone got any thoughts on this????

[GazzaG60 0]

vacum leak?

 

I had a problem like this on my sky. the air auxillary valve on the back of the inlet manifold has a pipe going to it on the sky. it was split. at certain points it would fall v low on idle or stall when throttle closed. AAV was sticking slightly too. give it a clean.

 

not too sure if yours runs the same or not. think it runs a ISV(16v experts) if it does it should have a switch on the throttle body that tells it when its at idle. check that.

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

sky?

 

AAV?

 

ISV?

 

 

Cheers for the replies chaps! ;)

 

BTW i know bugger all about Corrado engines (and not much about any other engines actually!) - ive only had the bloody thing 3 weeks!

[Jim 1]

Eh.. we have two duplicate threads. Gonna put my reply from that in here, and chop the dupe :

 

I can't help you with the technical problem unfortunately.

 

But according to the handbook you shouldn't start the car with any throttle at all. I found that using a little throttle on startup made my Corrado misbehave quite often with idle problems.. when I stopped doing it, it made it made it behave a LOT better. If the car is going to struggle at all starting from cold, I believe you are only supposed to depress the clutch and thats it.

 

I shouldn't imagine its going to damage the car though.. if nothing sounds different, there are no misfires or anything like that, I find it very unlikely that you will damage anything.

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

Cheers mate - i find if i dont give it some throttle when i start, it takes longer to catch and when it does start it stalls immediately - if i start it with some throttle its usually ok!

 

Just taken it out for a drive and its running fine. Ill see how i get on. In the meantime, does anyone else have any more light to shed? Cheers!

 

Dave

[GazzaG60 0]

SKY-vw scirocco

AAV- air auxillary valve

ISV- Idle stabilization valve

 

cannot be arsed typing the full names.

[2cc 0]

Dave, for what its worth I agree with jims16v that u shouldn't need any throttle to get it going from cold. That u do indicates a problem with the fuel/air mix and is most likely to be caused by a vacuum leak somewhere; less effect once its warmed up so don't worry about driving it tho' obviously it'll go better if u find the snag.

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

cheers chaps. Ill have to get it checked out - fuel economy is good tho, so its not running rich!

 

The cars previous owner has told me im getting problems because i do so many short trips (i live a 2minute drive from work, so i should walk reall!) and he says its never getting warmed up as even when i drive to my girlfriends, its only a 15minute drive. He reckons a good thrash will do it the world of good!

[2cc 0]

well, I agree giving it a thrash will keep it loosened up, and only 2 mins to work will get u nowhere near normal operating temps. But it should still start without throttle from cold in any event, so I suspect it has something wrong with it.

[Jim 1]

Dave,

 

My car started to get more and more troublesome because I used to have a really short journey to work (4 miles / 10 minutes) - because it was never given a proper run I kinda felt like it was choking up towards the end of owning it - hesitant from cold, occasional cut outs when cold, etc..

 

Worth swapping if you have just bought the car are ignition leads, disty cap, and rotor arm - I am a total engine dunderhead but even I managed to swap those bits without too much hassle.. definately made my car run a LOT better. Though a word of warning.. VW glue the rotor arms in place and the only way of getting them off (assuming it hasnt been done already before and not glued back on) is with some serious pressure thru a pair of molegrips!!

[chuck 0]

Hello,

Yes. I had exactly same problem not so long ago. Turned tout to be a disconnected vacuum hose. Check under the throttle housing. On the big black air inlet pipe from the air box. Look on the underside of that, you should see two vacuum hoses going into it (one plastic, one covered in cloth as I remember). If there's only one, look about, there should be another lying about somewhere thats disconnected.

This happened to me when I replaced the ar filter, as you can tend to pull on the hoses a wee bit when doing so, and one is pretty taut to start with.

 

Other symptoms: It runs OK after a few minutes as these pipes are only used for engine choking when cold.

 

It is almost certainly a vacuum hose. If its not the one I described try this, Start the engine with bonnet open. Keep engine going with the throttle from the engine bay. Let it die and listen carefully. You should be able to hear a little hiss dissappear. Thats your problem. Find and Fix. :)

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

Thanks guys.

 

i did pull the airbox about the other day, so i suspect ive dislodged something!

 

I took teh car for a damn good thrashing last night (90 in 3rd, 110 in 4th etc) and ran it for an hour, got it nice and warm. This morning it idled perfectly - but i still had to give it a light throttle to start it.

 

Ill have a look under the airbox today and see what i can break... i mean fix ;)

 

As for plugs - i tried to take one out last night to check it, and i couldnt get my spark plug socket in the hole! My socket was too big for the hole (oo-er!)

 

:)

[CazzaVR 0]

Might be worth checking the ISV pipes too. One of mine was split in a couple of places and the car idled terribly. Only took 5 mins to replace it and I cleaned the ISV with carb cleaner at the same time (left it to soak overnight). Now it idles perfectly :) .

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

What does that look like mate? Anyone got a piccie?

 

Cheers chaps - much much appreciated!

[CazzaVR 0]

As you look into the engine bay, it is a small metal cylinder level with the top/right of the engine, above the dizzy. From memory it has 3 pipes going into it (2 at the front, one at the back, and an electical plug/sensor. To remove it, you simply undo the clips etc. Check the pipes for fitment/splits/damage etc. Spray the inside of the ISV with carb cleaner (put masking tape over the electrical socket). Be very liberal! You can soak it in carb cleaner or petrol- the longer the better!

 

Hope this helps :)

 

I'm sure someone can explain it better and provide a pic! :?

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

Nice one mate, thanks a lot!

 

Ill check all the pipes over and try cleaning it - ive got next week off, so hopefully i can sort a few of my niggles out!

[Jim 1]

Dave,

 

Found this picture on google image search of a VW Golf 16v engine bay, but its enough to show you where to look....

 

Its the small black piece, which joins on to the long thin piece of rubber tube that runs the whole way along the front of the engine & manifold. All you have to do is remove it from the rubber tube, and disconnect an electrcal plug / sensor.

 

Hope that helps!

 

*edit*

 

Hope mark16v doesnt mind.. nicked a shot of his engine bay as it helps show it better - just photoshopped it to highlight the bit I mean.

[Joe M 0]

What is the clip thing on the second ignition lead for? I have one as well but its on the first lead.

[Jim 1]

You know, I have absolutely no idea what thats for.. mine used to have one as well.

[Dave_Corrado16v 0]

Wow - very good of you mate, thanks very much. Ill go out and twat it with a big hammer and see if it makes a difference ;) eheh

[Jim 1]

No worries.. its nice to be able to remain useful to the group despite not being an owner any more. Sob.

 

Well as Andy said.. just disconnect it all and hose it through for a while with a can of carb cleaner.. should hopefully knock out and disolve grease and stuff.

 

As I said, also worth doing disty cap, rotor arm and ignition leads at some point. They all help get the 16v engine running smoother!! :)

[2cc 0]

What is the clip thing on the second ignition lead for? I have one as well but its on the first lead.

This cropped up in another thread but can't remember which one. Anyway, its basically a 'handle' to help you pull the plug leads off coz there isn't much room for your fingers. It can be rotatated & unclipped for where you want to use it.

[Jim 1]

Weird.. I kinda figured it was for that but didn't wanna say it in case I was wrong.

 

Well theres the answer to that one! :)

[JC 0]

I dont know much about cars dudes but that little clip u's are on about is removable and if u turn it around when u do remove it, it fit's back on2 the spark plug lead a different way, its a finger grip tool for helpin u remove the spark plug leads.