Can a bad VR6 blue temp sensor make the car feel flat?

[Jim 2]

I've got some of the symptoms of my blue temp sensor being shot - one being the engine often revving quite high when the engine first starts from cold. Just wondered if it can also cause the car to feel a little "flat" - I assumed it would as presumably coolant temperature relates to how the engine is fueled? The car still feels reasonably brisk but really feels in the last month or so like it's suddenly become a 2.8 VR6 :)

[Jim Bowen 1]

Yeah, the blue sensor talks to the ECU and i think if it has a problem the ECU uses a default setting to compensate.

 

Could also be a sign of a vacuum/air leak.

[GlosterOx 0]

The Blue Temp Sensor, as far as I understand it, controls the fuelling via the ECU - Normally if they are shot you have problems starting the engine when it is hot.

 

Have you hooked it up to Vagcom Jim?

 

Ian.

[Jim 2]

I haven't got VAG-COM alas :(

[robrado974 1]

When the blue sender gave out on my car , I only had starting problems , mainly from cold . A VR should run on a faster idle when cold and then drop to normal idle . Mine was struggling . Hooked it up to the Vagcom and the duff sensor was reading 37 d .

[Jim Bowen 1]

Am sure there is also a way to measure the resistance of the sensor at varying temps.

[Jim 2]

Ah - the symptom I'm referring to is when you first start the car, usually after it's been left long enough for the engine to be stone cold, is that when it bursts to life (usually with very little cranking I should add.. always starts quickly and first time) sometimes it shoots up to like 1500-2000RPM then comes back down to the normal level of about 1,000RPM - then settles down the normal level (650RPM) after only a minute or two of warming up.

 

But I noticed the other day when putting the car away which requires a bit of faffing as the alley behind my garage is tight, that the engine got quite warm and idle got a bit funny - it seemed to click into idling at the sort of level as if it was stone cold again (1,000RPM'ish) and seemed a bit lumpy.

 

I've got a spare blue temp sensor anyway so may just swap it to rule it out.

[GlosterOx 0]

Am sure there is also a way to measure the resistance of the sensor at varying temps.

 

Yes you can, see: http://myquickfix.co.uk/2013/12/replacing-the-blue-coolant-temperature-sensor-in-the-golf-vr6-mk3/

[Jim 2]

I really should look into buying a multimeter!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Ah - the symptom I'm referring to is when you first start the car, usually after it's been left long enough for the engine to be stone cold, is that when it bursts to life (usually with very little cranking I should add.. always starts quickly and first time) sometimes it shoots up to like 1500-2000RPM then comes back down to the normal level of about 1,000RPM - then settles down the normal level (650RPM) after only a minute or two of warming up.

 

 

Perfectly normal.

 

You have "Car hypochondria" :D

[Jim 2]

Quite likely :)

[GlosterOx 0]

I really should look into buying a multimeter!

 

Get to Maplins, gotta be worth a tenner? - http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-automotive-digital-multimeter-with-inductive-pickup-n58fu

 

Ian.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

Quite likely :)

 

LOL or just sensitive to it Jim ;)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Just read the second bit about faffing around behind the garage. Seems quite normal to me also! Nothing out of the ordinary with these cars!

[mimjed 0]

I have vag com Jim. if your ever leicester way i'll plug it in.