Hank
A2OC Donor
I have had my A2 1.4 SE for about a year now, and I have generally been very pleased with it. However, it has always had a random mis-fire, starts OK, tick over OK, engine under load - occasional mis-fire and EML on.
Had it to 2 garages, both did scans @ £25.00 a time. Both came back with the same error, random mis-fire. Probably a sensor on the manifold or a failing coil pack.
Anyhow, last weekend the mis-fire was constant, so I took the bonnet off for the first time. I pulled off the sparkplug cap off no.1 cylinder and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was full of thin black sludge and I also noticed lots water around the injectors. Whoever had last taken the bonnet off had not noticed the top part of the rubber gasket around the engine compartment was not in place, so everytime it rained or I washed the car copious amounts of water got into the engine.
Managed to get all the liquid out, eventually using cotton buds, and got the sparkplug out. You could see why it was mis-firing! Put a new set of plugs in today and just got back from a 20 mile blast. Never missed a beat. Car has never run as well as this.
Obviously, neither garage had taken the bonnet off and had just plugged in the VAG COM.
Moral of the story is, if you have a fault on your car, dont dive for the laptop, have a look first!
Sorry for the ramble....
Had it to 2 garages, both did scans @ £25.00 a time. Both came back with the same error, random mis-fire. Probably a sensor on the manifold or a failing coil pack.
Anyhow, last weekend the mis-fire was constant, so I took the bonnet off for the first time. I pulled off the sparkplug cap off no.1 cylinder and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was full of thin black sludge and I also noticed lots water around the injectors. Whoever had last taken the bonnet off had not noticed the top part of the rubber gasket around the engine compartment was not in place, so everytime it rained or I washed the car copious amounts of water got into the engine.
Managed to get all the liquid out, eventually using cotton buds, and got the sparkplug out. You could see why it was mis-firing! Put a new set of plugs in today and just got back from a 20 mile blast. Never missed a beat. Car has never run as well as this.
Obviously, neither garage had taken the bonnet off and had just plugged in the VAG COM.
Moral of the story is, if you have a fault on your car, dont dive for the laptop, have a look first!
Sorry for the ramble....
