Looking at buying a 1.6 FSI

HenryCrun

New Member
Greetings all

Having been lurking on the forum for a few days, it's time for my first post, and I feel it could be a contentious subject. The question is - should I buy a 1.6 FSI which refuses to rev?

I've been keeping an eye on it for a while. It's a 2002 with leather and sunroof, and advertised as only having 120k kms (c. 75k miles) on the clock. According to the current owner, it will not run above idling speed but simply stalls if one tries to rev it. I am wondering if it could be an easily fixable problem such as a failed TDC sensor (or maybe a similar camshaft sensor) or whether it is a more serious problem. I haven't been able to quiz the seller more closely yet on the problem yet: indeed, I haven't even seen the car, mad fool that I am. (We're supposed to be in lockdown here in France at the moment, and I have no desire to upset M. le Gendarme.) But I seem to have become smitten by the little aluminium wonder and am keen to acquire an example - but not if it is going to be a total lemon and cause me grief and expense. I will call the owner over the weekend and try and get more details on the problem which I can pass on here - if I have not been scared off the car!

I know that I have given unhelpfully few details on the problem, but I have a very simple question - could I have a bargain on my hands, or should I steer well clear?

Here is a link to the ad - sorry it's in French:


"Démarre au quart de tour, monte dans les tours et cale" can be translated as "starts on the button, revs up and stalls".

Many thanks in advance for any advice you might have.
 
I’m not mechanically minded enough to advise on the fix, but at that price with leather and working OSS, I can see why you are tempted. The FSI is known to be temperamental, but is a great engine when running well and is a great partner for the A2. As you can see from my signature, I have one myself.

I‘m sure members more tech savvy will be along to advise you on the potential fault and fixes. Best of luck.
 
Welcome to the forum :) You're in the right place for advice but I'm sure I won't be the only person who tells you, only buy it if you can get it scanned with VCDS before the deal is struck. That and that alone will tell you what it thinks ails it. We could make conjectures from the symptoms you describe but if the ECU is turning it off, only it knows why.
 
Thanks for that. I was thinking myself that scanning was probably be the way to go. My main transport is a 2001 Passat so a purchase of a VCDS lite license could be quite handy for that too!
 
More importantly. Does the EML illuminate then go off once the engine is running. If that has been got at there could be a whole can of worms waiting to jump out. SCAN SCAN SCAN.
 
@HenryCrun
Most important to know, the FSI must be run on Super Unleaded, 98/99 octane. So, don't buy an FSI unless you're happy to fund it's fuel habit.
Mac.
 
@HenryCrun
Most important to know, the FSI must be run on Super Unleaded, 98/99 octane. So, don't buy an FSI unless you're happy to fund it's fuel habit.
Mac.

To be fair Mac, given the excellent economy of the FSI (provided it's running okay) it doesn't work out that bad, only about 5% extra. Probably about the same £ per mile as the less economical 1.4 petrol.
 
To be fair Mac, given the excellent economy of the FSI (provided it's running okay) it doesn't work out that bad, only about 5% extra. Probably about the same £ per mile as the less economical 1.4 petrol.
You're probably right @sciroccorrado I get 45 mpg in very mixed driving, more local during the "Covid Years". If memory serves, and it was a long time ago, I was getting high 50s on a long run, but less if I'm enjoying myself ...
I get my electricity and gas from Shell Energy, so I get 3% of fuel (first 60 ltrs I think) per month, using the Shell Go card. They also do occasional money off, to encourage me to buy V Power. Both cars, FSI and TT run on it, It's all carbon offset too (not sure this is all it seems though).
Unless you do high mileages, the cost of fuel is not that much of a % of running costs anyway.
Mac.
 
So I don't need to license VCDS to scan codes, is that correct?

@HenryCrun
Yes, that is true. You'll log all the codes (hopefully, not too many), The report will only show the details (label text) of the first error, in each group, with any other errors showing the code only. But the error code is all you need for now, then get the details from the Rosstech wiki. Or just Google Rosstech followed by the code.
Once you have done a scan, it's normally important to clear the codes, as it's likely many are historical, BUT in your situation, don't clear them. This is because you can't take it for a drive to get a fresh set of codes. Until you have bought it of course!
Mac.
 
@HenryCrun
Yes, that is true. You'll log all the codes (hopefully, not too many), The report will only show the details (label text) of the first error, in each group, with any other errors showing the code only. But the error code is all you need for now, then get the details from the Rosstech wiki. Or just Google Rosstech followed by the code.
Once you have done a scan, it's normally important to clear the codes, as it's likely many are historical, BUT in your situation, don't clear them. This is because you can't take it for a drive to get a fresh set of codes. Until you have bought it of course!
Mac.
Many thanks for that. The temptation level has just increased...
 
No that cable is no good...
A cheap ebay cable like this is what you need. Although you could buy a Gendan cable that is more expensive..

 
You're probably right @sciroccorrado I get 45 mpg in very mixed driving, more local during the "Covid Years". If memory serves, and it was a long time ago, I was getting high 50s on a long run, but less if I'm enjoying myself ...
I get my electricity and gas from Shell Energy, so I get 3% of fuel (first 60 ltrs I think) per month, using the Shell Go card. They also do occasional money off, to encourage me to buy V Power. Both cars, FSI and TT run on it, It's all carbon offset too (not sure this is all it seems though).
Unless you do high mileages, the cost of fuel is not that much of a % of running costs anyway.
Mac.

I went checking when I saw 60ltrs ‘of’ fuel. I now now that means 3% off Shell fuel, I was about to sign up myself


Sent from the future
 
I went checking when I saw 60ltrs ‘of’ fuel. I now now that means 3% off Shell fuel, I was about to sign up myself
emoji1787.png



Sent from the future
 
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