Huge flat spot and intermittent idling : 1.6fsi

[bongo77]

Hi! this is my first post- even though we've had 2 Audi A2s over the past few years. I'm a regular on www.boxa.net for my Boxster- although I've got a feleing I'll be spending a lot of time on here too!

My Mrs has just got a '03 1.6FSI which has a HUGE flat spot when the engine is warmed up at around 2800rpm. It makes pulling out of junctions a bit hairy to say the least.

Also- I've noticed it can't settle down to idle properly and on the motorway I can feel the engine pushing an pulling when I try to maintain a steady speed.

The engine check light has never come on a any time, but I remember we had a few issues with the EGR system on our previous 1.4. I borrowed a CVAG-COM and we got it sorted (after two attempts).

What could the proble with our 1.6 be- is it a known "feature" of the FSI? Airflow sensor? Blockage? Surely the engine check light should be on? - could it have had a problem before and some unscrupulour dealer/owner permanently extinguished the light?

P.S- Issues aside, the A2 is a massively underrated car btw. When our old one was stolen I insisted the Mrs get the same car again!

[ULP]

Welcome Bongo, sorry to hear your original A2 was nicked.

could it have had a problem before and some unscrupulour dealer/owner permanently extinguished the light?

If the light comes on when you first turn the ignition you can discount this as an option.

Coil packs are an FSI weakness, and my gamble is you have a faulty pack. However, as you mention temperature of engine is involved then it could be down to a faulty air-mass meter.

[bongo77]

Thanks ULP- I'll get the Mrs to check the engine light when starting and let you know....:)

Coil packs on a boxster are about £20 each- so I'm hoping Audi are similar or cheaper. Is this a DIY job for someone with a socket set who knows how to get the bonnet off?

Air flow meter sounds a bit more expensive :(

[Skipton01]

Both the coil packs and the air flow meter are DIY if you have a reasonable knowledge of cars.

The coil packs are £29.90 from the dealer, but the MAF is a tad pricier - try £95.92 for size!!

Fortunately, placed like GSF and EuroCarParts sell them for substantially less.

Cheers,

Mike

[Mike1410]

Hi bongo77,

My first post too! The symptoms you describe are definately not a "feature" of the 1.6 FSI engine, somethings wrong. My '04 has no flat spots & I don't have to think twice about pulling out of junctions - it goes like the proverbial bat out of hell! However, have to admit that I wouldn't recognise a coil pack if it hit me in the face so as to what is wrong I don't know.

I'm a driving instructor for my sins (though I don't teach in the A2!) and my last tuition car was an '04 Golf 1.6 FSI, so esentially the same engine. In 3 years and 35,000 miles I never had that problem in the Golf either (and the last thing you want with a pupil driving is hesitancy from the car when you pull out of a junction - you're going slow enough already!).

I have always used either Shell Optimax or BP Ultimate petrol in both the Golf and A2 - it really does make a difference.

Also, I see people discussing the merits of Variable Servicing as opposed to Fixed Interval and inevitably they say Variable is only good if you do mostly motorway miles - not town driving. Well the Golf never saw a motorway in it's life, was on Variable, was obviously mostly stop start short journeys and took a lot of hammer from learner drivers. Fluids checked at least once a week, and I used 2 x 1 litre top up bottles of oil whilst I had the car (£9.50 + vat per litre). It only asked for 1 service in 3 years, at the princely sum of £189.54 (from the supplying VW dealer - Lightcliffe of Halifax). Cheapest to run & the most reliable driving school car I have ever owned. Maybe I was just very lucky?

[bongo77]

Thanks for your replies chaps. Much appreciated.

The check engine light comes on before the car is started- so we can rule out unscrupulous dealers/ previous owners for now :-)

I still can't understand why the check engine light isn't on- when there's something clearly amiss.

I'll give the coils a visual inspection at the weekend. If they're cracked/corroded I'll get onto Audi for a free repair (car is <5yrs old) It's a common problem on the Boxster too. I've had all six coil packs replaced over the last couple of years.

I'll also try to borrow a VAG-COM from the brother in law too to diagnose it properly- he's the owner of G-WERKS (A VW tuning specialist).

We had a check engine fault on the previous 1.4 petrol- turned out to be the EGR valve.

Maybe it's because the car has been used as a city car all it's life? Also it's almost always been drived by women? :eek:

Whenver I fill it up I use 97RON but the Mrs invariably puts 95 in- as I still can;t convince her it's better for an FSI.

[bdub]

Interesting thread, My Mrs' 03 1,6FSI has never felt right in the 2 yrs weve had it. We always use shell vpower , it's not slow or sluggish but doesn't feel smooth. Exactly as Bongo is describing. I tried new air mass meter but no different. I doesn't bother the mrs but drives me nuts when i borrow it. It's just not smooth under accell and seems to do little surges.

please keep updating the post as would like to fix it, it's a great little car.

Cheers

[A2 Golden Miler]

bdub - our fsi felt exactly as you describe then at nearly 5yrs old and 10K miles (yes thats right :eek:) it went in for cam belt ....... and Major Service, it went to our local Skoda dealer who advised they were freshly trained in this engine as it has recently joined the Skoda range, I mentioned the "lumpiness" and it has come back a different car, I asked what they did to it because Audi did not fix it on its 2yr service and they replied "serviced it properly" !!!!!!
so I am non the wiser but double happy:D:D

[rickdon]

Hi bongo77

For what its worth my 2 1/2 year old 16FSI had the same symptoms as ‘bdub’ , fortunately my Emission Management light came on (permanently) Had it checked and it turned out to be a solenoid operating the ‘Actuation Intake manifold Flap’ (As the name suggests this is located in the manifold).
Had it fixed 2 weeks ago, everything is now hunky dory.
Should say I was glad it was covered under warranty, as although the part was cheap in took in total, 4 hours to do a full diagnostic & 8 hours to fit ‘in’ test. £70 an hour. Allegedly!!!
By the way Audi Roadside Assist, 5 min to diagnose & 20 min to take out and fit back ( he tried to fix it as he never had the part in his van)

Mike 1410 had a good point about type of fuel. My hand book says to use 98 RON, although I have been known to use 95 in an emergency.

Cheers

Pat

[tony1]

Hi! this is my first post- even though we've had 2 Audi A2s over the past few years. I'm a regular on www.boxa.net for my Boxster- although I've got a feleing I'll be spending a lot of time on here too!

My Mrs has just got a '03 1.6FSI which has a HUGE flat spot when the engine is warmed up at around 2800rpm. It makes pulling out of junctions a bit hairy to say the least.

Also- I've noticed it can't settle down to idle properly and on the motorway I can feel the engine pushing an pulling when I try to maintain a steady speed.

The engine check light has never come on a any time, but I remember we had a few issues with the EGR system on our previous 1.4. I borrowed a CVAG-COM and we got it sorted (after two attempts).

What could the proble with our 1.6 be- is it a known "feature" of the FSI? Airflow sensor? Blockage? Surely the engine check light should be on? - could it have had a problem before and some unscrupulour dealer/owner permanently extinguished the light?

did anyone ever sort that problem out as i have the same problem with my wifes new a2 1.6 fsi,i have change air flow injectors,valve that opens and close's the inlet flaps and the flaps as well but still cant sort it ,it driving me nuts,no engine lights on and audi computer say everthing is ok

[spike]

Hi Tony1
The attached post relating to a 1.4 petrol run by an owner from another forum may be of interest

''Hi Alan
Would a faulty throttle potentiometer give this problem? I'm not sure how the resistance varies with throttle position but if its possible to have a 'bad' sector, this would fit in with the hiccup on gentle use of the pedal versus no problem when the pedal is 'floored'
See link for the experiences of a club member from another forum with problems on inital acceleration. http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=44185
The interesting bit is thie problem did not flash up any fault codes''

Cheers Spike

[tony1]

hi mate thanks for that but thats not the problem,the revs pick up when you press the throttle theres no delay but a hude flat spot that some times get better and other times it really bad,the engine seen to just go bluuurrrrrrrrr and not really going anywhere

[MatiasMandango]

Same problem with my 1.6, flat spot noticable on motorways at about 4000rpm, in first in traffic it tries to put and the revs shift about even though I'm not on the accelorator......replaced a coil pack in the past as it came up on the fault code reader which sorted the problem for a couple of weeks which suggests to me I have another faulty pack somewhere

[MatiasMandango]

Pat you said....

"For what its worth my 2 1/2 year old 16FSI had the same symptoms as ‘bdub’ , fortunately my Emission Management light came on (permanently) Had it checked and it turned out to be a solenoid operating the ‘Actuation Intake manifold Flap’ (As the name suggests this is located in the manifold).
Had it fixed 2 weeks ago, everything is now hunky dory.
Should say I was glad it was covered under warranty, as although the part was cheap in took in total, 4 hours to do a full diagnostic & 8 hours to fit ‘in’ test. £70 an hour. Allegedly!!!
By the way Audi Roadside Assist, 5 min to diagnose & 20 min to take out and fit back ( he tried to fix it as he never had the part in his van)

Mike 1410 had a good point about type of fuel. My hand book says to use 98 RON, although I have been known to use 95 in an emergency."

Do you have any more information i.e. part numbers etc for the replacement part??

Thanks

Matt

[tony1]

i have already replaced that but still the same