1.4 TDI (90) "Missfire"

Hi All

I'm taking my A2 to the local specialist today to try and get a long term hesitation / misfire sorted. The engine has been re-mapped from new. I've had the car about 10 years the problem started only very slightly a couple of years ago but has got worse in the past month or so.

At the last service in November they said there were no fault codes.

Below is my note to the workshop (CT Cars in West Horsley, Surrey). Your experienced opinions would be appreciated.

Hi Mike

I just thought I would put down a few notes regarding the misfire / hesitation that I have asked you to investigate today.

• It does not occur or a least hardly occurs in the summer months.
• When it does occur it is under load.
• Sometimes it prevents the engine revving above about 3200rpm
• It seems to happen less using “Super” diesel. Only tried this once though, just after last service.
• In the past week:
o Engine stopped at traffic light and would not start until I cranked it with the throttle on the floor (Also behaved as if battery was nearly flat (which it wasn’t). Then it ran normally.
o Last weekend in below zero temperatures it got much worse refusing to climb hills normally OK in top gear. I had to change down to second or first to get up.
• At no time has the engine management light come on.

I hope this helps rather than hinders.

Regards

Robert Bailey

Has the problem been sorted? If not, I've just fixed the same symptoms you described with a fuel filter change (I must Fuel filter obsessed at the moment!)

Yes it has been fixed. After CT Cars suggesting a new injector loom the problem was not fixed. When they started talking about a new turbo I decided to go somewhere else.

I went to VAS Motion in Merrow near Guildford. After putting it on the computer and showing me the readouts and telling me that he could find nothing wrong the guy there suggested that we try the cheapest thing first, which was a fuel filter. I checked my records and it hadn't been replaced when it should have done. They replaced the filter and the car is fine. Not only did thee hesitation go straight away but the car is running better and better. Also, to my amazement, an oil leak near the turbo has dried up.

All the best
Robert