A3 1.8TQ spluttering

[JamesA3]

Hi all its been a while since I was on here!

The car for some time has had a bad idle which I've come to live with but the last couple of weeks its been spluttering very badly, you put your foot down and there's no power then it takes off then the power dies and it continues like that until its left off for a while.

This morning I was on the way to work did 20 miles no problem then hammered it down a stretch of dual carriageway and it started doing it again, I barely got the car to work it really is that bad and it seems worse at low revs.

As I was pulling into work the engine management light started flashing but went off after 20 seconds and I've not seen it do this before.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what could be causing the problem, MAF? coilpack?

Cheers

James

 

[god_thats_quick]

it's worth disconnecting the MAF and seeing if that smoothends it out if not I'd get it somewhere with VAGcom to see if there are any recorded faults, don't think it would be coilpacks with the way you describe it.

 

[JamesA3]

I'll give it a try, its a little inconsistent so I think I'll give it a clean as well, other than contact cleaner do I need any special tools to get the MAF apart?

 

[benk]

security-torx bits, which you can buy from most car parts places (e.g. A.R.E, etc). I used a can of circuit board cleaner. Anything with a high alcohol content so it will wash off junk and then the liquid will evaporate off should be good. Look in the FAQ thread in this forum (not the FAQ link shown at the top of this page) for links to MAF cleaning.:
http://www.audi-sport.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=181770&an=0&page=0#181770

 

[RichA3Turbo]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll give it a try, its a little inconsistent so I think I'll give it a clean as well, other than contact cleaner do I need any special tools to get the MAF apart?

[/ QUOTE ]

Cleaning a MAF if its that knackered will not achieve a whole lot. Best bet is to replace it. Costs about £70+vat exchange from the dealer.

Rich

 

[benk]

Could it still be coilpacks though?
If cars run better with a bad maf unplugged then this sounds worse than that?

 

[RichA3Turbo]

[ QUOTE ]
Could it still be coilpacks though?
If cars run better with a bad maf unplugged then this sounds worse than that?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you disconnect the MAF and the car drives smoothly (albeit with little power) then its pretty clear that the MAF has failed. if rough running continues even with MAF, then its likely to be the coilpacks.

RIch

 

[JamesA3]

Would a failing MAF cause the engine management light to flash?

 

[JamesA3]

Well I got in the car this evening and it was undrivable it sounded like it was running on two so I disconnected the MAF and it ran like a dream!

Given how bad it was I'm just going to buy the part, is it safe to run the car with it disconnected until I can get the new MAF?

 

[GarryX]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi all its been a while since I was on here!

The car for some time has had a bad idle which I've come to live with but the last couple of weeks its been spluttering very badly, you put your foot down and there's no power then it takes off then the power dies and it continues like that until its left off for a while.

This morning I was on the way to work did 20 miles no problem then hammered it down a stretch of dual carriageway and it started doing it again, I barely got the car to work it really is that bad and it seems worse at low revs.

As I was pulling into work the engine management light started flashing but went off after 20 seconds and I've not seen it do this before.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what could be causing the problem, MAF? coilpack?

Cheers

James

[/ QUOTE ]

Mate,this kinda sounds like the problem im having at the moment.

http://www.audi-sport.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=206345&an=0&page=0#206345

Is the cleaning of the MAF easily done for someone that knows nothing about car engine (well very little anyway)??And if you guys have read my post,do you think cleaning the MAF would solve it?

 

[GarryX]

[ QUOTE ]
Guys,

My car has just had a service done and when i got it back it is now sometimes chuggy in 2nd gear which wasnt happening before the service. weird! I thought a service was supposed to improve your car.

Think I will try the MAF thing too and see if that helps me

cheers

[/ QUOTE ]

Alright mate,where did you take your car for its service?Glasgow Audi by any chance??
I took mine in there in January and my car hasnt been the same since either.