Please help 1.8 non turbo takes ages to start and lumpy idle

LifeOfRyan

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Hi everyone I hope you are all well. I bought My Audi A4 B5 1.8 non turbo with engine code AVV about 3 weeks ago. When i went to look at it i knew something was wrong and I should have walked away but the guy kept talking to me diverting my attention away to a tear in the seat, I have autism so I became very confused and bought it anyway for 550 pounds which was all the money I had in the world. When I got home which was only a 5min drive away I immediately regretted buying the car and knew i made a big mistake. I turned the engine off and tried to start again and it did eventually but it took a long time and idled with a misfire or several. It starts easier when warm but from cold it takes a good 60 seconds of turning the key before it stutters into life. At first it sounds like its only running on 1 or 2 cylinders but then after about 5 seconds as revs increase the others do fire but still with a lumpy idle. I tried to take it back and explained my situation but all the guy said was Sorry sold. I have had a friend look at it and attempt to fix it, he replaced the inlet manifold gasket as we saw smoke rising from that area and after removing the manifold he also found a big hole in the crankcase breather hose which has been replaced, but the car still takes a very long time to start from cold and still idles rough? Any advice will be very much appreciated im hoping it can be repaired cheaply by my friend as I don't have alot of money so I need some pointers as to what it could be. Also my friend does not think it is the head gasket that's failed as there is no smoke from exhaust just white smoke (water vapour) from a cold start.

Thanks again
 
Hi mate have you got any warning lights on the dash when did it last have a service
 
Hi Andy Yes check engine light is on, I have no idea when it last had a service though. My friend did a fault code scan before the manifold gasket and breather pipe were replaced.
4 after code erase and drive
 
Could be coilpack that's causing the misfire or spark plugs the hard to start issue could just be a blocked fuel filter
 
Hi mate, I've had a similar issue before my 1.8 apt engine and I changed the temp sensor on the back of the head, sometimes when they go wrong the car thinks it's freezing cold and try disconnecting then start.


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Ok thanks i will get some new plugs and a fuel filter, i hope it isn't the coil pack though, sounds expensive!
 
Yes plug is the back on a plastic mount and also checked the plugs are not submerged in oil if the cam cover is leaking that could happen
See what plugs are in it as I only run bosch some other makes can cause a random misfire too mate

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I went for a short drive the first one since having the manifold gasket and breather hose changed... About 5 mins in the car started making a terrible noise, it sounds like a diesel is the best way I can describe it, not even just when accelerating it sounds like it on idle too.
 
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Cut your losses and get a wee 1.7 sdi seat arosa, I lot easier to fund if you are low on scoops. The car you bought will maybe take a couple of hundred to put right or if it can be done cheaply it will take hands on investigative diagnosis to pinpoint the exact fault and engineer a cheaper solution if that is possible. Sometimes parts need to be purchased to perform a fix and nothing can be done to avoid it and so the costs mount up.
 
Hi mate, I also have the AVV engine code in mine. I also had a bad misfire not long after buying, mine turned out to be a simple couple of fixes. First the two ignition leads that run off the coil pack were split ever so slightly causing a misfire so I replaced those! Then I noticed it still did it and realised the slight amount of oil I had soaked up from around the spark plugs was back which meant one thing! I also had a knackered rocker cover gasket which again is easy to replace. If you have to replace your rocker cover gasket just remember to use the black high temp sealant as well.
Hope that helps dude and I hope you get it sorted, even though it’s non turbo when it’s running well it’s a strong engine.
 
Hopefully it’s not got oil pump pickup pipe issues. After 5 mins of running making terrible noise.. sounds like blocked pick up pipe