A3 1.8T power loss problems

[blackcat]

Hello to all on the forum, please can you help me ?

I have been having problems with my car now for about 2 years, I have been to 4 different garages, never the squealers, and spent nearly £1000 trying to rectify the problem. I am now at my wits end as to what to do next. The problem is as follows -

The car starts to lose power when going into 3rd/4th gear or when trying to reach speeds of up to 40 and the rev counter will not go over 3000, it now won't start at all. I have nearly been in 2 major RTA's because of this and the car is dangerous to drive.

I have had the following work carried out to rectify this problem but none of it lasts for more than a couple of months before the troubles start again.

New air mass meter
New lambda and dump valve
New clutch
New pipes for turbo

The mechanic that had it last has said he will get to the bottom of this problem for me but doesn't know what it could be, I have mentioned some other things it may be from posts on this forum, such as spark plug leads, cat and coilpacks and he said he has checked all of them and it isn't that.

The only thing left (i think) is that I have a faulty ECU.

Please could anyone give me any advice on this, I would really appreciate it, I don't know the first thing about cars and don't know what to do for the best. The car is an A3 1.8T Sport, 2001.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Blackcat

 

[Jimmybuckrogers]

How does the car respond when it reaches 3000 rpm? Does it sound like it's miss-firing or do you get a judder?

Have you run Vag-com (diagnostics) on it?

 

[fran-s3]

would it missfire at all when trying to go over 40??? sounds like a fuelling issue to me!!!! fuel pump maybe? (when mine was failing mine would missfire at higher speeds and struggle to accelerate) And now is doesn't start certainly makes me suspect that!

 

[blackcat]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. It doesn't miss fire but it does judder, it won't go over 3000, it just seems to shut down.

What you said about the fuel pump does make sense so it could be that.

 

[blackcat]

I haven't managed to get it to the garage yet to run VAG-Com on it, every time this has happened before the mechanics have said that they have repaired what the machine has told them the fault was. The mechanic who is trying to sort it out for me this time has asked me to try and find out some more info from the internet before I take it back to him.

 

[HTC]

Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you open the door or turn the ignition key?

 

[blackcat]

Please could you explain what you mean by prime ?
Thank you.

 

[Jimmybuckrogers]

When you turn on the ignition you should hear a buzz for a second or so as the fuel pump brings up the pressure.

There are loads of people on here with vag-com, tell us where you are and someone will sort you out.

 

[Clach]

Injector amplifier, if it is pre March 2000

 

[blackcat]

Hi,

I have just started the car up, I couldn't hear a buzz, there is another noise though that the car makes but someone has told me that this is the starter motor and it isn't linked to the problem I am having ?

I had my foot to the floor, the car revved up after about 10 seconds and then died. I tried it again, didn't rev up at all just died.

The car is July 2001 so could it still be the injector amp ?

I live in south Sheffield if anyone has VAG-Com near where I live.

Thanks for all your help, I am most grateful.

 

[Clach]

no sorry mate, just prefacelift for the amplifier

 

[millwrx]

hi were does the injector amplifier sit on the car,what does it look like and how much are they???

 

[Clach]

behind the airbox, and 120 from audi

 

[HTC]

Guys, there is no "injector amplifier". The injectors are fired directly from the ECU.
There is an "ignition amplifier" for the coil packs on early cable throttle engines.

Anyways, blackcat, if you can hear a short hum from the rear for a few seconds when you turn the key to the first position or when you open the door (on some models) then this may be your problem. The fuel pump is under the rear seat behind the driver under a black circular disc. You could lift up the seat which would make it easy to hear it.

If it definitely not humming, then you aren't pumping fuel.

Have a look at the fuel delivery test I posted in this thread.

 

[h100vw]

I live in south Sheffield

www.jbsautodesigns.co.uk in Chesterfield shouldn't be that far away from you.


Gavin

 

[blackcat]

Thanks for all your replies.

HTC - I have heard the hum now so it can't be the fuel pump, don't suppose you have any more ideas please ?

 

[fran-s3]

Mate my fuel pump still 'hum'ed as it were when mine was faulty! I wouldn't count it out just because it's priming. Anyway take it to a decent VAG specialist who knows what there doing and they'll sort it out for you - you'll end up wasting your time and money listening to us as we've not seen or been in your car to give you a proper diagnostic! And were going by passed experience, every cars different.