Audi 80 tdi - juddering problem

[Ed Ray]

Right... i've been offered an Audi 80 tdi estate 1994. The car is in immaculate condition and is a good price - so im really keen on purchasing the car, but with no mechanical skills i need some reasurrance before purchasing.

The car has a juddering problem at around 1500 - 2000 rpm in 3rd, 4th, 5th - the car will judder and especially the gear stick. When get over 2000 rpm the problem goes.

Any advice, any ideas on what the problem might be?

Cheers

Ed

[MJB20V]

It does sound like a cheap clutch kit or its needs a new one

[midskev]

hi i have a 96 80 tdi with same prob mostly noticable in 4th n 5th and cluch is perfect changeds maf cleaned egr put all new vacume hoses on n75 ok looking into throttle swich faut now wil let u know if i sort it but its really bugging me now

[Lewis]

Hi Midskev. Sounds like we have the same problem.Did you ever get to the bottom of it? I read a post somewhere, though I can't find it now, that said disconnect the speedo. I did, and the problem almost went away. Almost, it's still there but not nearly as bad. It's still under powered and very slow on the hills. Has anybody discovered the remedy for what seems like a common problem?

[Lewis]

Sounds like we have the same problem.Did you ever get to the bottom of it? I read a post somewhere, though I can't find it now, that said disconnect the speedo. I did, and the problem almost went away. Almost, it's still there but not nearly as bad. It's still under powered and very slow on the hills.I have cleaned the inlet manifold and changed the MAF sensor so far but no joy. Has anybody discovered the remedy for what seems like a common problem?

[allan_audi]

Have you looked at the following thread;

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=66995

I've spent ages looking into this problem!

[audiboy10]

Right... i've been offered an Audi 80 tdi estate 1994. The car is in immaculate condition and is a good price - so im really keen on purchasing the car, but with no mechanical skills i need some reasurrance before purchasing.

The car has a juddering problem at around 1500 - 2000 rpm in 3rd, 4th, 5th - the car will judder and especially the gear stick. When get over 2000 rpm the problem goes.

Any advice, any ideas on what the problem might be?

Cheers

Ed
Hi, All. I am having exactly the same simtums {judder @ 2000 rpm.] and it NOT the CLUTCH. I feel it must be eighter electronics or fuel related ?? It seems to be a very common problem judging by the number of members bringing this matter up !!!. So come on all U Audi / VW Tech's , Please put us poor suffers out of our pain!!!!!! Oh and U could save lives [as it's bloody dangerous.

[andybellbulldog]

Ive Got An L Reg 80 Tdi And Its Got The Same Problem Ive Changed Vacum Hoses Cleaned Everthing Im At A Loss Now Need Help It Purrs Down The Motorway At 80 All Day Long But Round Town It Judders And Then Doesnt ???help

[fludor]

Hello

@ Ed Ray
If you really like the car just buy it but with about 800 euro less cause that's how much you will spend to fix it. I've been looking for an answer to this problem for two yeas, the problem is the injection pump, change it or have it repaired. A normal test of the pump will say that the pump is ok but in fact the problem is the electronic part of the injection pump. I had my audi repaired this way, it runs perfect now.

All the best

[UltraAleks]

I agree with fludor (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/member.php?u=8479) , I too think it's the fuel pump, but I think it's not a big problem,I will still drive it without fixing it , because it will cost too much for me.Mine is 1994 TDI 1Z , it still runs good ,top speed 180 km/h.

[Jonathan84]

I have had a similar issue with our 1992 tdi from 1950-2150 revs. It is a slight judder under full acceleration, though nothing more. I generally just try to keep the revs higher when accelerating, though it is annoying to a degree as it makes cruising at 55-60mph in 5th a pain if my speed isn't constant.

[krissib]

dont know if any1 is still reading this thread, ive got a 1993 audi 80 1.9 tdi, its about 165k now was 100k when i got it, its juddered since soon after i got it, the person i bought it off swears it never did it b4 but it had stood still for 6 years or so....

anyway just wondered if it helps any of you, but my car is an automatic and still judders...

recently (in the last month) its started dying at certain speeds... feels like the turbo kicks in and out... which is even more annoying than the jerking.... although the jerking seems to have stopped as much, it now feels like im losing half the power every time i hit a slight hill....

is it too late to cut the wire?? i was hoping whatever it was that needed replacing would also stop the jerking, but after reading all these pages im now more confused than before!

my fuel gauge does weird things, it lies to you about how much is in it if its under halfway, can drop to nothing or hover in between the reading or empty... ive read loads of posts that say fuel pump which is plausible but one post did say about dry joints in the dash.... does this tie in with the blue/white wire theory?

im fairly sure i get air bubbles in the fuel line as well, god knows where from, ive replaced the fuel line (cos it failed the last mot on it)

i seem to find new filters (air/oil/fuel) seem to stop the juddering for about a week then it kicks in again....

i modded the woven waste pipe as well soon after i got it, replacing with a solid plastic tube.... that seemed to help for a bit but i dunno whether to just ebay it and try and find another car or whether to venture further....

i was hoping after 20 pages there'd be a reason that all this happens... some people say about a turbo pipe... sounds like mine is starting to go, or could it be the computer thing idling me out because of the fuel gauge etc....

im more confused now than ever lol and i need a reliable car!:aargh4:

[allan_audi]

It seems to me the reason for the juddering is the Diesel Fuel pump. Its just about the only thing I haven't looked at. A couple of people have confirmed on the forums that this has stopped their judder.

Trouble is the pump is expensive, even a recon unit will cost £400. I've been happy with the vss wire cut modification. The car drives near perfect. I don't see the point in repairing the pump unless I can get a cheaper one.

I've seen articles on the web explaining pump overhaul (in German) and the presence of metal fragments in the internals which cause problems. But, the pump is fairly complicated and so I can see why the recon units are so expensive.

So, unless you want to fork out £400 I'd just cut the VSS wire and enjoy the car............

[allan_audi]

krissib,

Sounds like you have a combination of problems here!!

The lack of boost sounds like either your boost pipe is loose or split. The top boost pipe into the manifold has a habit of splitting, mine had come loose so the boost pressure was escaping. Basically check all your boost pipes from the turbo are ok.

The 80 does suffer from dash problems, my temp gauge was only showing partial temperature. I checked everything, the sender, wiring etc. In the end I tweaked the adjustment pot, a little screw behind the gauge by a small amount until the gauge was reading ok, although your problem sounds different. I have heard that the voltage regulator on the dashes can play up too. This might be the problem with your gauge. Its a small three legged device on the back of the dash. From what I remember one pin is ground (0V), the other battery (+12-14V), and the other 10V regulated. Check the voltages are ok in particular the 10V. You can get an equivalent part, its on one of the forums.

Sounds like the judder is diesel pump related and I'm sure that one of the signs is air in the fuel lines. I ruled out any leaks because I replaced all fuel lines and filter housing only to still see bubbles.

Hope this helps,

I've been driving the Audi for a year or so with the VSS wire cut and it drives fine.



dont know if any1 is still reading this thread, ive got a 1993 audi 80 1.9 tdi, its about 165k now was 100k when i got it, its juddered since soon after i got it, the person i bought it off swears it never did it b4 but it had stood still for 6 years or so....

anyway just wondered if it helps any of you, but my car is an automatic and still judders...

recently (in the last month) its started dying at certain speeds... feels like the turbo kicks in and out... which is even more annoying than the jerking.... although the jerking seems to have stopped as much, it now feels like im losing half the power every time i hit a slight hill....

is it too late to cut the wire?? i was hoping whatever it was that needed replacing would also stop the jerking, but after reading all these pages im now more confused than before!

my fuel gauge does weird things, it lies to you about how much is in it if its under halfway, can drop to nothing or hover in between the reading or empty... ive read loads of posts that say fuel pump which is plausible but one post did say about dry joints in the dash.... does this tie in with the blue/white wire theory?

im fairly sure i get air bubbles in the fuel line as well, god knows where from, ive replaced the fuel line (cos it failed the last mot on it)

i seem to find new filters (air/oil/fuel) seem to stop the juddering for about a week then it kicks in again....

i modded the woven waste pipe as well soon after i got it, replacing with a solid plastic tube.... that seemed to help for a bit but i dunno whether to just ebay it and try and find another car or whether to venture further....

i was hoping after 20 pages there'd be a reason that all this happens... some people say about a turbo pipe... sounds like mine is starting to go, or could it be the computer thing idling me out because of the fuel gauge etc....

im more confused now than ever lol and i need a reliable car!:aargh4:

[krissib]

so your advice is just cut the wire and check the turbo...?

as i said before, its an auto gearbox, has the wire def been cut and worked with the automatic model??

thanks for your replies, i was hoping id hear from you, you've been one of the main people on this thread....

im not bothered about dash gauges being wrong as long as it doesnt affect the ecu! the only reason i asked was because someone had earlier said that the fuel gauge being wrong may be either the cause or the result of the ecu reporting bad information and idling the car out to protect the engine (again ive read this in many places...)

to be fair its juddered for 70k, started off doing it in damp/rainy conditions (although ppl on here swear damp is better!)

my theory until i started looking into it since the turbo dying was that either the turbo or something wasnt releasing to the exhaust until u floored it, a bit like an engine brake in a truck can block the exhaust....

anyway like i say as long as im safe in an automatic (hillstarts with no clutch etc...) ill def be snipping the blue/white wire and ill have a look for dry joints....

thanks

krissi

[scotty33]

Krissi

This thread might be some help with the gauges?:

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8426

[krissib]

hmmm dunno

had a read of it, its just the fuel gauge with the fault, temp is ok... dont think its dry joints either cos mine shows accurate over 50% full, then goes mental after that, id say that all of my problems point to the fuel pump/tank filings/air bubbles/and gauge float (assuming there is one..)

juddering etc seems to have stopped while the turbo is being weird just to update... seems to be going up hill that the turbo is dropping out... its either a judder OR no turbo unlike other ppl report, most ppl have said the turbo dies b4 the juddering starts..... will look under the bonnet this week for obvious looking things, im not a mechanic by any means tho ;)

krissi

[helmsy157]

hmmm dunno

had a read of it, its just the fuel gauge with the fault, temp is ok... dont think its dry joints either cos mine shows accurate over 50% full, then goes mental after that, id say that all of my problems point to the fuel pump/tank filings/air bubbles/and gauge float (assuming there is one..)

juddering etc seems to have stopped while the turbo is being weird just to update... seems to be going up hill that the turbo is dropping out... its either a judder OR no turbo unlike other ppl report, most ppl have said the turbo dies b4 the juddering starts..... will look under the bonnet this week for obvious looking things, im not a mechanic by any means tho ;)

krissiHi all I have four of the 80 tdi and all have had this fault, and in every case after checking for any leaking pipes, the judder from 1200 to 2000 and then gone has always been solved by cleaning out the filings in the injector pump.There is a good thread with pics on how to do this and I will always help via this site if needed

[helmsy157]

Hi all I have four of the 80 tdi and all have had this fault, and in every case after checking for any leaking pipes, the judder from 1200 to 2000 and then gone has always been solved by cleaning out the filings in the injector pump.There is a good thread with pics on how to do this and I will always help via this site if neededPS I have a stock of the seal kits for this if needed

[frielp]

Swarf in the top of the fuel pump is the problem.

[helmsy157]

Hi all, the judder is almost cetainly the fuel pump, you can repair it as mentioned above, but you will need a bit of skill, you might be able to get a pump off a breaker, if you do come back and I will walk you thro whats needed it will probably be easier than the repair. The fuel guage, it weill probably be the sender which measures how high the fuel level is, it is fairly easy to get to it see Hayns manual I have found if you remove it and wiggle the float arm up and down a few times it clears, dirt on the wire coil, will be more obvious when you see it. Anything else.