VW Golf tdi MK3 problem

[dan_campbell]

Hi,

My 1996 tdi Golf developed a problem yesterday. When starting the car the throttle blipped and revved the engine. Thinking nothing of it I continued on and after about a minute the glow plug warning light started flashing. I also noticed that there is a drastic loss in power (30-50 in 3rd takes almost twice as long).

I took the glow plugs out earlier today to have a look for damage and found they each had a black powdery deposit on them (is this normal?). I assume is carbon. Other than this they seem fine and were replaced about 1.5 years ago anyway.

More confusing is it's an intermittent problem, this morning taking my girlfriend home the car was fine. After stopping and turing the engine off. I started up and the problem was back, complete with blip.

Could this be something to do with the MAS?

Any ideas from you guys would be great.

Thanks

Dan

[patfaulkner]

my gti mk3 has lost all its guts and can bearly get up a hill, someone thinks its the head gasket as there is mayonaising under the oil cap !!! very puzzled

[fabtdi]

the flashing glowplug light is a check engine light aswell, there will be a fault code logged so first thing is to get a vagcom scan! if your anywhere near aylesbury ill do it for a small drink

but most likley causes are n75 valve and maf


fab

[fabtdi]

my gti mk3 has lost all its guts and can bearly get up a hill, someone thinks its the head gasket as there is mayonaising under the oil cap !!! very puzzled

if there is mayonaising it sounds like head gasket if you have a serious loss of power the mayonaising could also be caused by a split oil cooler!

fab

[patfaulkner]

Would be great if you could look at it and we could meet for a beer but I live in Spain. Brought car over last year its still on GB plates. Some looked at it yesterday and thinks its the Cat... he is going to take the exhaust off and fit a peice of pipe (oh boy wish I wasn't a blond bimbo) what is the maf?
It starts fine and stalls sometimes at stop signs but its now got no pulling power...

[fabtdi]

hey! the maf is the mass airflow meter which is on the intake pipe at the airbox, to be honest i doubt it is the cat does it rev free in neutral? if there is mayo on the oil cap etc it does sound like the hg could be gone

[patfaulkner]

Hi well had a mechanic out today and he rev and rev till water was coming from the exhaust and white smoke not brilliant he said I cant drive it at all now so will prob right it of so I can put good money into a new car ( he said it was the cat)

[fabtdi]

well if water is coming out and white smoke deffo sounds like head gasket!!! the joys of cars

[patfaulkner]

Well that sounds expensive and a big job - will keep the car until I can afford to fix it (if its worth it -love it had it for 8 years) Need another car and saw one today on spanish plates LHD for 1500€ don't laugh a ford escort ghia 16v 1998 I think..

[patfaulkner]

Hi Moving on from last post I have purchased a Golf gti mk3 16v on spanish plates LHD ( forget the ford) It is running fine. Changed the wheels from other golf and will keep it for parts. Speedo needs connecting, anyone help.
Many thanks