S3 Misfire issues.....Please help!!!!

[adsisbest]

Hi guys, recently sold my A4 Quattro and bought a '99 S3 ....good times!

Unfortunately pretty much from the day i bought it i've had a couple of issues start to creep up on me which is really putting a big downer on the joy's of buying a nice new car! .....bad times!

First problem came about on the drive home when joining a sliproad to a motorway. Put my foot down and as soon as i hit about 3500rpm in 4th the car starting misfiring like crazy (same in 5th and 6th) This eased off as i eased off the gas but by that time i was being overtaken by a bloody transit! (not good when your in an s3!!!) Over the past couple of weeks this problem has gradually got worse, now occuring in 2nd and 3rd sometimes.

Took it back to the garage where i bought the car and they said they would sort out labour free but i would have to cover cost of parts myself as not technically waranty issue!!! (is this right????) Fitstly the guy said it was a split breather pipe on the right hand side of the engine block ....pipe replaced (at a cost of £50!!!!) ....no change!!!! then he said he found another pipe split, this time at the front of the engine, pipe replaced (£20) ....less of misfire but definately still there!!! now he's saying there's another long pipe that runs right across the front of the engine which was totally knackered, so he's replacing that one today ....i'm not getting my hopes up!! Fault codes have been checked but nothing showing so not coilpacks as i first suspected. My big concearn is that with no faults showing i could be replacing parts forever and still not get it sorted ...any ideas guys????

Also, i've found along with the misfire, when i pull away in 1st and change up through 2nd & 3rd mainly the revs don't drop between changes and sounds like i'm flooring it with cluch in when i'm not!! something to do with clutch switch sensor or something???? how do i check??? how much is new part if knackered????

Sorry about the essay guys but would prefer to explain in detail to get to the route of the problems. Any help will be greatly received as i'm starting to lose the will to live.

Thanks, adam

[S3pallas]

sounds like a mass are flow meter to me dude!!

[S3pallas]

Common symptoms of a faulty Air Flow Meter or MAF are:


Poor idling and sometimes you have to give your car a rev before you can pull away
Reduced drivability, cutting out when the engine speed drops (approaching bends, roundabouts etc)
Loss of Power, turbo lag on turbo applications
Excessive Black Smoke on diesel applications
Reduced fuel economy and lumpy running
Can feel like you are hitting a brick wall like a rev limiter etc

[SEMKY]

You could try to prove/disprove the MAF issue by disconnecting the plug...this means the ECU just applies a default signal...it won't run perfectly but might point out whether there is a fault with MAF.

I suffered a similar misfire/splutter/loss of power when I found the vacuum hose from the inlet manifold to the brake servo had been split by an unscrupulous garage!..just a thought.

Hope you sort it soon, the S3 is worth it!

Oh, and the clutch pedal switch cuts revs when clutch disengaged....mine did exactly as you describe till I found the same unscrupulous garage hadn't re-fitted it to the pedal!

[adsisbest]

update on misfire...

got the car back after fall out with the guy in the garage about the £95 bill for sorting a misfire that was there when i bought the car. However agreed to pay it as long as the problem was totally sorted which he promised it was!

Drove it through town and car was going like a scabby rat, running better than it ever had before. So there's me, big smile on my face, happy as larry (although £95 worse off!) ....that was until i hit 5th and 6th on the motorway again (Bloody misfire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Definatley an improvement but also definately still there!

Took the car home and had a good look around the engine bay for myself, this time i found the large flexi turbo pipe at the back right hand side is damaged at the bottom meaning the jubille clip is trying to slip off as you tighten it and therefore not sealing properly! New part, £95 from audi, £115 from forge!

Although i take on board your suggestions about the MAF unit, and i'm sure a replacement would do the world of good. I'm pretty sure in combination with the other pipes going this could be it!!!!

The big issue now is, where do i stand legally with the garage as i'm not prepared to fork out another £95 for another blasted pipe. I've fallen out with them already because i felt they should stump up the cost of repair as the pipes were clearly gone before i got my hands on it, but got nowhere as they're claiming there was no misfire before i drove it away, even though i managed to discover it for myself within 10 minutes of buying the car and driving it home!!!
Has anyone else had a similar problem with buying a faulty car from a garage and if so how did you get it sorted without getting into a punch-up!!!!

Sorry, another long winded rant over, but honestly, i'm about ready to stick a monkey wrench so far up someones a*se in a minute. Help me before i kill someone!!!

Thanks again guys
Oh and i will try disconecting the sensor tomorrow just in case it is that too!

[S3pallas]

you wanna try checking all your boost and vacuum pipes because if there leaking your car will run poor, on some occasions your car wont run at all some times it will only run high revs depending on what pipes leaking.... what pipe you found loose a bit fat intake pipe/boost or Lil skinny vacuum pipe ?????

[kite]

If the garage won't fix it, report them to trading standards....

[adsisbest]

in reply to both previous coments,

its the larger intake pipe right at the back between the engine block and the bulkhead on the right hand side of the turbo pipe, just behind where the dump valve is positioned (about three or four inches in diameter with a 90 degree bend in it).

Garage is now saying they won't touch the car because i've fitted a forge dump valve. Says this has caused an increase in pressure that the pipe can't take!!! This is obviously a cop-out as the pipe hs clearly been damaged for some time, plus fitting a dump valve on its own will not cause this to happen as all it means is that the dump valve (a direct replacement part) is more reliable and able to withstand an increase in boost SHOULD i decide to tune the engine at a later stage .....am i right in thinking this????

Surfice to say, i will be reporting them to trading standards as they have clearly neglected their duty to provide a car 'fit for purpose' (as is quoted in the legal terms of the consumer credit act or whatever its called) and if necessary i will be pursuing it through the courts!!!! Wish me luck (although i shouldn't need it!)

thanks again, adam

p.s. if anyone would like to add to this with previous experiences or advice please feel free, all input at this stage is greatly appreciated.

[S3pallas]

go back with a cow boy hat on and a pony and tell him dump valvs dont give you more boost lol well unless you got a super strong spring in it