Mk3 Golf TDI Engine Judder

[SteveC123]

I've noticed that if I put my Golf into fifth around 40mph, on light to heavy throttle you tend to feel a bit of shaking coming from the engine like you get if an engine is about to stall.

Only does it between 1400 and 1600 rpm, and in fifth when under load.

The two previous Mk3 TDIs I've owned did not do this.

Othewise runs spot on - any ideas of what I need to look at, as I don't think it's anything to do with the usual achilles, as in the MAF.

TIA

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Steve

[thefoolmccool]

Definitely not clutch related. It only does it at this time? Had shuttering from the clutch before because the crankshaft oil seal was leaking and oil was contaminating the clutch.

[adamss24]

Get the car scaned, if any codes, post them here. Could be a sticky/dirty injector or just a flat spot. Log the MAF if you have a vag-com and see the requested air versus the mettered air. That will help to pinpoint a Maf on its last legs...or could be turbo lag ...Good luck !

[SteveC123]

Definitely not clutch related. It only does it at this time? Had shuttering from the clutch before because the crankshaft oil seal was leaking and oil was contaminating the clutch.

Absolutely not clutch related... pulls away smoothly and cleanly - just does this between 1400 and 1600rpm in fifth.

[SteveC123]

Get the car scaned, if any codes, post them here. Could be a sticky/dirty injector or just a flat spot. Log the MAF if you have a vag-com and see the requested air versus the mettered air. That will help to pinpoint a Maf on its last legs...or could be turbo lag ...Good luck !

I haven't got vag-com, unfortunately.

What I do have, is a Vento TDI with blown head gasket that I'm going to break up soonish, so I might try swapping stuff like the MAF over.

I've had MAF failure on a Mk4 non-PD TDI 90, and it didn't act like this - this runs spot on, ticks over fine, goes like stink when you open it up. The Mk4 was lacking power for up hill etc., and the fault wasn't that consistent.

Not so sure it's an injector as it does it consistently, no matter how warm or cold the engine is, and only when it must be slightly labouring in fifth, and it's definitely the engine doing it rather than a wheel wobble etc.

Someone else I know has suggested it could be a faulty throttle position sensor causing for the car to not know whether it should be boosting or not. I'm not convinced, as the throttle is consistent when you move it as to how much the revs rise and fall.

My last Mk3 had a very slight shudder at around the same revs, but you had to be watching for it to realise it was there, IYSWIM. ;-)

Ta for the suggestions so far.

[hg_tdi]

i have the exact same prob with my mk3 golf tdi its started out like yours, but slowly got worse to the point that the car will violently shake and the engines tick over is really bad, i got told by a garage that it was the fuel pump that need replacing, hope that helps hadley

[SteveC123]

i have the exact same prob with my mk3 golf tdi its started out like yours, but slowly got worse to the point that the car will violently shake and the engines tick over is really bad, i got told by a garage that it was the fuel pump that need replacing, hope that helps hadley

Cheers for the suggestion Hadley, but I doubt it's that, as a dodgy fuel pump normally starves an engine of fuel at higher revs.

Think I need to invest in VAG-COM.

--
Steve

[tomtom82]

hello, im not a mechanic and not sure if its the same problem, but i had a simmilar problem with the juddering, the rev kneedle jumped when it happened to me. Turns out it was the 'hall sensor' that had broken. Hope you get ur car fixed ok!!!

[SteveC123]

hello, im not a mechanic and not sure if its the same problem, but i had a simmilar problem with the juddering, the rev kneedle jumped when it happened to me. Turns out it was the 'hall sensor' that had broken. Hope you get ur car fixed ok!!!

I'm no expert either, but do TDis have a hall sensor?

Thought they only came as part of a petrol electronic ignition system.