1.6 poor performance

**nordic_b** · 19-02-2009,04:35 PM

Hello, I've tried using search, but no results were returned on my query. I hope you may advise on the following. My GF has 95 A4 1.6 with ADP engine with nearly 200K km and runs quite poorly, somewhat noisy and not smooth. There was a cyl compression test performed a while ago, results were good, as far as I remember, about 10 in all cylinders. This engine has new lambda, MAF, knock sensor, ignition distributor, spark plugs, ignition leads. I was thinking, that ignition coil may be a problem or/and coolant temperature sensor on the back of the engine, but there are 3(I think) of them, not sure which is which.

Another thing, which directly may influence the performance is the distributor. Nobody, I asked, seem to know how to adjust it properly. I've seen it myself, using stroboscope, rotating the distributor doesn't change the ignition timing at all, also ignition "mark" on a aux belt seems to be quite erratic, from 0' to ~15' or so... Even though the mark doesn't move, the performance gets better or worse, but nobody can adjust it properly for me... Something else must be done I believe, something must be turned off before adjusting.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thank you, Art

**pizzaboy150** · 05-08-2012,10:02 AM

I had a similar problem on an audi a6. We could not get the timing right at all after we changed the head gasket. Reason being we didn't realize that the distributor runs off the cam belt which at first we thought was the water pump.

When we timed that mark up it ran sweet though we were a tooth out on our first attempt.

Adjusting the distributor can be a problem I believe as it would change the timing in relation to the timing mark on the distributor pulley.

Also do the valves miss the cylinders on your engine?

If the timing is out and the car is still running then I would assume that it is only just out, but I am not sure if this would be the source of your problem...