problems under high boost

[bujna]

Hi Guys,

I'm hoping someone will be able to point me in the right direction here. Around 2 months ago i had the ignition sensor fail, and the car was undrivable. It was running rough from the moment the car started.

I ordered a new ignition sensor, it arrived a couple of weeks later, i installed it, and the car was fine. A few weeks later i started finding that the car was stuttering when the car hit around 15 - 16 psi of boost in 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear. I replaced the spark plugs (another set of bkr7e's), and this problem dissapeared for another few weeks until the last few days...

The only other symptom i've been having recently is that the car occasionally has trouble starting again when it's been run for only about 5 minutes to the shops. The starter ticks over fine, but the engine doesn't for up to 10 seconds at it's worst. I've checked the battery, and it's been at 12.67V before starting and gets up to over 14V when running, and drops back to ~12.8V when the car is switched off again... Apart from that i can still hear the fuel pump priming up when i first open the drivers door...

Checking with vag com, the engine isn't producing any fault codes.

I logged the following data tonight. The knock values go positive when the stuttering occurs at high boost. I've only got the shareware version of vag com 409.1. If there are other blocks i should be logging that require the full version, then i might buy a license this week....

Is the new ignition module likely to be at fault?

Dan

Wednesday 17 February 2010 20:21:32
06A 906 018 CH 1.8L R4/5VT MOTR HS D02

Group A: '014 Group B: '015 Group C: Not Running
RPM Time Knock Reg. Knock Reg. RPM Time Knock Reg. Knock Reg.
TIME TIME TIME
Marker STAMP /min ms ° ° STAMP /min ms ° ° STAMP
150.34 1360 1.35 0 0 150.72 1320 1.25 0 0
151.09 1560 1.05 0 0 151.47 2200 0.65 0 0
151.86 2040 1 0 0 152.24 2000 1.1 0 0
152.63 1960 1.8 0 0 153.01 2040 2.95 0 0
153.41 2040 2.5 0 0 153.78 2080 2.55 0 0
154.18 2160 3.05 0 0 154.56 2240 3.4 0 0
154.95 2280 2.6 0 0 155.33 2280 1.55 0 0
155.7 2280 1.45 0 0 156.08 2280 1.35 0 0
156.45 2200 1.3 0 0 156.83 2160 0.9 0 0
157.22 2040 0.8 0 0 157.6 2000 0.85 0 0
158 1920 0.95 0 0 158.37 1840 1.05 0 0
158.75 1760 1.05 0 0 159.15 1800 1.05 0 0
159.54 1760 1.05 0 0 159.92 1800 1.2 0 0
160.29 1800 1.45 0 0 160.69 1840 2.8 0 0
161.12 1960 4.2 0 0 161.49 2080 4.85 0 0
161.87 2240 5.55 0 0 162.26 2480 6.75 0 0
162.64 2680 7.15 0 2.2 163.02 2920 7.1 2.2 0
163.41 3160 7.1 0 1.5 163.79 3440 7.3 2.2 0
164.18 3440 4.55 0 1.5 164.58 3120 1.25 0 0
164.98 2560 1.3 0 0 165.36 2440 3.95 0 0
165.73 2520 5.4 0 0 166.11 2600 6.7 0 0
166.5 2720 8.15 2.2 2.2 166.88 2840 10.4 0 2.2
167.26 3000 10.45 2.2 2.2 167.63 3200 9.7 2.2 2.2
168.02 3280 9.35 2.2 2.2 168.38 3360 9.35 6.7 2.2
168.77 3600 9.2 3.7 3.7 169.15 3760 9.05 6 4.5
169.54 3560 2.7 3.7 5.2 169.9 3080 1.1 0 0
170.29 2520 0.95 0 0 170.67 2920 0.8 0 0
171.04 2880 0.9 0 0 171.44 2840 0.75 0 0
171.82 2800 0.75 0 0 172.21 2800 0.7 0 0
172.58 2760 0.7 0 0 172.96 2720 0.7 0 0
173.38 2640 0.75 0 0 173.74 2560 0.75 0 0

[h100vw]

Those timing pusls are not massive still. I'd like to see less than 5's normally. What gap have you set the plugs at? I had a BKR7E fail on me. Pulled the set out and fitted platinums cos I had them on the shelf.

Could be the gap has opened up since you fitted the plugs and they are now struggling to spark under load.

Try tightening the gap, I think it's 28 thou you want. I am sure you'll find it with google somewhere on Vortex.

I had a miss on holein1s Golf when I flashed that. Not huge but we could both feel it holding back. I was convinced it wasn't the software and pulled out the easiest spark plug, I could measure the gap with a ruler not feeler gauges. New plugs fixed it.


Gavin

[Jmac]

Ill just say dont rely on fault codes as such mate, there can still be faults but a sensor may be within a parameter. There is parameters set with a fair bit of scope, thats why most MAF faults never throw a code. The ECU is dumb mate rememeber that.There Is has a huge window before it throws a code. You have to have someone who knows how to read the logs mate. Im coming down at easter to my old home town of Newwie and ill have my Laptop on me, if you are still having dramas then ill have a read mate
Cheerd
Jmac

[BI65ND]

Hey, sorry to thread jack slightly, but are the BKR7E's what everyone's using in their golfs?? I just got the ones NGK recommend which were the BKUR6ET's. I know the 7's are a colder plug than the 6's and the ET's mean that there is an extra electrode.

Only reason I ask is I feel like the car may have a slight miss at high boost, notice it on the highway when trying to accelerate, just at times feels like Im hitting a brick wall and won't accelerate, even though boost is at max and I've dropped back a gear.

[h100vw]

The BKR7E thing started in the States on big turbo conversions, they are a fraction of the price of platinum plugs but you need to replace them more often as consequence of that.

The extra electrodes just extend the service life. To be truthful the BKR6E is probably better suited to std and stage 1 chipped engines than the 7.

Could be a heap of things causing the holding back. Is the car chipped, what mods does it have?

Gavin

[BI65ND]

The BKR7E thing started in the States on big turbo conversions, they are a fraction of the price of platinum plugs but you need to replace them more often as consequence of that.

The extra electrodes just extend the service life. To be truthful the BKR6E is probably better suited to std and stage 1 chipped engines than the 7.

Could be a heap of things causing the holding back. Is the car chipped, what mods does it have?

Gavin

Na not chipped, pretty much standard. Got an AEM cold air intake kit and a Baileys DV, but thats about it. Nothing that should be causing it.
Apparently mine blows a lot of black smoke too when it occurs, from ppl who have been driving behind me.

[bujna]

Ill just say dont rely on fault codes as such mate, there can still be faults but a sensor may be within a parameter. There is parameters set with a fair bit of scope, thats why most MAF faults never throw a code. The ECU is dumb mate rememeber that.There Is has a huge window before it throws a code. You have to have someone who knows how to read the logs mate. Im coming down at easter to my old home town of Newwie and ill have my Laptop on me, if you are still having dramas then ill have a read mate
Cheerd
Jmac

Ahh that's right. You mentioned that you used to live in these parts. I'm going to be getting back from a trip to NZ on the easter monday. If you're still around after that, and i've still got issues, i'll be very keen to take you up on that offer

[h100vw]

No probs. If those plugs have done a few thousand Ks, they will have opened up. Set them to 26 thou and try again.

You might find that you can see one of the 4 is different.

When mine was playing up. I took the plugs out and my wife could pick the odd one out. The nose of the plug was a very different colour.

Gavin

[Jmac]

Ahh that's right. You mentioned that you used to live in these parts. I'm going to be getting back from a trip to NZ on the easter monday. If you're still around after that, and i've still got issues, i'll be very keen to take you up on that offer

Yeah ill be taking my thinkpad mate and will be around all weekend, not sure when we are heading off, will let you know. Where abouts in Newwie are ya??? ill be in Georgetown for a day and heading out bayside for a couple
Cheers and will be happy to help if i can
Jmac

[bujna]

I'm out at Maitland, but newy's not far for me to travel if it works out easier.

I regapped my BKR7E plugs to .026 before work today, and the car was not stuttering in 3rd or 4th gear in full boost, but it still did it, albeit much more mildly, in 5th gear. On the way home tonight though, it was back to how it was yesterday.. Stuttering in 3rd, 4th, 5th...

I'm going to buy some bkr6e's tomorrow since it's cheap enough to try them out. Should i go with the stock .032 gap or drop to .028?

Are there any tests i can do on the ignition sensor to make sure that's out of the equation? I know i've just replaced it, but it seems odd to me that my car has acquired a distaste for bkr7e's all of a sudden...