engine diagnostics cost?

[mattcymru]

anyone know how much the stealer costs to put your car on the diagnostics?

i have numerous small issues ranging from the car stalling randomly, stallin when cold, revometer not "levelling" off and just bouncing 500 revs up and down, sounding a bit lumpy on tickover etc.

if anyone has any ideas what the problem could be it be much appreciated! a friend said it could be the cold start whatever this is?

also most of the issues go away once the car is warm

 

[richybigman]

Coilpack? MAF?

 

[LiCkWiD]

It's not only the dealers that can serial-diagnose faults, mate. Most garages can do it. I've found most places charge a flat-rate for fault-finding and then X amount to resolve the individual codes.

£40 I paid to have my connected up and diagnosed.

 

[mattcymru]

i tried getting in to the locals but there all full and ive got to the point i want it sorted now!!

whasts symptoms of a coil pack and MAF (whats this??)?

 

[LiCkWiD]

MAF is the smallish black module connected to your air-intake, after the air-box. You can disconnect this little bad boy and run the car without it. if symptons disappear, look at replacing it. If they're still present even with the MAF disconnected- check coilpacks.

 

[mattcymru]

sorry, but im stupid, how do i check coilpacks!!??

 

[richybigman]

Same as the MAF, run the car and unplug one at a time and if you take one off and the engine doesn't do anything different then that is the coilpack causing your problem.
Oh and don't run your car for long with MAF or coilpack unplugged.

 

[mattcymru]

thanks for the tips, but ive gone for the expensive option, im not confident in my abilities with an engine lol, its booked in for a week tomorrow so hopefully be cured in a week!!

 

[LiCkWiD]

It's a 5 minute job mate, 5 mins per coilpack and 5 mins for the MAF. Pop the hood, disconnect one of the coilpacks. Drive. Worse/Better? Reconnect. Disconnect another etc. repeat.

Same for MAF - easily disconnected. Loop round your neighbourhood and see if it plays up.

 

[mattcymru]

i know what ya mean mate, but i dont even know where to look for these bits and the faults are intermittent!

 

[richybigman]

You don't want to drive your car with a coilpack unplugged.
You should notice if there's a problem when car is idleing.

 

[Stan 24v]

Where do you live mate?

 

[LiCkWiD]

Yeah.. Sorry! Don't drive with disconnected coilpack otherwise it's going to be a 3-cylinder cycle :S

Idle!!!

 

[Big_daddy]

If post help in the vag section, some one could have look for you. save a costly bill.

 

[mattcymru]

i live in pembrokeshire, deepest darkest west wales!

 

[Stan 24v]

Well Im down in Pintardulais (jct 38 M4) from next Friday mate, I can bring my vag-com too and save you some money if you fancy a trip out? I could come over to Cross Hands or somewehere.

 

[traumapat]

fluctuating revs by 500 either way? but fine when warm?


deffo get it vagcommed as it could be a few things temp sensor , maf, tb out of alignment....


but.... if i was you id get some dielectric grease and put it on your maf connection. the electrical plug can get damp and causes electrical arching inside the cap... hence why the revs fly around.. and this dries after a few minuits and the problems goes. grease goes on the electrical connection ... not the sensor itself... have a search on here. i had exactly the same issue and i changed most things but in the end a 2.99 tube of this special grease cured it. you can get it off ebay.

 

[mattcymru]

i really appreciate the offer mate, but im booked in for that day. thanks very much for the kind offer though!

 

[mattcymru]

well got car back now....no faults logged on the computer....spark plugs nackerd though so got them replaced and cleaned throttle body, seems a big improvement so far but only time will tell!!

 

[ArosaRacer]

mine was doing the same, cleaned throttle body and its perfect