Major car problems tonight after a cruise - help or advice required please!

[Zappa]

Hi all, driving a 2004 Ibiza, 1.2, 50k Miles.

I took a drive up to the coast tonight with a few mates (30miles).

You may have seen a thread I posted up a couple of weeks ago about changing the air filter and cleaning the spark plugs - Ever since then, the car has been shuddering between approx 1500 RPM - 2200 RPM (or so). This shuddering, I think, started a day or two before I changed the air filter and cleaned the plugs, but I am not 100%.

Tonight, arriving at the coast, I felt a lot of power loss, the car was struggling big time in second gear when going up a steep hill. I pulled in, popped the bonnet to see the engine shaking quite violently. The revs sometimes sound normal and other times they sound like the engine is a 3 litre beast and not a 1.2, as they can sound lot deeper and of a lower tone.

I let the car sit for about half an hour... then I drove it to a garage. I got some Redex and put half in the tank (full tank, filled a few hours before the drive), and half into the carburetor, as it says to do on the bottle.

I revved it up for a few mins and blew lots of nasty black smoke and other dirt out. After this the car settled a lot, and was no longer shaking violently when ticking over.

However, I still have problems with the shuddering. On the way back at one point the car wouldnt go past 60mph, before completely losing all power and I couldnt even rev at all.

I pulled the car in and phoned a mate to see about getting towed. I started it up again after a few mins and it was fine, full power again, but major shuddering.

I am worried that the car is in a bad way, haven't a clue what this could be. Terrified of it being a serious engine fault or something, because I don't have the cash to fix it.

Any pointers on what to check, or general insight would be much appreciated.

 

[Art0ir]

I'd say first thing would be find someone with VAG-COM or VCDS and check what faults its throwing up!

 

[Rob_B]

Hi all, driving a 2004 Ibiza, 1.2, 50k Miles.

I let the car sit for about half an hour... then I drove it to a garage. I got some Redex and put half in the tank (full tank, filled a few hours before the drive), and half into the carburetor, as it says to do on the bottle.

you dont have a carb, so not so much of a good idea.
i would say the coil packs are the favourite for this type of behaviour. has the engine management light come on? if the coil pack fails (or begins to fail) it will make the 3 cylinder shake violently (as its running on 2 cylinders) and run light a bag of nails

you can test this by removing one the coil packs and seeing if the symptoms are the same

 

[kidinspace]

Being a 2004 model it may well be the coil packs as I believe that the "necessary" changes where made in 2005 to the engine and the coil packs...
The car is simply going into a limp mode when you loose power, best thing to do is to swap the coil packs around and see where the problem lies. Other than if you know anyone that has VAG COM then that'll also tell you which coil pack it may be.
There is a guide to changing the coil packs in the FAQ section and the coil packs cost between £30 and £40.

.G.

 

[RUM4MO]

you dont have a carb, so not so much of a good idea.
i would say the coil packs are the favourite for this type of behaviour. has the engine management light come on? if the coil pack fails (or begins to fail) it will make the 3 cylinder shake violently (as its running on 2 cylinders) and run light a bag of nails

you can test this by removing one the coil packs and seeing if the symptoms are the same

If you get it scanned by VAG-COM or any other VAG compliant tool, it will tell you what "it" thinks is wrong - and if its a coil pack, it will tell you exactly which one it is. One other thing, if I were you, I would not bother cleaning up plugs on modern engines as they should either work and keep themselves clean, or get binned, personally, I change plugs on my VAG cars every three years - and only replace using same as VAG used, ie the correct model of NGK ones from ebay or Halfords - the NGK numbers are written on the base above the sealing ring. Finally, there is a possibility that you have damaged a coil pack when getting in to the plugs - or have you snapped them all fully home?

 

[RaggedLob]

I let the car sit for about half an hour... then I drove it to a garage. I got some Redex and put half in the tank (full tank, filled a few hours before the drive), and half into the carburetor, as it says to do on the bottle.

You've bought the wrong Redex, theres a carb one for older cars, and the petrol injection one for anything past about 1990...

My worry is, since your car doesn't have a carb..what did you put it in?

 

[Zappa]

Update!


With some sleep and a relaxed thought process I rewound the tape in my mind to what I did.

Took the air filter out again and opened the box up, checked for any damage or whatever, it was fine, so I put it back together.


Next I checked the coil packs, lo and behold, two of them were not clicked in tightly. I thought I had done this. Total Fail on my part, complete Fail.

Pushed them down good and tight and connected the box all up again. Started the engine and the deep, sick sounding roar has gone. Took it for a drive up a load of hills and around the block and it is 100%

Full power and the normal 1,2 sound is back. The engine light is still on, will have to get that light taken off.


I am delighted, such an unbelievable relief.

Thanks for all your replies


PHEW.

 

[CJRamze]

Congratulations on getting it fixed!
Nice work Zappa, But where did you put the redex? Not in the panel filter?

 

[Zappa]

Half in the tank and half in a silver part under the box, a dude that was with us insisted it went in there, when you rev the engine a metal part opens and closes. He was certain it went in there

 

[RUM4MO]

Half in the tank and half in a silver part under the box, a dude that was with us insisted it went in there, when you rev the engine a metal part opens and closes. He was certain it went in there

That is okay as it will have been taken in and burnt - hence the smoke screen and the idea that you must have done some good! The fault light will go out after less than 10 engine starts (I've forgotten exactly how many) if no other faults are still present, although this event will still be logged in the engine's controller. In "the old days" a good dose of Redex really did create a proper smoke screen - so you were meant to think that an awful lot of rubbish was being burnt, when in truth it was mainly the Redex burning, it usually amazed neighbours and made you feel good though!

 

[Aimez]

lol my mate had a Renault 5 and he put some in and so much smoke came out of it was hilarious everyone started, the car was kept in tip top shape by his dad as he is a mechanic but even still it was old!

 

[Zappa]

The engine warning light has turned itself off.

Relief beyond belief . com

 

[benuk]

I'm a big fan of redex, if it does much good I donno, but it feels good

 

[RUM4MO]

I'm a big fan of redex, if it does much good I donno, but it feels good

Up until I ran out of the good old "thick" version, I would have agreed with you - but now with the "diluted" stuff I've noticed nothing - there used to be two dose sizes, one to clean things out and a smaller one to keep the system "clean" - now there is no mention of the strong dosage at all!

 

[Aimez]

I've never used Redex or Millers (are they the same thing?) when my car was serviced they put some fuel cleaning agent in dunno what that was, the fuel tank was nearly empty as well.

 

[benuk]

I've never used Redex or Millers (are they the same thing?) when my car was serviced they put some fuel cleaning agent in dunno what that was, the fuel tank was nearly empty as well.

Never used Millers, but I suspect its very similar to redex (keeps injectors clear and contains cetane improver). You add it to every full tank of diesel.

I would say in all likelihood the real world noticeable difference it makes is minimal, but I use it with every tank

 

[Aimez]

Well after the service the car felt the same so must be a bit of a waste of money, every tank jeez you must have money to burn as if fuel isn't enough!

 

[benuk]

Well after the service the car felt the same so must be a bit of a waste of money, every tank jeez you must have money to burn as if fuel isn't enough!

Its an extra 3p a litre for the one you add to every tank, there is a concentrated version you add every 3000 miles which would be a bit cheaper I think. I think it probably does keep everything nice and clean.. perhaps general smoothness over time rather than an instant difference would be more likely.

Your right, fuel is getting really expensive now and if it justifies + 3p a litre I'm not sure, I do wish I had some money to burn however!