Seat Toledo mk2 1.8 20v misfiring

[Aagoku]

Hi,

Hope someone on the forum can help me with issues my car has had this weekend.

I have owned it for a couple of months now. It is a Seat Toledo 1.8 20 valve x reg. As I purchased the car I had the cambelt changed, changed the coil pack, mass airflow and the spark plugs as well as oil change and brakes. The guy I purchased the car off was saying it misses very slightly and once it was put on Vag.com it came up with all four cylinder errors. Eventhough it wasn't a major issue as the car was ever so slightly missing on an occasional basis. After changing the coil pack it was still missing slightly but very occasionally and it was a slight dip on the rev meter for a second or so.

The story.....
I was driving back from London Friday evening on a quarter tank of petrol. As I got stuck in traffic on the M25 and from there onto an A road to look for a petrol station the car switched off.

On the range it was showing 20 miles remaining but by this point had clearly run out of fuel. I then walked to the local petrol station and filled a can. Took this to the car, filled up and the car wouldn't start. After a couple of tries I then went back for some more fuel. Re-tried and the car wouldn't start. Just wouldn't turn over.

I then called the RAC and they suggested a fuel up more than what is in the tank. Rac took me to the petrol station and I Filled the tank and this did nothing. He then had a look at everything and all seemed fine. He suggested the fuel pump may not work but after inspection all seemed fine. He sprayed some fuel into the air induction pipe but this didn't start the car. He then plugged his computer into the car and couldn't read anything. Checked the fuses and fuse 29 was blown. He replaced this but as soon as he did, the fuse blew again! He then unplugged the fuel pump and tried a new fuse, this again blew on ignition start. He narrowed it down to a wiring earth issue. He advised that as the fuse was linked to the fuel pump and ecu this was the issue so recovered me home.

I got home and looked up issues on this site. Managed to find out that the fuse that kept blowing was linked to the coil pack which was already replaced. But I disconnected the coil pack plug the following morning, replaced the fuse turned the ignition on and fuse wasn't blowing.

Went to Europarts, purchased a coil pack and replaced this in the car along with the 15Amp fuse. Car came to life but was running very rough. Took it for a drive and it had no power, struggled to get to 2000revs.*

Narrowed it down to being ignition leads so picked some up from Gsf. Plugged these in with no joy. Then pulled the spark plugs out and burned these. Still no difference. The car was still misfiring. Engine was still running very rough and had no power.

I then unplugged the mass airflow and the car switched off after a short while so the mass air flow should be fine. Plugged*Vag.com in and it only registered the mass airflow removal. No other errors.

I then payed a visit to Halfords as there was nothing open by this time and picked a brand new set of spark plugs as well as a fuel filter. Changed the spark plugs but still no difference. I am now out of options...*

Apart from changing the fuel filter which will have to wait till tomorrow morning,*I have no idea what else to try and have used up my car backup kitty lol. Very expensive lesson to learn is that don't let your fuel run out.*

Just to mention the front and rear of the car smells of fuel but fuel lines seem intact. It stars and drives but is very very sluggish and takes ages picking up. Only gets to around 2000 revs and I run out of road. Car sounds like a motorbike due to the misfiring. My brother thinks it is the new cool pack from Europarts that may be dodgy. Vag.com doesn't show up any errors at all now, even after a long drive.*

Any suggestions will be much appreciated*

Cheers
Raf

 

[AlexGSi2000]

Check all wiring to the coilpacks, also any earth points/straps on the engine.

 

[krisby]

You sure its not the mass air flow? I had a diamante in NZ with similar a similar issue, had nothing over 2500rpm, would bog down and run rough as guts. The leads "appeared" to be ok, as did the plugs. I managed to get a second hand MAF from a breaker and that did the trick.

However, my volvo 850T also had similar issues, though more so at higher revs, i.e. above 5000rpm, but replacing the HT leads sorted that out.

I also had a similar problem on my Lantis V6, starting misfiring at low revs, then would not start for ages, then started again, I think it turned out to be an earth problem. Same thing was notorious on NZ/Jap Legacy Twin turbos, the turbos would throw a wobbly at full boost, turns out the chassis earth wire were coming loose.

 

[Zed PT]

It's strange not have any errors...

My tip will go to an incorrect moisture of gas and oxygen...

 

[Aagoku]

Hi all,

Thank you for the tips. Checked everything and all seemed fine.

Thought I'd change the fuel filter (rule of thumb) and the fuel pipe from the Fuel pump broke in the process. Had to take it to the local garage and get the tank droppped to get the new pipe fitted as well as a new filter. The old filter was pouring out black fuel and very lumpy.

Then Started the car and still same issue. I then put the original coil pack which came with the car back in and hey presto all works fine.

I presume when the fuel ran dry it fried my coil pack in the process as it was on the same circuit which in turn blew the fuel pump fuse. The new more recent replacement coil pack was purchased from Europarts and this has never worked since purchase and will be going back shortly for a refund.

Expensive Lesson: Be careful what you buy from Europarts!