JamieH86

I had the ABS pump replaced last year by a garage I have reason to suspect don't know their arses from their elbows. IT's the same place I mentioned in my MOT thread that said the solution to a dead fuel injector was an injector cleaning fuel additive and a good drive... So I don't doubt there is a link somewhere between their ABS work and this leak. The pump works - indeed I felt the reassuringly gravelly efforts of the ABS yesterday making up for weaker brake power - but I wouldn't be surprised if it was improperly installed, something loose etc.

Thanks, wherever it is, it's high up and somewhere seemingly immediately under the battery.

Well the warning came on at the same time this weekend so it is on now. I guess it was the equivalent of a slow puncture.

Question answered: It was brake fluid, from somewhere near the ABS pump. The pump itself appears wet on top so I guess it's from a pipe, hose or similar somewhere nearby. This was mixing with general engine oil on its way down and making misleading black spots on the floor (though there may have been a small oil leak too). However there was no effect on the brakes until this weekend, when suddenly the pedal would go almost to the floor before starting to think about braking, so will be getting the specific source of the leak indentified asap.

£400?! I had a fuel temperature sensor go recently and that was £115, including the sensor and also repairs to the wiring too.

Hmm no nothing like that I'd say.

What would a blow off sound like? Now there's a question... Sometimes on accelerating there's a brief high whine, but it's done that for the 7 years I've had it.

Yeah will be doing so. What are symptoms of that, if any?

Well here's a queer thing... On my way to Bristol to pick my wife up the engine management light came on (steady amber). Whilst sat in the car park waiting for her, and bored, I got a rag and actually cleaned underneath the engine (couldn't raise the car so it was whatever I could reach). It was black and oily but... when starting the car, the light was gone. I am not familiar with whatever is under the car but there is a "thing" attached to a wire; a sensor maybe that was gunked up? Very odd, anyway!

Yeah I will keep an eye on it. I previously used Lucas Oil in 2022 to stop a leak so that lasted three years or so. THat said, it has had a LOT of attention this year with fuel injector testing and replacements and had a new rocker cover gasket last week, so hasn't done many miles but has been fiddled with a lot.

They all seem ok. Though I admit, some of this is beyond my ability to check. Today the leak has still stopped and the familiar triangle of drip marks (all of which were black and oily) have stopped. There was a small single drip of something, which looks like it has made its way down from higher up, which was almost clear but slightly oily to the touch, and odourless. I've never had the engine bay cleaned so there is oil there on various parts, from "historic" leaks. I mean would that warm up and drip or mix with condensation?! This morning was nearly freezing then of course the engine gets up to 90.

Thanks, it's been a pretty consistent drip pattern for a few months and seems to have stopped, though it is hard to tell as it has rained for the first time in two months now and so the ground is wet and hard to see! How can one check a gearbox leak? Would I expect symptoms relating to driving or gear changing?

Yeah there are no issues with steering. I put in a tin of a recommended stop oil leak product, as quite frankly I don't need the car back in the garage and it's a very minor leak, from a local reputable car supplies store, and after a long drive and five or six hours parked, I couldn't see any drips.

It is nearer the nearside wheel, and seems to be dripping down onto the axle/wheel-related components and then dropping to the floor in about three places. The drops you can see are amber in colour and it smells slightly like cooking oil, though it hasn't much of a scent. Now my other issues are sorted (see long MOT thread!) I may finally get round to looking at these drips. No appreciable loss of any liquids or lights, seems to mostly happen when warm.

Mine had a "distinct area of stressing" (I like the description!) too. Looked like someone had put a hot metal rod against it. Kind of scorched looking. I noticed a few weeks ago that this area had actually failed, and there was a hairline split just visible after a drive when hot coolant bubbled at the edges. Luckily it was above the Plimsol line.

Well well well... it was with a sense of wearing expectation that I saw the engine management light come on on Sunday. However rather than another injector going or the new one failing, it was the wiring of the fuel temperature sensor that had broken (and new sensor added anyway). This must have been playing up for a bit anyway, perhaps intermittently working, as the "throb" I mentioned last week and the general feeling things were around 97% sorted but not quite 100% (if you know your car, you know) has gone and it really is now back to ... well, not new, but pretty good for its age. ALL FINGERS CROSSED that's it now.

Well... All done! New injector (reconditioned Bosch, not an eBay job), new rocker gasket, 3 x new glow plugs (plug 2 stuck) oh and a new coolant resevoir, as mine developed a split. £275 in all for parts and labour. Despite the testing in February being done at a reputable VW specialist, this week's garage said the specialist had not tightened all the rocker cover bolts and had also not replaced a single-use bolt that keeps the injectors in place (if that sounds right). Anyway I have forgotten what "normal" in this car is now. Runs fine, starts fine (what I might call a "throb" feeling on the first kick of the engine then normal) I think I'm dulled to the whole saga now though! A Long run this weekend as a treat for it.

I had an intermittent ABS error for months. Finally fixed it in anticipation an MOT, it was the pump on its way out.

Glad to hear it's fixed. For the future you might get more responses sticking your readings through a translator like Deepl, such as gives you: Tuesday,18,February,2025,15:26:14:16365 VCDS -- Windows based VAG/VAS emulator - Runs on Windows 11 x64 VCDS version: NEZ 24.7.1.0 HEX-V2 CB: 0.4658.4 Data version: 20241018 DS356.3 www.vcds.dk Frame number: TMBEH61Z482212849 Registration number: DY55421 Mileage: 338380km Repair order: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model type: 1Z (1K0) Search: 01 02 03 08 09 15 16 17 19 25 42 44 46 52 56 62 69 72 76 Frame number: TMBEH61Z482212849 Mileage: 338380km 01-Engine -- Status: Malfunction 0010 02-Automatic -- Status: Ok 0000 03-ABS brakes -- Status: Ok 0000 04-Steering angle -- Status: Ok 0000 08-Air conditioning -- Status: Malfunction 0010 09-Central electr. BCM1 -- Status: Malfunction 0010 15-Airbags -- Status: Ok 0000 16-Wheel electronics -- Status: Malfunction 0010 17-Instrument -- Status: Ok 0000 19-CAN Gateway -- Status: Ok 0000 25-Start interlock -- Status: Ok 0000 42-Door electr. V for -- Status: Ok 0000 44-Power steering -- Status: Malfunction 0010 46-Comfort electronics -- Status: Malfunction 0010 52-Door electr. H for -- Status: Ok 0000 56-Radio -- Status: Malfunction 0010 62-Door electr. V rear -- Status: Ok 0000 69-Towbar -- Status: Ok 0000 72-Door electr. H rear -- Status: Ok 0000 76-Parking aid -- Status: Ok 0000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Control unit 01: Engine (CEG) Explanation file: NEZ\03L-906- Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Hi. I am thinking of getting one of these soon as, not to put too fine a point on it, my engine area is not the cleanest I have ever seen. If I do get it done it'll be in a couple of weeks (about to get an injector replaced and a new rocker cover gasket, as there is some oil around this for a start and running down to the lower parts). But... are they worth it? Is it snake oil? I am not thinking of one of those £300 'carbon cleans', just a local one with a steam clean and degreaser etc. Thanks.

Yeah that's fair enough. Well it's booked in at a reputable garage now for the job and I found a new gasket for £9 anyway.

That was my concern but I didn't know if I was being harsh.

Cheers! Fair enough then. Well they're £20 so hardly a deal breaker.

Well it did intermittently misfire again as that injector 1 was not the best (as the fact the fault followed it to cylinder 2 demonstrates). However, here's an update... I had a chap out this morning to fit the new injector who has worked on the car before and had quoted for the job in advance, but he found that the injectors were under the rocker cover and not outside. He then advised I'd need a new gasket for this as it would no doubt be damaged on removal to fit the injector. I was thinking, "I've just had an Audi specialist* in and out of this cover like nobody's business to run their tests and they never once worried about this". I took it as a lack of confidence in the job, and certainly it dented mine in this mechanic, so I'll be going elsewhere, but has anyone ever heard of this concern before?! *Said specialist are very good but a touch out of my price range for this job, especially as they insist on sourcing their own, brand-new injectors. C'est la vie.

Having just been through this myself I will say... possible fuel injector issue causing a misfire under load.