hi there,

Since the shop took out the cat of my octy, there's been some blue smoke coming out of the tail pipe. Is this normal? or it means that i'll have to throw more money on engine repair. Also they told me i need a new MAF, but i've read that unpluggin it would force the ECU to work on an internal programing, but when i do this the engine starts doing some weird stuff and shotgun like sounds from the intake.:confused::confused::confused:

If you need a new MAF get a new MAF. It's bad to mis-treat your car. Blue smoke isn't good, usually rings, valve guides or more likely turbo. WHEN do you notice the smoke? What is the miles and service history like?

Greg.

So the engine runs worse with the MAF unplugged than with it plugged in? If so, I don't think there's a MAF problem.

I agree about the causes of the blue smoke. This may have fouled the lambda sensor, so get the voltage on that checked as a possible reason for the bad running.

Had problems with running really rough on my ibiza 1.8T, the MAF and Lambda change did the trick. Blue smoke usually means turbo! Oh dear!

If it is the 90bhp Octavia diesel they dont have lambda`s

Check the air filter first , may help if you can get an uprated air filter to help with breathability , but agree with the MAF unplugged it should run the same plugged in or not if the MAF has failed

Check air filter , then check hoses

Sarah

Check the EGR isn't leaking and that the intercooler hasn't filled up with oil.

Either of these would allow a bit of oil into the combustion chamber, although it wouldn't be that blue.

Engine internals or turbo;)

Blue smoke usually means turbo! Oh dear!

Well it looks like I better start thinking about turbo options then

Mine has a small puff of smoke on pull away and a bit more if in reverse.

The car feels nice and strong when driving though :confused:

But they will puff smoke for a long time though and not neccasarily blow.

wouldn't Oil consumption increase if it were the turbo?

thanks for the prompt response. i'll buy a new MAF just need to know if i can adapt one from the 1.8T or 2.0 engines since those for the 1.6 seem to be very rare.

My car is a 1.6 N/A no turbo

If i had a Lambda sensor problem would it show on the VAG?

Do you sell them Sarah?

An uprated air filter will NOT help, look at the many quantitive test showing OE paper regularly out perform 'aftermarket', add in the same size element can happily feed 200bhp motors. Not against people having them if they wish, pay your money takes your choice etc, but it's not a mechanic who would ever suggest it as a solution, replacing the proper air filter it was designed for!

If you wish pop a vacuum gauge after the air filter, you'll see you get little to no difference in pressure before or after the element (unless it's heavily soiled) which indicates no restriction to flow and is actually a quantitive way to test the restriction

If it is the 90bhp Octavia diesel they dont have lambda`s

Check the air filter first , may help if you can get an uprated air filter to help with breathability , but agree with the MAF unplugged it should run the same plugged in or not if the MAF has failed

Check air filter , then check hoses

Sarah

We have a machine here that shows the air passing through

It is an easy , but effective way of showing that the air passing through the filters IS more resrictive on an OEM filter

If a car is showing signs of smoke burning (especially after a remap or tining box) then that is due to extra fuel

To make sure that the air fuel mixture is running better then adding more air will help

Yes we do sell these and yes I run one on my car , I have done for approx 80k miles before an after a remap

Never had any issues at all

My MAF failed , but that was when I was thinking of getting one and trying to decide which one to choose

I will continue to use them

In fact I got my father , son , brother in law and brother them all for pressies as I was so impressed with them

So each to their own as you say though

Sarah

I've seen the same sort of flow bench results as Sarah talks about, conducted completely independantly of Awesome (by Dave Vizard and Gerard Sauer IIRC), give the same results from filter elements.

The only test I've seen where the OEM paper element "performed as well as foam" used a completely standard carburetor engine and airbox. Since it is well-known that OEM airboxes are designed to silence rather than max out flow, it's easy to conclude that all that test proved was that the limitting factor in flow on that engine isn't a new paper element!