Hi,

Think one of my coils (1999 1.8 NA engine) has kicked the bucket. My question is without VAG COM how can I diagnose this? I heard that i can set the car running and pull them out one by one (reconnecting before pulling out the next). Is this correct?

Basically, I always had a slight hesitation/judder that was intermittent under acceleration. Today it suddenly got much worse and now have kangarooing under acceleration. Had suspected the MAF but now thinking coil? It feels like a misfire but doesnt sound that bad really.

Dont really have money to **** away on trying replacing lots of parts, is there any easy way to distinguish between the two problems?

Help greatly appreciated!!

p.s. its not the sparks I just changed them 2 weeks ago and the problem was there beforehand anyway.

If you suspect it's the coils get it sorted soon, driving it around with a busted coil is bad for the cat as the unburnt fuel will damage it.

To check MAF, unplug it. If the car improves, then it's the MAF.

Check the plugs like you said, by unplugging individual coils. If you unplug one and it doesnt make any difference, then you know it's that one.

Wouldn't a coil out throw up an engine management light? Certainly the method you describe was how the AA man diagnosed which coil had gone on my Renault many moons ago...

Just to report back - it was a plug lead.

Replaced the plugs there a couple of weeks ago and the little rubber bung that you use inside the spark socket somehow ended up on the new spark (silly I know). The lead pushed on ok and stayed on for a week before popping off. So its sorted now anyway!

On the issue of the cat, I've an mot next month is there anyway of checking whether the cat has been damaged by running rich?

Cheers lads

try the pulling them out technique always worked for me before i got vagcom

On the issue of the cat, I've an mot next month is there anyway of checking whether the cat has been damaged by running rich?

Cheers lads

I'm pretty sure you'll be fine on a modern car. AFAIK, misfires and driving through deep puddles were only problems in the 80s...