Three Cylinders!

[RJ MacReady]

Hi fellow Skoda drivers.

I have been on a few times before in realtion to my old Skoda Octavia 24vT (non vrs). It is a X (2000) and she has been a bit through the wars last year. The original engine died (due to timing belt jumping out I am told) and we managed to source a decent replace engine....we had a very good local garage and they also sorted out a few other bits and pieces while they were fitting the engine (primarily the clutch was replaced). All was again good from March last year when it was done...I was pleased and so was the wife (who drives it around as a bus for the kids).

However, a few weeks ago it acted up when I went out in it and I thought I had done something because I was driving it more briskly than is usual for the old girl! Anyway I don't think that caused any problems it was just chance (I think). Anyway, it went back into the local guys who don't have an auto electrician but they were able to say quickly that a cylinder wasn't working and that a auto sparky shoudl look it over. This has now happend and it looks like it could be an ecu issue or something to do with a 'harness'. I need to speak to him as my wife was delivering and picking up the car. Anyway I just wanted to see if anyone here had any simialr experinces as the sparky thinks it could be terminal and I would cry if I had to lose the old girl (never mind having to find a replacement I cannot afford)!

I probably haven't explained this well but I wanted to ask how easy it might be to replace such and old ecu or indeed get it fixed (it was remapped years ago wehn I first got her with no bother at all) or if it is something to do with the 'harness' is this soemthing that can be fixed? I think the chat is that the cylinder isn't getting a spark/ignition (sorry I know little about this!!)

Has anyone got any ideas at all?

Cheers for reading

RJ

[bobdebouwer]

IMHO has f**k all to do with ecu's

Spark plug/HT lead/Coil pack?

Thats generally the problem when not getting a spark in one or more cylinders and any decent mechanic knows how to sort this out. If you gonna try it yourself though:

replace the spark plug and check

replace the HT lead and check

lastly replace the coil pack

Done this way will save you a few quid if its just a plug or lead that needs changing.

how a coil pack works/troubleshooting

[rk696]

If it is the 1.8t engine, they have individual coilpacks which are renowned for failing.

Also, the harness (wiring loom) for the coilpacks can crack with heat (Usually a problem with cars in hot climates), causing it to short and stop the spark.

Try chaning the plugs too. 1.8t engines don't have HT leads.

Edited 10 February, 2011 by rk696

[Stug]

If it is the 1.8t engine, they have individual coilpacks which are renowned for failing.

Also, the harness (wiring loom) for the coilpacks can crack with heat (Usually a problem with cars in hot climates), causing it to short and stop the spark.

Try chaning the plugs too. 1.8t engines don't have HT leads.

+1 . Good luck,hope you get it sorted

[pauldazzle]

Coil Pack.

[David 8]

Coil Pack.

Agreed ....... Top tip for the OP, find another sparkie who is not a retard.

You can change a pack yourself in about 30 seconds, unless it;s the one under vac canister thingy, in which case allow another 2 mins to whip that off.

If you want any advice on doing this just ask

[RichOctVrs]

Agreed ....... Top tip for the OP, find another sparkie who is not a retard.

just what I was thinking!

I had similar symptoms recently, which a new coil pack sorted.

Just a thought. have you got breakdown assistance?... if so, call them out.

Nowadays they have diag kit on their laptops and will be able to read any fault codes... and will probably have spare coil packs on board to resolve or rule it out as a problem.

If not, find yourself a local VAG specialist.

I doubt very much that it's terminal... or an ecu problem.

[KenONeill]

As everyone else, get another garage, cos that's almost certain to be a coilpack, or maybe the cam cover harness.

[Bodge]

Agreed ....... Top tip for the OP, find another sparkie who is not a retard.

Haha subtle as ever!

I agree with everyone else really. Coilpack, coilpack harness or spark plug.

Oh and as others have said the engine doesn't have HT leads!

I'd be wary of that local garage trying to sell you expensive things that you don't need....

[SILVER ROCKET]

Don't drive on 3 cylinders too much. You may get bore washing.

[RJ MacReady]

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for all of these valuable insights? I have been away all day and whil out phoned a skoda owning friend who said 'coilpacks' as well. Not much idea but with the help you have provided I could check this out myself hopefully. Are these things easy to get and does anyone know a good place to source them? Do you need to get Skoda stuff as there is Skoda garage nearby that I could go to. Also are the expensive at all?

The sparky used a 'Dino' scan - sorry not sure what that is by assume it is computer like the VAG COM thing you mention - it 'apparently' said ecu and harness issue but I can't read his writing (!!) so will need to speak to him on Monday. I am sure the actual garage checked the sparks as I think these guys are good (they fitted the refurbed engine and all went well) but I really know sweet fa to be honest.

Again, thanks so much for the insight and if anyone can point to to coilpack costs and place to get the that owuld be great too.

Cheers

RJ MacReady

[RJ MacReady]

just what I was thinking!

I had similar symptoms recently, which a new coil pack sorted.

Just a thought. have you got breakdown assistance?... if so, call them out.

Nowadays they have diag kit on their laptops and will be able to read any fault codes... and will probably have spare coil packs on board to resolve or rule it out as a problem.

If not, find yourself a local VAG specialist.

I doubt very much that it's terminal... or an ecu problem.

Actually we are with the AA but I didn't think they would cover this sort of thing at all? They only just replaced my 10 year old battery for the car a month or so back!

Thanks and really so as I just didn't think they would do it!

RJ

[Liverpool-Lad]

Some more advice would be to get a VAG-COM cable from ebay and the VCDS lite software which will allow you to check the engine fault codes should they be present.

[RJ MacReady]

Oh and one other weird symptom possible and only noticed when I was driving in my car behind the Skoda - the lights at the back were acting strangely and it has never had that before - also the temp gauge on the dash was never getting up to half like it mormally does it was sort of getting close and then dropping back down a bit - again it has never done that either!!

Poor old girl is struggling for usre!!

Cheers

RJ

[rk696]

The local delaer should be able to get a coilpack for you.

With yours being an X reg it could be the old style packs with 3 wires. You can tell if it is because you'll have a module stuck on the back of the airbox lid with 2 connectors on it. Not sure what part number these coils are, but they're not known for failing. It could be the module on the airbox lid.

If you don't have that module, you have the newer 4 pin coilpacks and the part number is 06A905115D. There are different versions, denoted by a different letter at the end. Get one with R or D at the end, as these are the newest, most reliable ones. D is the newest verison.

Edited 11 February, 2011 by rk696

[rk696]

When you say the lights were acting strangely, how do you mean?

And the temp gauge is an easy fix. The thermostat is probably stuck open. A few of the vRS's on here have had the problem over winter.

Coilpack are about £30 by the way

[RJ MacReady]

Thanks again. ****ing with rain just now but will check tomorrow - I migth even give the AA a go to see if I can get them to fix it for me...worth a try. At least they will be able to tell my newb self where the things are !!

Again folks much appreciated for taking the time to talk to someone who doesn't know any better!

Ta

RJ

[David 8]

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/70545-pictorial-guide-to-changing-a-coil-pack-on-the-1-8t-engine/page__p__853792__hl__+coil+pack+guide__fromsearch__1#entry853792

I think the words got lost at some point ??

But you should get the jist of it

HTH

[RichOctVrs]

Actually we are with the AA but I didn't think they would cover this sort of thing at all? They only just replaced my 10 year old battery for the car a month or so back!

Thanks and really so as I just didn't think they would do it!

RJ

Obviously you’d have to pay for the part, but labour would be free (if it was the coil).

Just tell em you've broken down, it's misfiring and the engine warning light is on.

And if you’ve not got Homestart, you’d have to… ahem… ‘break down’ a ¼ mile from your house

Edited 12 February, 2011 by RichOctVrs

[RJ MacReady]

OK the saga sort of continues on a bit!

The sparky has clarified that most of the obvious stuff has been checked and he has used an oscilloscope (!!) to check the flow of power (!!) and from this he is sure it isn't coil packs or plugs - he thinks it is the harness but he will need to strip the car to find out where the problem is in the harness - does that make sense? He says the harness is a fairly long colleciton of wires and junctions and he thinks that there is a problem somewhere in the loop. Does that sound plausible do you think?

He said it could also be the ecu but he thinks it is more likely to be harness - his vag.com stuff also got errors not just for cyclinder 2 (which is sort fo dead) but also a 'weird' reading for cylinder 1 though it still is sorking.

I am just really needing to see now whether it is worth looking at sourcing a new harness and giving that a pop as I can't afford to replace the car easily at all so woudl rather see if I can get the old girl to keep going for another year or two...any thoughts at all on harness replacement possibilities/costs?

Cheers again you have all been a big help.

RJ

[rk696]

Have you tried new coilpacks?

[bobdebouwer]

TBH I dont know much about cars, but I supposed there could be a short/open circuit somewhere in the loom thats messing things up.

These guys a really helpful and have helped me with a couple of things but I would imagine that they would need to know what the VAG COM errors were to be able to properly help out.

I hope you can get this sorted soon, just out of interest though how long ago did the engine get replaced and what sort of warranty did you get?

[RJ MacReady]

TBH I dont know much about cars, but I supposed there could be a short/open circuit somewhere in the loom thats messing things up.

These guys a really helpful and have helped me with a couple of things but I would imagine that they would need to know what the VAG COM errors were to be able to properly help out.

I hope you can get this sorted soon, just out of interest though how long ago did the engine get replaced and what sort of warranty did you get?

The engine was replaced spring last year and I got six months I think - no bother at all I have to say.

The fella seems to think it is harness/loom related but not sure and not really sure where to buy these parts to be honest! I think I will phone round a Skoda garage or two to see if they can price the part and at least give it a propoer name as google search for harness just come up with radio related stuff!

Cheers

[RichOctVrs]

The engine was replaced spring last year and I got six months I think - no bother at all I have to say.

The fella seems to think it is harness/loom related but not sure and not really sure where to buy these parts to be honest! I think I will phone round a Skoda garage or two to see if they can price the part and at least give it a propoer name as google search for harness just come up with radio related stuff!

Cheers

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

Coilpack Wiring Loom Replacement

Also, found a write up about replacing the coil pack

Replace cracked coil pack loom

[RJ MacReady]

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

Coilpack Wiring Loom Replacement

Also, found a write up about replacing the coil pack

Replace cracked coil pack loom

Hi yes I think that is it but from the looks of some of the chat on the other sites I do need to be careful about what harness I actually get due to engine codes altering around 2000 (X) so will need to look into this further.

A very big thanks for finding this out for me though it is a massive help and the problems others have mentioned on these sites rings quite true to the problems I am having as the coil packs and plugs seem to be checking out fine.

Thanks so much for these links.

RJ