Well my Octavia VRS is officially "sick". You may have noticed I haven't been shouting its praises in the few months since I acquired it, and now I know why. Sadly all we know is the symptoms, and we can't find the solution yet. I'm hoping one of the "techies" on here will recognise the symptoms and have some suggestions.

Basically, it's retarding the timing. This is what has been leading to the rather lifeless feel, and lacklustre performance. It's retarding by anything up to 6 degrees, more so on cylinders 2 and 3, but it's there on all 4. It's worse on cheap unleaded fuel, but still happens on Optimax. There are no visible faults, knock sensors don't seem to be going off, injector cycles look OK, airflow looks OK (it still does it with the MAF disconnected).

We've considered it might be the fuel pump, leading to lean running, but the lambda sensors aren't showing that to be a problem.

I could take it to my local dealer, but the chances are they would just check for fault codes and tell me I'm imagining things. It's very frustrating, and means it won't be attending Brunters next weekend... :(

Any ideas, techies?

IIRC the fuelpumps can be a problem... i think EddyH had a similar problem.. i saw his car being run on rollers with a pressure gauge set on his fuel line.. and watched it drop when full throttle was applied. :(

does this only happen on full throttle, do you get it low down the rev range or just high up, is it in any gear.

fuel pressure is easy enough to check at idle RR needed for load though

what are your plugs like do they show a lean mix, can you try someone else ECU?

Full throttle only - but have had it at two distinct points - 100% load and 5000+rpm, then today it started happening lower down - 3500rpm and anything from 55% load.

Will whip out the plugs tomorrow - that's one of my tasks for the weekend (apart from replacing the head on the .

Another ECU may be an option - some time in the next week or two.

Nick , if I were you I would take it to a main dealer ..............they may not be able to help , but they are working on these cars day in , day out ................and it may well be a problem that they have come across before .

not that i know anything but from what you've said i'd say fuel pump issue's, when eddy comes by he may be able to help

The dealer has it this morning for a minor cosmetic thing and I've asked them to take a look while they're at it. I wasn't all that encouraged - I said to the young lad on the service reception desk "You won't see any faults but it needs someone's expert opinion" and he said "you're out of luck there, then!". Inspiring, huh

Sounds exactly the same as mine even down to the timing retarding heavily. As said above in my case it was the fuel pump. Also it's worth knowing that the fuel pump that was faulty was actually new which is why it wasn't suspected as being at fault. It was diagnosed on the RR by applying load and attaching a pressure gauge to the pump (under the back seat). I found it was worse at peak load around 3krpm.

Ah, cheers Eddy. I've seen it at both 3 and 5k rpm. Have suggested possible pump to the dealer.

The dealer has it this morning for a minor cosmetic thing and I've asked them to take a look while they're at it. I wasn't all that encouraged - I said to the young lad on the service reception desk "You won't see any faults but it needs someone's expert opinion" and he said "you're out of luck there, then!". Inspiring, huh

Is this the dealer "local" to you...starts with an F :(

Is this the dealer "local" to you...starts with an F :(

local ... ish

Tres subtle Nick

Tres subtle Nick

Still don't get it. Should I try fishing for an answer?

Still don't get it. Should I try fishing for an answer?

went right off them when I saw a salesman swapping his spare tyre (very worn) for a brand new one in a for sale car a few years back :thumbdwn:

So here we are, 9 months on, and no further forward. The dealer has now had it back 4 times, including services, and the issue is exactly the same. On Wednesday I received a letter from them saying the car is "within technical specs" (6 degrees of timing retard? :eek: ) and therefore there's nothing more they can do, and inviting me to contact Customer Services if I want to try and progress it further. Personally, I don't expect that to get me any further, so apparently my "warranty" is not worth the paper it's written on. Ho hum.

So I'm on the lookout for a competent VAG specialist in the South, preferably somewhere west of London and South of Birmingham, who will sort this out for me properly, rather than just plugging in a diagnostic tester with the car stationary, and telling me there are no faults. I KNOW THAT! YOU HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE THE FAULT!!

Any suggestions? (I have contacted one company but they're a long way away, and while I trust their competence, they want me to leave the car there, and I'd be stranded 130 miles from home (130.3 according to Multimap))

A little bit further over, and still south of Birmingham, but why not try our very well known techie on here, at least you will get told the truth and it will get looked at by a professional.

Worth the extra gallon or so to get it sorted.

I will ask again.

Nick,

If you want I will take a look at it.

Can anyone see me.....coowee:wavey: :grnbounc: :ne_nau:

Can anyone see me.....coowee:wavey: :grnbounc: :ne_nau:

It's called selective blindness Des.

Nick...if you leave your car you can ask for the loan car....don't expect fireworks from it liek their demo cars though.

Des I'm not ignoring you - I have another avenue to explore this morning. I'll come back to you - thanks for the offer.

Des I'm not ignoring you - I have another avenue to explore this morning. I'll come back to you - thanks for the offer.

No probs.