Hello Everyone, 

 

I am new  - my first post but I hope you will forgive me if I ask some stupid questions;

 

My Skoda Octavia Estate (07, 2.0 Diesel, 80k miles) has been experiencing problems of late;

 

First occurance was a couple of months ago when it was travelling at 70mph on the motorway, power just suddenly seemed to drop away.  

 

Now on short journeys there is a violent stutter at 2000rpm in any gear. It seems to be worst when accelerating away in 2 or 3 gear.    This is very violent - it feels like hitting the breaks hard and throws you forward violently.  It will travel along happily below 2000 rpm in any gear but try and push it over and it stutters to a greater or lesser degree.  The revs drop off then go through the roof as if over revving.  

 

I have taken it to a skoda dealership who plug it in and get no error codes at all - they can't say what is wrong with it but suspect either fuel pumps or injectors (although they are confused why no error codes come up - they told me to scrap the car - apparantly it is going to be too expensive to fix and I may as well get a new one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great customer service eh! Its only 6 years with average mileage).  I have taken it to a local garage who checked and replaced the diesel filter (which was filthy despite fairly recent full service). Still had problems - they believed it could be a faulty fuel pump so also replaced this to no avail.  So I am £450 down and no better off.  

 

Now it is at a garage who are specialists in injectors. They have done a leakoff test and nothing there, they are also running out of ideas.

 

Since the first fault (approx 3 months ago)  I haven't driven it anywhere - except on my own to demonstrate the fault to mechanics and to take it to the garages (I am too scared to risk my or my 2 childrens lives by driving it with this fault).

 

HELP - has anyone else had this problem? 

 

Coincidentally (or possibly not???????) our Land Rover Freelander (04, 100k miles) has also recently had problems and has had a new fuel pump and now it is having to have 4 new injectors.... wtf is happening.. could it be dodgy fuel? We always use the same local supermarket garage?  

 

Anyone got any ideas please let me know.  

Hi CharlieMac

 

Im having what sounds like similar issues with my PD170.

Although unlike yourself i've been driving it regardless.

It drives ok, if i'm really, really gentle with it, but that not's really why i went for the vRS!

IU've been through all the usual PD170 "fixes" had the DPF deleted and remapped, swapped the EGR gasket...had the injectors replaced on the recall...but still get the same violent stutter you mention.

Managed to find the magic fix?

Flywheel/Clutch?

PD engine intermittent stutter is often due to a faulty injector wiring loom. ( The connector receptacles become enlarged). Its a known problem, but fortunately a new loom costs around £65 and is quite easy to replace.

Xman - this is a new potential solution you have suggested that I haven't seen before on the many many 'stuttering diesels' thread here. Thanks! Is there any quick and dirty checks that can be done to tell if this is the source of the problem or is it a case of spend the money and buy the replacement part?

 

can this possible solution be cross-posted onto the other 'stuttering' threads so more people can be informed?

 

thanks.

Could this be sticky vanes in the turbo when Max boost occurs?

Perhaps some fuel system/exhaust cleaner additive would help free up a sticky mechanism.

Just a thought.

Hey Charlie,

 

Did you get a solution to this? I'm having what sounds like a very similar problem (also in Cambridge!).

 

Thanks,

 

Chris

As soon as you said 'stutter at 2k' I thought of the EGR. The later Mk1 Fabia vRS with the BLT engine had this as a known issue. I remember there being an official fix for it in the end. But for the Octy I might suspect a faulty, or coked up EGR valve.

 

It was certainly not as violent as you describe though. As Mike says above, something of that severity sounds drivetrain related to me - clutch/flywheel perhaps.

 

I would have the car scanned with VCDS, rather than the dealer's VAS system. It could actually end up telling you more about any issue!