Been having 'performance issues' for a while, long story short some days I get in car and its really rough on idle and has no(t much) boost. Today got in and it was smooth as and raring to go. Almost sh@t myself at one point it was so quick.

 

So what could be the cause of this intermittent lack of boost and how do I get it to stay boosty. Don't know if this is related but left the car outside last night and it chucked it down. Prior to that, on a day when it was pants, it was in the garage. Confused?!?

A good place to start would be to check for faults, if you don't have vcds / vagcom then it might be worth a post to check if anyone local does.

It could possibly be a vnt problem, 'sticky veins' which is a common fault - just give it a google.

I've had the car scanned recently and there were no fault codes, everything normal, only it isn't. If I have an intermittent problem, say an electrical fault/short whatever, would that only be detectable using VCDS when the fault is 'active' or would the system log the fault and remember, even if it then went back to normal?

You can get an indication of what's happening with various sensors etc by logging with vcds..

It would be a good starting point IMO.

No VCDS here, wonder if I should invest, trying to fix problems blind is near impossible, unless you get really lucky.

 

EDIT: ordered cable from Gendan, will see if I can get it working with VCDS lite download ... no clue what I'm doing though!

Edited 20 February, 201412 yr by vRSWitter

Fabokas website has a good guide to get you started.

I'd do a stop screw test to see if your actuator is moving properly, I think that should show if they are stuck or not? 

 

The intermittent problems sound as if the veins are stuck one way one day then stuck again another day or something.

Sticky veins means high cholesterol, see a doctor and ask for a course of statins.

 

Could be the vanes sticking on your turbo though...

Fabokas website has a good guide to get you started.

 

Link please ... ?

 

EDIT: It's OK I've found it, if you meant hidden-power ...

Edited 20 February, 201412 yr by vRSWitter

I'd do a stop screw test to see if your actuator is moving properly, I think that should show if they are stuck or not? 

 

The intermittent problems sound as if the veins are stuck one way one day then stuck again another day or something.

 

Screw stop test, hmm, tell me more please ... ?

If you go into VCDS and go to Engine, then "basic settings" and go to number 11 it will move the actuator on the turbo by applying vacuum pressure and show you the figures, if they don't move then something is wrong and might link to a stuck actuator.

 

Where are you from?

If you go into VCDS and go to Engine, then "basic settings" and go to number 11 it will move the actuator on the turbo by applying vacuum pressure and show you the figures, if they don't move then something is wrong and might link to a stuck actuator.

 

Where are you from?

 

Will this be possible with VCDS lite, once I have it? I'm in Oxford btw.

Yeah thats what I use. Ahh can't help you personally then.

Link please ... ?

EDIT: It's OK I've found it, if you meant hidden-power ...

Sorry would have posted link but on phone so major pain to find etc.

Thanks for input guys, will post back once I've got VCDS up and running ...

Sounds like a sticky vnt

VCDS Log to monitor ECU boost request vs actual, as well as N75 duty cycle.

Log block 011 and 002

In third or fourth gear... 2k rpm to 5k

3rd. Only log one group at a time.

Quick question, do I need to register vcds lite to do all this?

No. Do a auto scram first. Then you can connect the the engine ecu and log.

OK not going to plan, got error message when tried auto scan saying "Sorry! That function only works with registered version" or something like that.

Can't do a log with vehicle moving, no laptop, so not sure if this is of any use at all, but did log of '011 with engine idling.

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94435544@N04/12722121944/

Ah yes forgot your doing the actuator test. I'm affraid this can't be done with the demo. You need to buy a license. You can log using the demo.

No point getting license until I get my laptop, is that right you can't transfer license?

To be honest I've not checked how transferring works.

It will still scan unregistered but only one module at a time.  Go to engine module then check for fault codes.  Other modules you may wanna check for error codes are instruments, central power, ABS, and autohvac.  Do not test your airbags!!!!!.  And to run basic settings I belive you need to log in using code 12233.

Edited 24 February, 201412 yr by RAPTURE