I have a problem with the engine idle on my GLXI 1.6 hatch.  The car will often tick over eratically from cold or hot at between 900 to 1100rpm.  Turn the ignition off leave it for a while, restart and it's fine ticking over at 800rpm, disconnect the battery negative leave it a while and it's fine also. Also when it is driven with the eractic idle it feels like the throttle cable is stuck and I have cruise control until I apply the brakes to slow down.  I have checked the throttle cable it's fine not sticking at all, and checked the throttle valve as well, also ok.  I can only assume it is the throttle valve postioner, have checked with fault code reader, no codes.  The Haynes manual tells me nothing about how to test and check the throttle positioner, can any body help me?  Also is it just a O-ring that is used to seal the throttle body to the inlet manifold?  Skoda want to charge me £10 for this so called sealing washer (O-ring).  I think they are having a f*****g laugh with me.

Yeah, there is just an O-ring in there (code 030133073D) and being a VW part it can cost what dealers charged. Or you can get it on eBay for half. But first check if you have indeed a vacuum leak in that area. An unlit propane torch might put you on the right track.

 

The Haynes manual is obsolete, incomplete or wrong in many cases. The real manual is the Skoda factory service manual. You'll need a reading of throttle valve angle data with VAG-COM while slowly pressing all the way the accelerator pedal. The problem is that without a high resolution graphical representation of data, you'll not be able to see much looking at some digits.

 

On the other hand, judging by your description ('fighting' with throttle cable sensation), in absence of any mechanicai sticking, there is only the throttle valve actuator that could act up. So I would suggest starting simple by checking / cleaning all associated electrical connectors, ground points, and finally an idle switch test with the scanner. Tell us what you found so far.

It's going to be an adaption issue and/or ignition timing causing that, the idle speed position needs to be learned by the ecu, also it's not uncommon for the resistive wiper track inside the throttle housing which senses the throttle position to get worn badly around that area where the thottle spends the most time ( around the idle position), if resetting the basic settings and doing a throttle adaption procedure doesn't solve it, then try a different throttle body.

Many thanks for your replies, I am going to take the throttle body off the car, clean and check thoroughly and see what happens.  I have a another throttle body from a salvage yard, will try that if I have too.  Will let you know what the outcome is.

In the first instance, grab an aerosol of carb cleaner and feed it some of that. The oil breather spits crap into the throttle body by design, so try the easy stuff first. 

Hi every one, just to let you know, I sourced a brand new throttle body for £66.  Fitted it and problem cured.

Lucky, they are around £350 to buy new from skoda normally.

Hi there, I can give any one that needs a new throttle body the contact details of where I got the new body.  Thats if the chap has any more.