Skoda won't go over 3000rpm

[JustinRoomster]

Hi

I posted this in the Roomster section, but really, I have seen from searching the 'net that it could effect any car. Wondering if anyone can help in the general section?
Don't know really where to look anymore.
Thank you

 

[Warrior193]

Hello Justin, welcome to the forum. Is this rev limiting while driving - or while stationary in neutral gear -  do you know that engine revs are limited under those conditions?

You will need to post any error codes found, have you got these?

[JustinRoomster]

1 hour ago, Warrior193 said:

Hello Justin, welcome to the forum. Is this rev limiting while driving - or while stationary in neutral gear -  do you know that engine revs are limited under those conditions?

You will need to post any error codes found, have you got these?

Hi there, the RPM issue is while driving, all gears. Unfortunately the garage kept the error codes to themselves.

[Warrior193]

If it's your car, and you paid for the diagnostic work, you are entitled to be told what the errors are. You will need to get the error codes somehow - perhaps by asking a forum member near you, or by getting your own code reader.

[JustinRoomster]

My local garage have washed their hands of the car. I was hoping to narrow down the possible issue and then go to another garage a bit further away. Where I live it's miles to anything, 60 miles to the nearest "city". The only thing the garage said was that the MIL sensor was "flagging an error" but they changed the sensor, it made on difference, so they put the old sensor back on. They appeared not to know what the error was.

[Paws4Thot]

1 hour ago, JustinRoomster said:

The only thing the garage said was that the MIL sensor was "flagging an error" but they changed the sensor, it made on difference, so they put the old sensor back on. They appeared not to know what the error was.

Well, I'm now stuck without codes beyond that I'd have said "change your garage" if the old one wasn't refusing to work further on the car.

 

Also, not asking for a postal address, but some sort of hint as to your location would help with recommending a new garage.

[JustinRoomster]

The Highlands of Scotland. The "city" 60 miles away is Inverness. 

[Paws4Thot]

2 hours ago, JustinRoomster said:

The Highlands of Scotland. The "city" 60 miles away is Inverness. 

On the assumption of North or West, how far are your from Kyle of Lochalsh?

[JustinRoomster]

51 minutes ago, Paws4Thot said:

On the assumption of North or West, how far are your from Kyle of Lochalsh?

Half an hour from Kyle

[Paws4Thot]

5 hours ago, JustinRoomster said:

Half an hour from Kyle

There's a competent VW dealership in Portree then.

[JustinRoomster]

60 miles to Portree, same as Inverness. I shall have a look for some more local garages.

[nta16]

A garage that knows what they're doing with your car is worth more traveling and if they're honest and reliable too very well worth more traveling.  These seem to be so rare and often have more work than they need so if you can get in with them even more worth the travelling.   (But I've no idea about the one mentioned personally.)

  

[JustinRoomster]

TBH I'm very keen to mechanic it myself. I have asked the garage for the diagnostic. I asked on another forum and they say that it could be MAF sensor related. Someone had a go at changing the airfilter and failed as the screws are rusty. I shall change the air filter and check the MAF sensor.

[nta16]

Clean air filter (and filter box) is one of the most basic requirements for an engine, think of the engine as a giant air pump that just happens to help propel the  vehicle and the old computer term GIGO.   Diagnostics is confirming and interpreting the information not just reading off a scan report and not just blaming the messenger, a sensor,  though it might be at fault and the cause or contributing cause of the issue (wot's a MIL sensor anyway(?!)), fair enough they tried changing a sensor so put the previous sensor back in as long as they didn't charge too much for that.

 

From what you have put the garage never had a diagnosis and you'll not get one on the internet especially without a a scan tool report to refer to and lots of information and questions and answers usually.

 

Previous work needs to have been diagnosed correctly and then the correct parts fitted correctly, just because a part is replaced doesn't the previous part was a problem and/or the replacement part and or fitting (including coding perhaps now) was correct or done correctly.

 

This is all why you go to someone who knows what they are doing, to fully diagnosis correctly and know if replacement parts are required which correct and reliable parts to fit and how to fit them correctly and have them working correctly.  This requires knowledge and experience and possibly training, none of this magically arrives so takes time and cost so needs paying for, which can be more cost but much higher value if it sorts things.

 

A good person, they apparently still exist, even in the UK motor trade, will advise you if you are throwing good money after bad and either take the work on if you insist or say they'd rather not take your money off you.

 

Edited 25 February by nta16

[JustinRoomster]

I changed the air filter and checked the MAF sensor. I expect the local garage don't have the diagnostic. I'll get in touch with another garage monday and see if I can get it checked over.

[Warrior193]

What was the condition of the old air filter?

I suspect that if the filter box screws were badly rusted, it hadn't been changed for quite some time.

[JustinRoomster]

Yes the screws were badly rusted and the filter was bad with leaves in it.
Unfortulately it has made no difference to the power issue.
Tommorrow I will goto the garage to see if they still have the diagnostic they did.

[nta16]

1 hour ago, JustinRoomster said:

Yes the screws were badly rusted and the filter was bad with leaves in it.
Unfortulately it has made no difference to the power issue.

Changing the filter was extremely unlikely to make any/much difference to your issue but opening the box does possibly help with the overall diagnosis of the whole car, it's present condition and perhaps past history.  Putting a new filter in and cleaning the airbox and tubes will help with getting that little bit more filtered air into the engine which may be useful, perhaps now and later.

 

1 hour ago, JustinRoomster said:

Tommorrow I will goto the garage to see if they still have the diagnostic they did.

They didn't do a diagnosis, well not a full one but they should have a record of the full scan report to be able to give or email to you which if you want you could post up here and if you want redact any info you'd sooner not publish on an open public forum about your car's specifics (VIN perhaps).

 

Edited 26 February by nta16

[JustinRoomster]

Garage lost the diagnostic.

[nta16]

Wot a surprise.  It would still have needed interpreting and cross-checking.

 

Perhaps you might have someone near you that could give you a report for nothing or a beer token. - Briskoda VCDS Owners Map (click me)

[xman]

I suspect its a egr valve problem.

 

 

Edited 27 February by xman

[JustinRoomster]

On another forum someone suggested the EGR valve
There is another garage around here, I'll see if he'll do some diagnosing for me.

[nta16]

On a car new to you (if you're going to keep this car) I always suggest three things -

• a proper and full service and maintenance to the whole car possibly done in stages whilst using the car to get used to the car and how it drives and how to drive it, at least ASAP doing whole car service checks, priority to brakes, steering, suspension (all three include tyres) , safety electrics (lights, horn, blower, wipers) and glass (windows, mirrors), see and be seen, engine is down the list (usually).
• read and refer to the Owner's Manual (in fact I suggest doing this when considering buying the model)
• make sure the car battery is in a good state of charge (use an appropriate charger maintainer if required) and in good condition, check battery terminals and clamps are clean and secure (same for main cables and connections including earths) as this will help anyway and with any starting or electrical issues and diagnosis of them.

 

Justin as you put you want to be a mechanic (I'm not in any way) this also applies as much as to an owner/driver, much servicing, maintenance and repairs often boils down to clean and lubricate and can be done by anyone if I can do it, such as changing the engine oil & filter and cleaning the airbox and tubes. even though PITA that some of the Skoda models present in this simple task.  Your car seems like it may need more than this but will require the basics to be dealt with anyway for best results.  Also for a diesel I personally would run the first three tankfulls with "clean" diesel such as Shell V-Power and a tankful or two either side of a engine service or MoT.  And I would be particularly very timely and thorough in my changes of engine oil and filter (GIGO). 

 

Most car parts now are too expensive and systems too complicated to swap out as just-in-case or just to see, that's without the added labour costs, so careful, checked, diagnostics are generally required but still better to have things reasonably clean and cleaning running to help with those diagnostics, a sensor covered in stuff will affect the running of the car or system and scan report.

 

A good mechanic is also honest about his work and the work required whether that's a great deal, a lot or very little or even next to nothing or nothing, in my many decades of experience there are many fewer good mechanics (or other tradesmen) than there should be.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited 27 February by nta16
missing words

[HeavyMetalRich]

If you're a budding mechanic yourself go and get a small OBD code reader. Even a not very fancy one will be able to point you in more of a direction than a garage that can't or won't tell you what they've found.

 

With the 1.6 TDi CR a restriction in performance will most likely be one of three things. EGR valve sticking, exhaust temperature sensor fault or an injector fault.

 

The first two faults in their early stages will sometimes reset with a switch off and on again of the ignition. The injector will normally be accompanied by poor running as I'm sure you well know.

 

Obviously it could be something else but without the fault code readout we're just poking in the dark.

[JustinRoomster]

Ah thanks, yes, these are good thoughts. The EGR valve certainly comes up a lot pertaining to this fault. I do keep wondering, bearing in mind the car has had 3 new injectors, if the final one might be wonky. The garages here like to overdo it "ooh your turbos gone" etc. Currently we're super skint from having our old L200 fail the MOT and rushing out to buy the Skoda and having to fi it straight away, but I'll either think of a code reader or go to another garage I know and offer up the three possibilities you mention when we have some money again. The Skoda is making 700/800 miles a tank, which is pretty good for a car with a fault! Other than struggling with hills its a pretty good runner and along flat roads you'd barely know it has any issues.

Edited 9 March by JustinRoomster