Hi Guys (and Dolls)

Just wondered if anyone knows the difference between the two levels of compliance.

Their was no sign of the STUTTER on my VRS, April 2004 to August 2006 and I presume it was EU111 compliant.

I suppose that the EU compliance is an EU directive tightening up the Emissions,

but it would be nice to know exactly what was done to the perfectly good motors in the "improvement"

My new 100BHP TDI Fabia Estate has the same symptoms as the new VRS and at the moment I am trying to get some sense out of the Skoda Customer Support Dept.

Jopo

EU Emission limits (g/km) for diesel passenger cars are:

CO/HC/NOx/PM

of 0.64/0.06/0.50/0.050 for EU III

and 0.50/0.05/0.25/0.025 for EU IV

CO=carbon monoxide; HC=hydrocarbons; NOx=nitrogen oxides; PM=particulate matter

The 50% reduction in NOx for EU IV is what's caused the problem and why Skoda increased the Exhaust Gas Recirculation to reduce combustion chamber temperatures, which in turn, reduces NOx. It also makes the car rubbish to drive.

A friend of mine would like to know whether disabling/reducing the EGR via VAG-COM would make a difference? Any advice would be much appreciated...

I had a three hour meeting with Skoda Technical a couple of weeks ago. I asked them why they are testing fixes with restrictor gaskets rather than the higher tech option of using the computer. They said the dealer computers cannot adjust EGR levels, but he accepted VAGCOM could - he also said VAGCOM could adjust lots of things which could damage the engine if you're not careful.

Reducing EGR allegedly removes the stutter; Skoda's Mk 1 reducing gasket with a 9mm hole is supposed to eliminate it, but it sends the NOx emissions through the roof. A 14mm hole version meets EU IV, but doesn't remove the stutter. They've tried 13.5mm and that blows the NOx. Seems they've come to an end with this particular option.

I test drove a dealer demonstrator with a 150BHP VW remap and that didn't stutter, but it voids your warranty, doesn't meet EU IV, ups your insurance, lowers your resale . . .

In the end the Skoda tech guy was pulling the oldest trick in the car sales manual by trying to re-classify an obvious fault as a "characteristic" because it is clear they're not going to be able to fix it cheaply.

thanks for the replies

my argument when they claim that an obvious fault is "characteristic" is that it is not characteristic of The Skoda Fabia 100BHP 1.9TDI Estate because I owned the identical model from 2001 t0 2004 and that did not STUTTER.

They used the "characteristic" argument on me on that previous model because they were unable tiofix a steering problem. It was permanently biased to the left and inspite of wheel alignment checks and a replacement steering rack, I just had to suffer the problem. While I had the vehicle, later cars were OK, but they didn,t fix mine.

Jopo

So for anyone out there: I'll be getting a vRS by the end of the year, which year model should I be looking for to avoid this stutter problem?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :-)

The 50% reduction in NOx for EU IV is what's caused the problem and why Skoda increased the Exhaust Gas Recirculation to reduce combustion chamber temperatures, which in turn, reduces NOx. It also makes the car rubbish to drive.

My car is excellent to drive and has a slight rare stutter. Best car I have ever had and one of the best I have driven. I think the stutter comes up depending on your driving style....wat car have you got now Kerrie? after rejecting your car?

If you want to avoid the stutter I believe you're looking at mid 2005 or earlier. Having spoken to several VRS owners, it seems that the EU 3 compliant engine is generaly regarded as a better/smoother drive. I don't know if the echo's opinions on this forum...

Just one more thing to add... it seems that there also a problem with the idling speed on the new EU 4 engine (ie. it idles too slowly causing the car to vibrate more than expected!).

Just one more thing to add... it seems that there also a problem with the idling speed on the new EU 4 engine (ie. it idles too slowly causing the car to vibrate more than expected!).

Oddly, the Skoda technical guy suggested slowing the idle speed down from 900 to 850 rpm to eliminate the idle vibration.

Cheers P-A for the reply, now just to find an 05 plate vRS.....

Oddly, the Skoda technical guy suggested slowing the idle speed down from 900 to 850 rpm to eliminate the idle vibration.

That is odd. You'd have thought raising the idle speed to 1,000rpm (euro 3 engines) would make more sense!

That is odd. You'd have thought raising the idle speed to 1,000rpm (euro 3 engines) would make more sense!

I guess it's down to resonant vibrations. At 900rpm the engine is closer to the resonant frequency of the whole vehicle, hence the vibration. At 850rpm it's futher away from the resonant frequency.

It's also possible that at 850rpm the engine vibrations could be more effectively be dealt with by the rubber around the engine mounts.

very true, every piece of material has it's own frequency that it will vibrate mostly at. This frequency is known as the system's natural frequency of vibration or resonant frequency.

So reducing the revs can infact reduce vibrations as it can be set further away from materiels resonant frequency, therefore the mechanic was correct to reduce the idle rpm.

so then Kerry what car you got? you still got your VRS? or did you reject it?

You learn something every day. I guess I was just assuming that as the engine is turning faster it would be smoother.

One other thing with Euro IV engines in general - they MUST be serviced ANNUALLY, regardless of mileage. This is not the case with Euro III engines.

Hence my old Megane had intervals of 18,000/2yrs, the new one is 20,000/1yr.

One other thing with Euro IV engines in general - they MUST be serviced ANNUALLY, regardless of mileage. This is not the case with Euro III engines.

Hence my old Megane had intervals of 18,000/2yrs, the new one is 20,000/1yr.

Are you sure? I have a VRS with Euro III engine and according to the service book it's every 10,000 miles or 12 months, which ever is sooner.

Are you sure? I have a VRS with Euro III engine and according to the service book it's every 10,000 miles or 12 months, which ever is sooner.

Yes, I am sure.

I was merely stating that Euro IV engines MUST be serviced annually, there was no stipulation about this on Euro III engines.

Eh? Sorry but I don't follow you? According to my service manual, and the dealer, my car MUST be serviced annually too?

Eh? Sorry but I don't follow you? According to my service manual, and the dealer, my car MUST be serviced annually too?

Ok ok... SOME manufacturers of EUROIII engines stipulate service intervals of 10k/1yr. Others 12k/1yr, some 20k/2yrs, some variable at upto 30k/2yrs, whatever the manufacturer decides.

With EUROIV engines manufacturers have to stipulate a service interval of a year.

Any clearer?

I see where you are coming from now! I was talking purely about Furby VRS service intervals