MK4 GTI CUTTING OUT!?

***WARNING - I have no experience with engines at all. Complete and utter noob***

Car: 2000 Mk4 Golf GTI 2.0L 8V


Ok, hopefully someone with a bit of knowledge of Mk4 Golf's can give me some insight here...

My car has been running a little iffy since about November.
It developed a 'lag' when driving sometimes.
If I was driving anywhere for a period of time (10mins or more) it would slow down as if i'd put the clutch in, and then about 4 seconds later would come back to life and kick in again.

I read around and found that this may be caused by the MAF snesor.
So that's been replaced and the car was running OK again.

Recent Problem
Now, since the new year this problem has come back. Not as bad as before, but it still does it every now and then.
It also sounds like its misfiring. When the engine is ticking over, it doesnt sound as regular as it should be.
It's burbling a little and if I leave it for 10mins to warm up in the morning, i'll get in and the engine will have stalled.

I was coming home from work about half an hour ago, and stopped at some lights in traffic for approximately 45 seconds. Went to pull away again and the engine had cut out.
It started up fine and I got home.


This is really starting to frustrate me, and i'd rather ask on here than take it to a garage thats gonna rip me off.


Anyone got a clue as to whats going on?
Spark plugs? Fuel pump? Like I said, i'm an engine noob so I havent got a clue...

there's a pack of beer in it for anyone that can help me out!

its a mk4. there is your problem

oh and it did'nt sound like it was misfiring at the pub last night if thats what you mean, was just hunting a bit for some reason. worth mentioning you have an induction kit too

MarkGTX wrote:

its a mk4. there is your problem

oh and it did'nt sound like it was misfiring at the pub last night if thats what you mean, was just hunting a bit for some reason. worth mentioning you have an induction kit too

It's definately misfiring.
If you get in it while its running, it wobbles your arse every now and then when its still.
And this morning it wouldnt start properly so I had to give it some revs to help it along.

The induction kit shouldnt be a problem really as its been on there since beginning of october, and the problems only started at the end of november.
But yeah, it has a K&N 57i Induction kit on it too.

ha ha ha wobbles your arse.

MarkGTX wrote:

ha ha ha wobbles your arse.

Thats my engine noobness ftw

no spark on cylinder 5 and 6 its a common problem.

Tiz wrote:

no spark on cylinder 5 and 6 its a common problem.

Hmmm, so any suggestion of what i'd need?
New spark plugs i'm guessing?

i hope your being as sarcastic as i was haha

Do you know when the last time the spark plugs were changed? Also how many mile has the car done?

Fuel filters on these don't have a replacement time on the service schedule but if it's the original one after 10 year's it'll need changing.

Do you get the engine warning lamp on when it's running a bit rough at idle?

Ian83 wrote:

Do you know when the last time the spark plugs were changed? Also how many mile has the car done?

Fuel filters on these don't have a replacement time on the service schedule but if it's the original one after 10 year's it'll need changing.

Do you get the engine warning lamp on when it's running a bit rough at idle?

Cars Mileage is currently 92k.
Spark plugs were last changed at 75k.
Fuel Filter was changed at 75k.

About a week after fitting the new MAF sensor the engine warning light came on and has been on since (roughly about the same time this started happening).
Been meaning to get it diagnosed but haven't had the time or funds to recently.

PM'd

get your plugs changed and a good service dude change your fuel filter if you havent already done so vw say they are life time filters i change mine at every service.

this still happening stamps?

Lupton_20vt wrote:

this still happening stamps?

Yep. Still gurgling like a baby and throwing fits every now and then.
The cars not behaving itself very well either...

Guy has kindly offered to have a look at it and whack the ol' diagnostic jobby in it on saturday to see what its moaning about. If its a fairly simple problem, i'll buy the parts and stick them in.

If it requires some work, i'll give Alex a shout as he has also kindly offered to help me out with it.
When you need a hand with something, everyone chips in which is really cool.
Cheers to everyone who's offered to help so far!

did you get my pm tony?

try a crank shaft sensor.. i had kind of same symptons on my mk4 turbo.. vw call it engine speed sensor. millfield autos i got mine from..

Stampers wrote:

Lupton_20vt wrote:

this still happening stamps?

Yep. Still gurgling like a baby and throwing fits every now and then.
The cars not behaving itself very well either...

Guy has kindly offered to have a look at it and whack the ol' diagnostic jobby in it on saturday to see what its moaning about. If its a fairly simple problem, i'll buy the parts and stick them in.

If it requires some work, i'll give Alex a shout as he has also kindly offered to help me out with it.
When you need a hand with something, everyone chips in which is really cool.
Cheers to everyone who's offered to help so far!

guy is the man with that computer well im up seeing pussio liam on sat maybe dude so ill give you a shout.

Tiz wrote:

no spark on cylinder 5 and 6 its a common problem.

haha your suck a dick!

Ok, so the problem is now sorted!

Took the car to Guy's on Saturday with Jay.
Whacked the VAG-COM in and it came up with a multitude of errors...

*MAF sensor intermittent
*Speed sensor intermittent
*Cylinder 1 misfire
*Cylinder 3 misfire

So Guy popped the hood, had a poke around and said it was probably the HT leads that were faulty/shagged.
The MAF sensor error was because I had fitted a new one and it hadn't recognised it or that the new one is slightly faulty. Gay eBay...
And the speed sensor was just the car throwing a wobbly and chucking extra error's out.

So went to Halfrauds yesterday and purchased some new HT leads.
Popped round Mr MarkGTX's this evening, swapped the HT leads over, and BINGO! Car run's as smooth as butter now.

Had a wee look on the Vortex forums and this guide helped...
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1931981

So yeah, thanks to Guy for being a top bloke and giving the time to check my car over!
And as usual thanks to Mark for not bumming me when I was bent over the engine bay this evening Cheers bud!

and cheers to Liam for some discount?

he isnt going to thank you for the mates rates you give him on bumming is he? not on a public forum anyway

Glad to hear you got it sorted out now.

Tiz wrote:

i hope your being as sarcastic as i was haha