Couple of quick Q's on plugs and coils

[sonic_vi]

ok just need to know....

1.) How long should plugs last in a 20VT engine

2.) How do you know if one has gone?

3.) What are the symptoms of a dodgy coil (don't think its dead but could be on way out)

4.) Are the coils fed from a pack or something or are they individually powered?

thanks in advance and feel free to leave "how did you not know that you muppet" style messages if it helps

 

[STEVEO@CYMRU]

just changed my plugs ,the ones that were in there have been in just over 2yrs and were in a bad way when i changed them ,also just changed 2 coils and in my experience when they go you know about it runs real rough and a really bad smell

 

[Snoopie]

Coils, will cause your car to stutter everywhere when you press the accelerator. Plugs will cause your car to missfire.

 

[sonic_vi]

will it stutter even in limp mode?

 

[andycupra]

yes even in limp mode.

i believe the interval is 40,000 miles for plugs if you put the proper ones in. ies the expensive platimum ones.
dealers have been known to supply lower spec ones, (even if you point out their error).

ps, just a thought, have you tried driving it with the maf unplugged? just to totally elimate it as a possible cause. (if you have incorrect one fitted its symptoms can be very muck like you have got on another thread...)

 

[Snoopie]

Once you hit limp mode, your car automatically drops it's speed, so your accelerator won't work for a few moments whilst your turbo is cooling down. I'm suprised it stills stutters in Limp mode.

 

[andycupra]

limp mode isnt because the turbo is hot...
its because the ecu had received a signal it doesnt like, eg over boost, boost leak, misfire etc etc

 

[sonic_vi]

yes even in limp mode.

i believe the interval is 40,000 miles for plugs if you put the proper ones in. ies the expensive platimum ones.
dealers have been known to supply lower spec ones, (even if you point out their error).

ps, just a thought, have you tried driving it with the maf unplugged? just to totally elimate it as a possible cause. (if you have incorrect one fitted its symptoms can be very muck like you have got on another thread...)

I think MAF is to blame

after fitting new plugs & doing some more reading and diagnostics i unplugged the MAF and the car FLIES !

part number on the MAF is the right one so i guess faulty replacement MAF

with induction kit on i get MAF reading too high so that could maybe cause overfuelling due to false high o2 readings which could maybe also account for the pressure drop errors i am getting in VAG and the car running like a bag of excrement.

I'll see how it goes.

 

[RobM]

Once you hit limp mode, your car automatically drops it's speed, so your accelerator won't work for a few moments whilst your turbo is cooling down. I'm suprised it stills stutters in Limp mode.

That's not entirely true. Your speed doesn't drop, the car doesn't take over control and eliminate you from the process, it reduces boost and therefore power. It runs with safety parameters to reduce stress on the engine. It's not necessarily heat related, as as said above, it could go into limp mode for any number of reasons.

Mine went into limp mode because of a MAF problem, nothing to do with the turbo or heat at all. When it went into limp mode it didn't slow the car down, it just stopped producing as much power so I couldn't accelerate as hard as I could previously, but I could maintain the same speed.

If limp mode made your car slow itself down, you would end up with a lot of accidents and Seat would end up with a lot of law suits!