Engine juddering when I put my foot down

[uniamboman]

Hi all

I have an Arosa 1.0 S, 2002.

For the past couple of months, when I put my foot down to accelerate (not necessarily foot to the floor), say to accelerate from 30mph to 50mph, the engine often 'judders', as if there is an intermittent loss of power or fuel. This usually stops when I reach a steady speed.

Also, last night, I was putting my foot down to exit a roundabout onto a dual carriageway - the engine started juddering as described above, then the 'Engine Emissions Warning Light' (the yellow/orange general fault light which looks like an engine) starting flashing! Luckily there was a layby soon, so I pulled in and as I was slowing down (therefore engine under less strain), the light went out. I stopped and switched engine off. I restarted and continued my journey - the light did not come back on, and I did take it back up to 70 - 80mph.

A few months back I changed the Lambda (sp?) oxygen sensor, just for your information.

Any ideas?? The light is currently still off, and has not come back on or flashed since.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[v5er]

When you say juddering is it subtle or very noticeably jerky?

I may have a similar problem with a Toledo V5170, but with mine its subtle at higher (motorway) speeds. I've had no warning lights other than a one-off alternator light coming on. It could be down to the dodgy electronic engine system, because the car was only serviced a few weeks ago with no faults reported.

Having owned several VAG cars, I usually take one-off warning lights with a pinch of salt and put it down to the inherent dodgy electrical system design. However if it happens again I will certainly have the old girl checked out and I would suggest you do the same if you are concerned.

 

[uniamboman]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

It is fairly subtle, obviously not like kangaroo hopping or anything, almost as if the engine is spluttering intermittently then sorts herself out.

I'm heading down the track of considering getting her looked at, as I don't want to do expensive damage to the engine by ignoring it, as she needs to last me a few more years.

If you do sort yours out, would you be so kind as to post back onto here the end result? Thanks.

 

[cardaft]

Has the fault just been since you changed the lamda sensor?

Maybe thats at fault?

since its a 2002 car i assume its had its spark plugs changed? if not they chould be the problem.

Has it had its fuel filter changed? that might be clogged up.

Even if its not had them done, they are quite cheap things to try, and should be done anyway.

 

[v5er]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

It is fairly subtle, obviously not like kangaroo hopping or anything, almost as if the engine is spluttering intermittently then sorts herself out.

I'm heading down the track of considering getting her looked at, as I don't want to do expensive damage to the engine by ignoring it, as she needs to last me a few more years.

If you do sort yours out, would you be so kind as to post back onto here the end result? Thanks.

No problem - l must take advantage of the remaining warranty just in case its a bigger problem than I think.

cardaft - as a car layman I don't see why spark plugs would have any effect after the car was started. Why might this be an issue?

 

[cardaft]

No problem - l must take advantage of the remaining warranty just in case its a bigger problem than I think.

cardaft - as a car layman I don't see why spark plugs would have any effect after the car was started. Why might this be an issue?

Spark plugs are not just for starting the car

I think your getting confused with glow plugs for a diesel car maybe?

Spark plugs are what make the engine run, no spark plugs no running engine. They operate all of the time when the engine is running, thousands of times a minute.

Seat say they should be changed every 40K or 4 years on the 1.0 Arosas, as the spark plug can wear down and break down inside.

I changed the spark plugs in my 2003 Arosa when it was 3 years old and 30K on the clock, so a bit early, but i did notice it was a bit nippier afterwards.

If a spark plug is starting to break down, is worn or is dirty then it can cause running problems since it wont be making a proper spark.

So it could be the spark plugs, id change them if i were you, they are less expensive than you might think.

The fuel filter can get clogged up which might be restricting fuel too, so that might want changing.

 

[v5er]

Spark plugs are not just for starting the car

I think your getting confused with glow plugs for a diesel car maybe?

Spark plugs are what make the engine run, no spark plugs no running engine. They operate all of the time when the engine is running, thousands of times a minute.

Seat say they should be changed every 40K or 4 years on the 1.0 Arosas, as the spark plug can wear down and break down inside.

I changed the spark plugs in my 2003 Arosa when it was 3 years old and 30K on the clock, so a bit early, but i did notice it was a bit nippier afterwards.

If a spark plug is starting to break down, is worn or is dirty then it can cause running problems since it wont be making a proper spark.

So it could be the spark plugs, id change them if i were you, they are less expensive than you might think.

The fuel filter can get clogged up which might be restricting fuel too, so that might want changing.

Glow plugs????

I clearly had no idea that spark plugs were working all the time. So one point to cardaft and the forum!

It could well be any of the things that you've mentioned, so if I have any more problems I'll definitely get it checked out. Thanks for your input cardaft!

 

[R3bb]

I clearly had no idea that spark plugs were working all the time.

That is just scary...

 

[cardaft]

Glow plugs????

I clearly had no idea that spark plugs were working all the time. So one point to cardaft and the forum!

It could well be any of the things that you've mentioned, so if I have any more problems I'll definitely get it checked out. Thanks for your input cardaft!

No problem, happy to help


Oh and glow plugs are only used on diesels to get the started, usually only needed when its really cold to help with the fuel spark. Its the little light that looks like a coil/spring on the dash on start up. Only on diesels of course!

 

[boyscott]

First of all I'm new to the forum so I big "HI" to fellow Arosa owners and drivers.

I bought a 2002 1.0 privately a few weeks back to teach my son to drive and so far I'm favourably impressed. However I have also noticed the judderding when accelerating.

It does seem to sort itself as the speed reaches that which matches the throttle opening but I am a bit worried about what it could be. It certainly "feels" like a dodgy plug or fuel starvation but two other things have crossed my mind:
i) could it be something to do with the cat?
ii) I read somewhere before I bought it that low mileage 1 owner cars may not have had the cam belt replaced (& looking at the serive record this one does not seem to have) so could it have slipped a notch?

The other thing I have noticed is that it seem to use more fuel than I would expect. I have not done a brim-to-brim measured test yet but about half a tank on the guage has only taken us 110 miles. Could they be related?

I have not done any investigations under the bonnet yet as its a mild irritation and does not affect my son's driving at this stage but I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

All the best

 

[cardaft]

Hi, welcome to the club, post some pics of your arosa in the 'post a pic of your arosa thread'!

Fuel consumption on a 1.0 is uaully around 80 miles per quater of the tank, so yours is doing quite badly.

Id say change the spark plugs, change the fiel filter and maybe use a fuel system flush, such as forte. All these things should be done anyway and will only make it run better.

Make sure you get good quality parts, i got a fuel filter for mine the other day from the seat dealer for £8-£9. Go for some NGK plugs too. Its all fairly inexpensive to change.

The cambelt wont really make it run funny, although if its never had its cambelt replaced then id advise you get it done ASAP as its recommended to be 40K or 4 years now as its been shortened.

Good luck to your son, hope he passes soon so he can drive the little arosa properly.

Chris

 

[v5er]

After paying £80 for a dealer to check the car out, it seems that the juddering is caused by carbon deposits on the throttle body.

Unfortunately this isn't covered by the warranty but its no biggie unless of course this isn't the actual cause!

 

[1litre wonder]

and guess what , i have also just joined the juddering 1litre club if i have been going down the motorway and slow down and then go to speed up its REALLY bad its like an athsmatic trying to blow through a straw at times i thought it may be a dirty throttle body or a clogged air filter ( cars done 46k miles ) and heres what i found

spot the old and new filter ...

after that i took it to work and back and yup its STILL doing it . theres no engine warning light flashing . it doesnt do it all the time so its not a broken spark plug , it just seems to do it from 2.5k upwards and when you accelerate as hard as you can . i was going to do an oil change on it but no idea how , wheres the oil drain plug ??

 

[Cornishsteve]

This is the reason I changed my HT leads - Sorted!

 

[cardaft]

was going to do an oil change on it but no idea how , wheres the oil drain plug ??

The 1.0 has two air filters doesnt it, did you change both?

The plug is really easy ti find, infact the 1.0 is sooo easy to service.

Once its on ramps, or probably jacks in your case! you will see at the back of the engine there is the sump plug, its in a good place since all the oil will drain out.

Say if you need more help

 

[1litre wonder]

yeah the 1litre has 2 air filters and there both identical and i got them 2 in a box for £12

 

[boyscott]

Finally got round to doing the plugs after I drove down the bypass and the engine emission light came on.

The old plugs were in quite a state - the gap had opened up to >1mm on two of them. Here a comparison between old and new.
The price was a bit shocking - over £10 ea

Since I don't have a workshop manual yet I had to work out how to get the airfilter housing off the get the plug spanner in. Thats ok but I missed connecting an oil breather tube when replacing it which caused oil to spray on the exhaust manifold shield and produce a lot of smoke.

 

[1litre wonder]

but the symptoms of the judering dont match that of a dying spark plug , its not hesistating all the time ( which then i would say was associated with a dying spark plug ) its just under acceleration when over 2.5k

out of intrest where are the fuel filters on the 1.0s??

 

[lunalupi]

Next to the offside rear wheel - on mine anyway.

Maybe its a HT lead? And seeing as spark plugs are pretty cheap (I think mine were about £3-4 each for NGK) might be worth doing them anyway...

 

[boyscott]

1LW - Didn't really think mine was down to the plugs initially - as you say it runs ok unless under acceleration. But theres no harm checking them - one look at mine told me they needed replacing.

Lunalupi - you did well to get them for £3-4. I was quoted £10 ea. from 2 sources - one a dealer, the other independent. Apparently due to the platinum core (there's always a reason!). Strikes me as strange - if someone wants a small car which is therefore relatively cheap to buy and run, why design it with plugs that cost the earth?