Technical Car/Motor Issues > Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: devonite Replies: 31

 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Came off the M6 yesterday, car had been running fine, suddenly seemed to "drop a pot" and started running lumpy on acceleration or under light load, runs smooth enough downhill or at low speeds ( up to 30mph) or on deceleration. Any ideas as to possible causes? blocked injector? Head Gasket? - it has used about 2lts coolant since having the water pump done a couple of months ago,
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Bromptonaut
Two litres of coolant have gone somewhere..........

Is the exhaust steamy? Does it smell of coolant? Is there 'mayonnaise' on dipstick or round oil filler/rocker cover?
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 8 Jul 17 at 15:13
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Surprisingly, for a diesel, I rarely notice any fumes from the exhaust! and a quick sniff smells diesely! no Hellmans around the oil circuits either! and that 2lts has disappeared sometime over the last month or so, so maybe not a big leak if it is the gasket.
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Zero
If the pump has been changed, the two litres could be airlocks settling out

Stick some injection cleaner in it
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
just googled injection cleaners! - so much choice, so much hype! some must be snake oil! - any recommendations! ;-)
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - VxFan
Tesco have got Redex @ ½ price at the minute. £2 instead of £4.
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Zero
As good as any other, try that first. Certainly fixed a batch of nasty shell diesel I got early this year.
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Given it a good dosing with the Reddex, certainly seems a lot livelier! but still a bit of a misfire (not as bad as it was tho') so it's off to sick-bay on Thursday probably cost a fortune! ;-)
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Haywain
" so it's off to sick-bay on Thursday"

What was the verdict, please?

The problem on my Astra was coils/EGR valve.
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Mechanic said he hooked it up to the machine but no fault codes were showing, as I had Reddex in it he said run it till next week whilst he orders an air filter for it and if that doesn't cure it, he'll look further, - 3-parts of a tank gone through it, misfire not as bad but still there on hills and at speeds of between 50-70. Air-filter coming wednesday, will report if that cures it!
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Haywain
Thanks; I was curious as a couple of years ago my Astra 1.3 cdti started misfiring, and the engine management light came on - it occurred quite suddenly during a journey.

The pedal test (this sort of thing -
www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/index.php?threads/vauxhall-fault-codes-pedal-trick-test.202018/ indicated problems with the coils and the EGR valve. My local indy confirmed the test-verdict, sorted it all out, and the car has run well ever since.

Since that incident, however, I have used BP Ultimate almost exclusively.
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - bathtub tom
>> indicated problems with the coils and the EGR valve.

Coils, on a diesel?
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Haywain
"Coils, on a diesel?"

Sorry - just checked my maintenance sheet, and it says 'glow-plugs and EGR valve.'
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Old Navy
I have used this stuff to sucsessfully clean up smoky rough running diesels on several occasions. I see from the Millers website that they now supply a dedicated injector cleaner.

www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/diesel-power-ecomax
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Well... new Air filter fitted yesterday (old one was severely clogged) car feels a whole lot livelier, only problem is that the misfire is still present especially on hills. Further investigation pending Bah!
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Zero
This EGR territory now. how the water situation? stabilised?
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 28 Jul 17 at 11:37
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - carmalade
Is this a common rail diesel or the old Pd engine?
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Yep! the water has settled, hasn't used any more, and it's the old PD engine, just priced some refurb injectors on Ebay and their about £80 apiece! - can you change just one or do you have to do the whole set?
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
Given the misfire seems to be occuring whilst under load it could be a clogged fuel filter causing starvation. Given the air filter was in a bit of state when was the fuel filter last changed?

I think this year has the "mouse ear" fuel filter its about £12 from Eurocar parts and about 15 mins to fit.

Certainly cheaper than a new injector. Other misfire faults on these can be the injector loom which is quite cheap too.

see here: www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/84119-Intermittent-stutter-or-misfire-PD130-TDI

As always

Mark
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - carmalade
May be an idea to check for a worn camshaft
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Thanks for that Mark! - hadn't considered fuel filter! better try that next before i start thinking about the expensive bits! ;-)
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
My Pleasure!

If you take the top engine cover off (3 nuts) you should be able to see the filter its about half way down the block and has rubber pipes in and out.

Yours might be the changeover year and its a choice between a canister filter or an insert.

Look on Eurocarparts for whatever looks like the one you have if you use the code crazy70 within the next 3 days you will get 33% off the webscreen price.

Doublecheck it on GSF and there is a 15% off code on their homepage at the moment.

If its the canister its really easy just disconnect the pipes swap the o rings fill new canister with diesel and reconnect. (look on you tube for videos)

If its the insert its even easier just replace refill with diesel and off you go.

If you do not prime with diesel it will take for ever to crank over and start (if at all) from what I have ever read about the PD engine its rarely the injectors that go its nearly always something else more simple.

One of my cars is a PD and I have had it for 16 years and look after it meticulously.

Best of luck

Mark



Last edited by: Mark on Fri 28 Jul 17 at 19:50
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
O.k folks it looks like time to investigate the EGR valve, from the look of it , it's a pig of a job to remove it for cleaning, so it looks like the aerosol spray treatment, i'm not really convinced that this method cleaning in-situ is ideal or the real cure, it may just improve things temporarily. In your trusted opinions is it worth trying or should i bite the bullet and get it done properly? - anyone tried and had success with the spray methods?
Thanks!
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
Not the fuel filter then?

Depending on which one it is they are not too badly priced new, see here from £70 and up and remember there is a 30% off code on the front page of ECP.

www.eurocarparts.com/egr-valves

They can be cleaned with some of the spraycan products but you need to be gentle.

Its about 15 mins to take one off and the same to put back on and there is a gasket to replace as well.

If I recall this just pokes out of the left side of the top engine tray.

If its badly coked up then the inlet manifold may require cleaning as well, this needs to come off to do so (do not do it in situ as any carbon entering the engine will wreck it) Again a gasket can be required.

I had both cleaned at a major service a year ago and it added £50 to the bill.

As always

Mark

 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
No - not the fuel filter either although it too was bad! - thats all filters changed now and to be honest it's a different car, and it does run a lot better! - still this annoying misfire tho' but only noticeable at 30mph with light load! at faster speeds it seems ok! I've watched the vids on Youtube re EGR cleaning and the spray method seems to be the most common way, but going by the "before and after" pics I'm not convinced there is much difference! but I could manage that myself, whereby removing it and doing it properly would require my mechanic, but if it's only £50ish that's what I think I'll do, at least then I'll be able to definitely rule it out!

Thanks!
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
I had quite an involved discussion with my Indy about cleaning the EGR and inlet manifold.

He insisted they needed to come off the car to be cleaned properly as he said any bits of carbon entering the engine would not be compressed and would wreck the engine.

When they did mine they removed the valve and the manifold and let them soak overnight in solvent. The following day they were brushed and flushed before re-fitting.

The EGR is two bolts to remove and arm that is connected to the actuator which if I recall is a torx screw. There is also a pipe going into the top which is a jubilee type clip.

It the indy is correct about carbon I would be certainly taking it off to clean it. Once the top tray is off you will see its quite accessible for removal.

The indy charged me 1.3 hours labour to remove both wash and refit. Some good guides on the VW forums for this task.

As always

Mark
Last edited by: Mark on Thu 24 Aug 17 at 12:11
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
Here is good guide

www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/295496-guide-how-to-remove-egr-valve-and-how-to-fit-the-group-buy-egr-delete-pipe/

If you go through it takes you through EGR removal and then suggests to clean and refit or continue with the modification.

As you do not have the mod you just clean and refit

As always

Mark
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
Devonite

I am not sure if your name is a clue as to where you currently reside but given your first post mentions the M6 I wonder if you are by any chance N West based.

If so I can give you details for 2 very good VW independants including the one who performed the clean for me.

As always

Mark
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Yep! - based in South Cumbria, confusingly my "handle" come from my local watering-hole,
"The Devonshire" known locally just as "The Dev" - Apparently some Nobility from bygone ages used to own a lot of land around these parts! ;-)
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - Mark
OK

Both are family operations

The one who did the clean is based in St Helens a bit of a trek for you I expect, the garage is Blackburns Automotive Centre Gower St, run by a guy called Tony I have used him for about 9 years he is VW trained. He has been great cannot recommend him enough.

The other is in Runcorn called NW V.A.G.Tech run by a guy called Jason again VW trained. He has been there a little while but I only found him a few months ago and he has been tip top.

Labour is in the £40 ph range at both

Might be worth considering one or the other as they know their VAG stuff inside out.

As always

Mark
Last edited by: Mark on Thu 24 Aug 17 at 21:41
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Cheers for that Mark, had a word yesterday with my local Spannerman, who told me a new valve is only £30- 60 and he'll fit it for Mate's rates! - so he'll get back to me next week when he's got it. He's the Chap that maintains our Club Tractors hence the Mates rates! - handy knowing someone in the trade at times! - Runcorn and St Helens a little bit out of my area! Thanks tho' ;-)
 Skoda Octavia II - 08 1.9 misfiring? - devonite
Update: Well, we finally discovered the cause of the problem, but it was not what I expected!After renewing several parts inc the EGR valve it turned out to be the nearside drive shaft and engine mounting (though why this should cause a misfire I still don't gather!) but said parts replaced and all is well and smooth again!
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