Low power down low \ Black smoke \ stuttering \ hunting idle \ all things fun

[newsh]

Read this

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24544

[weta.worker]

Read this

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24544

thanks! will do

[weta.worker]

Read this

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24544

very good read! will give that a go as well!

thanks forum!

will see how the car runs tomorrow. it's running perfectly at the mo which is great.

not so great that I've done nothing and it's fixed itself and a good chance it'll go bad again. but at least I've got more things to check when it does (or cleaning these contacts may keep it at bay).

i've got the car booked in on monday to get a new power steering pump installed (old one leaking) and new O2 sensor. although it'll be interesting to know if now the car is running fine is the new O2 sensor is required. I'll get them to take a log before putting that new part in.

can't hurt to have a spare new o2 sensor.

it's meant to have the injectors out as well and tested (that was their next diag port of call for the poor running), not sure if I should just get this done as they were seized (car had sat for 3 years) to give them a new lease of life

also there are a new set of plugs on the parts list.

may just end up having some good spare parts lying around for a rainy day as I've committed to get the parts in.

Thanks again for the useful info

[weta.worker]

update: got the car back last week and it was the same as when I dropped it in. so running perfectly.

it's slowly working it's way back to being 'a bit weird down low' (sometimes hunting on idle, sometimes almost stalling \ dropping revs when moving off the mark, but nothing as bad as it has in the past with all the smoke and heavy stuttering.

i'm still working weekends so haven't managed to start cleaning the maf \ maf plug or checking hoses and connections for leaks.

have contacted Rosstech just to confirm the parts I need for the RS2 and RS4 (I believe it's just these?)

AF2X2 VAS 5051/2 "2x2" Adapter for Older Cars
VCHUC VCDS License with HEX-USB+CAN (all VAG 1995 to current model year)

once I have all this (and some time) I should be able to start doing a bit of my own troubleshooting or at least pulling decent info off the car and hopefully you guys can assist

[Ross]

Buying vagcom is a great idea. I use a cheap cable for pulling codes and logging measuring blocks etc. Its a great tool and helped a few others out with it too.

Dealers are fine for getting parts - provided your armed with numbers - but as for doing work on them, i wouldnt let them near my RS2.

It does aound like some severe issues with fuelling. A MAF can lose its calibration - i had mine replaced with a new one as it was out when compared to a new one. That said i borrowed another old MAF that was measuring like new so its not a given. I replaced it with a new one - hoping it lasts as long as the original (17 years).

I can only recommend what others have said. Clean MAF and connector, Injector cleaning is not a bad idea as they generally show a good improvement with new caps and a clean. The issue is most likely a boost leak so get that tested, check all the intake hoses as a start if you dont have a leak test. Looking for splits, loose or broken jubilee clips, the braided vac hoses are rubber and degrade - again, check them all. It can be as simple as a vac hose not clipped on properly or a small split.

If hoses are original, a good upgrade is to replace them with silicone hoses, again - vac lines especially. Keep reading, I was mechanically inept before i joined this forum!

[weta.worker]

Buying vagcom is a great idea. I use a cheap cable for pulling codes and logging measuring blocks etc. Its a great tool and helped a few others out with it too.

Dealers are fine for getting parts - provided your armed with numbers - but as for doing work on them, i wouldnt let them near my RS2.

It does aound like some severe issues with fuelling. A MAF can lose its calibration - i had mine replaced with a new one as it was out when compared to a new one. That said i borrowed another old MAF that was measuring like new so its not a given. I replaced it with a new one - hoping it lasts as long as the original (17 years).

I can only recommend what others have said. Clean MAF and connector, Injector cleaning is not a bad idea as they generally show a good improvement with new caps and a clean. The issue is most likely a boost leak so get that tested, check all the intake hoses as a start if you dont have a leak test. Looking for splits, loose or broken jubilee clips, the braided vac hoses are rubber and degrade - again, check them all. It can be as simple as a vac hose not clipped on properly or a small split.

If hoses are original, a good upgrade is to replace them with silicone hoses, again - vac lines especially. Keep reading, I was mechanically inept before i joined this forum!

out of interest how much did the new Maf cost and where did you source it from? OEM RS2 right?

[Ross]

I can't recall where I bought it from - they are getting hard to find - It worked out at about £240, myself and Sonic bought one so I'll see if he remembers. As it happens he converted to the RS4 MAF and I snapped the wire in mine so I have his now. Indeed it is OEM. You can get the same unit an a Porsche 968 MAF as well but the dealers here wanted £400 for one!

It was possible to get the S2 MAF for about £160 from Eurocarparts but I'm not sure if they still sell it. If you take the MAF screens off the RS2 and put them on the S2 MAF, it becomes an RS2 MAF in all but the printed part number.

[weta.worker]

I can't recall where I bought it from - they are getting hard to find - It worked out at about £240, myself and Sonic bought one so I'll see if he remembers. As it happens he converted to the RS4 MAF and I snapped the wire in mine so I have his now. Indeed it is OEM. You can get the same unit an a Porsche 968 MAF as well but the dealers here wanted £400 for one!

It was possible to get the S2 MAF for about £160 from Eurocarparts but I'm not sure if they still sell it. If you take the MAF screens off the RS2 and put them on the S2 MAF, it becomes an RS2 MAF in all but the printed part number.

thanks, would be great if you could find out where it came from. they are about 1700 NZD at this end so 240 pounds sounds like a steal!

[Latz]

Just like to tell you I had similar symptoms with my RS2 a couple of years back. At one stage I put the throttle down to get writh of the surge and stalling. Then suddenly a big bang, full stop and smoke coming out from underneath the hood. I thought the engine was on fire. The upper high pressure hose was dislocated and totally loose. A big hole in the insulation material fixed to the hood.

I was sure it was the turbo that exploded to pieces due to the smoke trail I left behind before the big bang.

After a lot of troubleshooting it appered to be a failed coil. After that was changed out the car was as new again, except from a big hole in the hood insulation