Author Topic: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips  (Read 1705 times)

Offline spikenipple

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2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« on: 13 October 2011, 17:36 »
Hey all,
I've got my new GTI in the garage this weekend so will be giving it a good going over and wondered what kinds of things I should be doing to keep it going strong?
It stalls when it's cold and from what I've read so far it could be a number of things such as the MAF sensor, ISV or the coolant temperature sensor. Where's the best place to start?
It's also a bit lumpy down the bottom of the rev range, is this related or is there something else that needs attention?

Thanks :)
Mike

Offline Seanl

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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #1 on: 14 October 2011, 16:33 »
Lumpy idle, start with cleaning out the throttle body. Take off the breather pipes and give them a clean out as well, cos they will be full of oily sludge. For the maf, very carefully remove it so you expose the filament. Very gently clean this with electrical contact cleaner and a cotton bud. All this is free if you have the stuff, and will make a big difference regardless of whether it the cause of your problems or not. Give it a good service ensuring oil and filter, air filter, and coolant is changed if u have no history of when this was last done. This is just a start, but will dramatically help longevity of your engine if done regularly. Ie; oil and filter every 6 months.  :smiley:
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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #2 on: 14 October 2011, 19:42 »
As above, but ADY's dont have an ISV :smiley:

Offline Khare

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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #3 on: 15 October 2011, 13:47 »
As above, but ADY's dont have an ISV :smiley:

Neither do AGG's, only the early 2E 8v and the 16v/VR6 have them.

As Sean said start off cleaning the throttle body with some carb cleaner. With regards to the MAF I wouldn't clean it myself as it's VERY sensitive. Instead I'd unplug it and see if the car runs as it should, if it does then clean or replace if not then leave it alone.

You might want to clean all the major earth points around the engine too, it'll always help the car run better. On the old jap stuff I've heard from various sources that the earth points were weaknesses over time and lots of cars have gained up to 20hp just from replacing old earths! You won't get any HP from replacing or cleaning the earths but it will run better if one of them has too much resistance.

As Sean again said, a full service including gearbox oil and coolant change will help a lot. New gearbox oil always feels great on the gear changes so it's something you notice rather than placebo. Coolant is good to change especially with the cold UK winters as old coolant won't have the antifreeze properties of new coolant. Old coolant also contains a lot of rust from the inside of the engine block and that rust will eventually kill coolant temp sensors, thermostat and so on.

If it's lumpy bottom end I suggest new coolant temp sensor (about £12 last time I looked), new HT leads (if they look old and perished) and new spark plugs (you can get NGK's from ebay for about £10 for a set of 4). Also replace rotor arm and distributor cap. All this is included in the major service anyway (apart from temp sensor change).

IMO there's no feeling like having a reliable and strong car in the winter months, it makes full use of the cold dense air that helps the engine perform well  :cool:

Offline spikenipple

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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #4 on: 15 October 2011, 19:43 »
Thanks for the replies guys!
Today I cleaned the MAF, cleaned the throttle body, gapped and thoroughly cleaned the plugs, changed the oil and filter, tightened the alternator belt (was squeaking on full lock) and changed the rear wheel bearings.
I'm pleased to say it now idles when cold and runs and drives much better than before :D
Next up is sorting the head unit out as there's a faulty connection somewhere, fitting 6x9s and door speakers, fitting a new tyre on the NSF wheel, making up some ball studs for putting lift struts on the bonnet and getting it through the MOT!

With a bit of luck I'll be on the road by next weekend  :laugh:

Offline spikenipple

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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #5 on: 21 October 2011, 17:42 »
Well it passed the MOT this afternoon, and is now taxed and on the road ^_^
I've got new plugs, ht leads, dizzy cap and a coolant temp sensor on the way and will be buying a new ball joint as the r/h joint was picked up as a bit slack during the MOT.
Has anyone had any noticeable gains from a K&N or equivalent cold air feed filter kit? A new air filter is on the list of things to do but are these worth the price over a K&N or Pipercross panel filter, or even an OEM replacement?

Offline Seanl

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Re: 2.0 8v 'ADY' performance/maintenance tips
« Reply #6 on: 21 October 2011, 19:29 »
Cold air feed and a smoothed airbox with piperX panel filter is the favoured option. (I have this as well.) If you dont wanna fork out for a lifelong one, then changing the standard paper filter every few months will actually improve performance most (if only very very slightly over the K&N/PiperX filters). This will add a few horses, but pickup will feel much smoother, and it will also sound much better.  :smiley:
Classic Green Corrado VR6 Storm | Jetex Cat back | BMC CDA | VT mounts | Bilstein B12 | 288mm front brakes | Mk4 rear brakes | Goodridge braided hoses | BBS RX228s | Shortshifter | Lupo wipers | Uprated headlight loom | All red rears | Refreshed leather | Fresh paint |