My 16v is being a c!nt

[Gambit]

my car is being a c!nt lately, was only serviced 2 weeks ago

symptoms:-

1. stalls for no apparent reason!

starts fine, ISV & cold start all working, and will settle at about 1050rpm - all be it a lumpy one

but after a couple of mins of driving in traffic you will gradually see the revs dropping, say by about 150rpm each time. until eventually it just dies. starts immeaditily again and will idle at the 1050rpm again.

it only does this after its been left over night, and only for about the first 5min of driving

2. Real bad vibration
This one really does my nut in as we cant find the problem - its not a constant vibration but will come ever now & again. its been like this for about 6mths since i had a PAS rack fitted. Since the weekend its got worse, occuring at least 2 or 3 times daily, used to occur about once a week

the vibration will only occur when accelerating, its that bad that the whole dash, steering column and pedal box shake - everything vibrates!

it wont vibrate in reverse though

if i hit a bump or something the vibration will disappear

its not the Outer CV's as these where checked, could it be the inner CV's?

Cheers,
Craig

[Blue MK2]

tracking causing that vibration?

i was gonna say CV joints.

mine shakes at about 90mph

[Gambit]

nah its not the tracking, this is a vibration that occurs from 1st gear & 0mph!!

[golfvr6]

If the vibration only started when the rack was done then it probs something to do with the subframe, are all the bolts tight?

[davidhawkins_78]

Hello mate ...

Sorry if I'm really stating the obvious here, but for the vibration problem have you checked over all the engine mounts??

I have a similar problem in the past and it was the fact that one of the mounts was on the way out - only happens again under acceleration as this is when there's the most stress.

Never happened all the time, could never find the problem stationary as there wasn't enough force .... sound the same??

Might be something completely different but give them a check.

[Gambit]

yep, only happened after the rack went in

all the subframe bolts were tight, as i had to go and get one of the captive nuts re-welded. ill maybe get it checked over again.

and the fact that it wont do it reverse would rule out the inner cv's wouldnt it?

engine mounts are also fine, as there is no banging of the front dowpipe silencer on the tunnel.

[golfvr6]

Did the mechanic put in the sleeves on the rear bushes(round ones) on the wishbones, have they been changed?
Get under it and have a look yourself, take some pics and i'll see if i can see anything iffy.

[Gambit]

AFAIK, he just dropped the subframe and put the rack in, didnt replace anything else. i just assumed he knew what he was doing as he was a VAG service manager in the 80's & early 90's, and now has his own place.

i cant get under the car at the mo, my garage has motorbikes in it at the mo, and the driveway is on a hill

im gonna nip up and see him at lunch and ask to go over it again, hopefully it'll be vibrating then, as everytime i take it to him it isnt vibrating!

[Gambit]

its the inner CV's, took the mechanic out for a short spin to see if it would vibrate, and it did and he was able to say it was them.