[Ridgeracer]

Hi,

 

While driving last saturday, the engine light startet blinking and it felt like the car ran on 4 sylinders.

The EPC light also came on and the both were solid yellow.

I stopped the car and since I have had problems with injectors and plugs sooting since I bought the car last september I thought it was a spark plug needing cleaning, but when I took out the spark plug nearest the airbox the ceramic was gone and the "arm on the spark plug was broken (not melted)

Tried a new spark plug, but it still ran on only 4 sylinders and the engine and EPC light came on after a short time.

The car has done 50000km and has ABT stage 1 done at an Audi dealer in Germany fitted when New.

The injectors ( all 5 ) were changed in may 2016 and nov 2016. Both times at Audi dealers in Norway.

I didnt know about them being changed in may 2016 when I bought the car.

Spark plugs : Denso 22.

Any ideas what could have gone wrong and what caused it ?

Thanks

 

Owe Holm

Attached Files

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[alvareitor0102]

Normally in 99% cases with that issues are coils, plugs or injectors. If no one of this things are the problem, you need to open de intake mainfold and see how are the intake valves and specially how are the valves in the cilinder that is failing, cause could be an spring valve (dropping oil). Opening the mainfold you can also compare the valves with the other cilinders.

[Anglia67105e]

Sounds like youve somehow got a foreign Body in the cylinder to cause actual damage to the plug,are the five cylinder engines prone to dropping valves ? Does the engine turnover smoothly ie five compression strokes not 4 & 1 quick one?

[RS3Dell]

Ridgeracer

Sorry to hear about your misfortune but one UK tuner don't recommend using ND plugs due to problems they have seen with them in the past ☹

They also recommends changing them at 10k or 1 year once it's remapped & depending on your driving style.

Do a compression test with a wide open throttle while turning the engine over then check the results with another cylinder.

To see if it's a piston or valve problem squirtle a little oil down the bore if the compression comes up it's a bore problem if not it's a valve one.


Dell.

Edited by RS3Dell, 24 August 2017 - 08:38 AM.

[T-800]

Did you investigate where the ceramic part of that spark plug had gone?

[red14]

What's your driving regime? Town only / Town + high speed / high speed only??

 

Sooted plugs suggests the car's not running the correct (temperature range) plugs for sure but if it's used only for low speed commute then problems can occur, as with any modern car.

As discussed above try changing out the plugs - don't forget the plug coils too - easy and relatively cheap. Then you could move on to the more technical stuff, valves, springs etc. Can't recall anyone here saying the engine was prone to breaking springs or dropping valves - there would be a big outcry of that was the case and we'd all be running for the exit door!

[RS3Dell]

Did you investigate where the ceramic part of that spark plug had gone?

Try finding someone to borescope the cylinder if not it's a head off job ☹

Dell.

[T-800]

Yep agreed..........

 

A few weeks back i was at Costco and noticed they were selling them.......a handy addition to a tool kit for hard to view places.

[Ridgeracer]

Thank you for your replies.

I changed the spark plugs two weeks ago to Denso 22. The old ones were Denso 24 and I used them for about 6000km/ 6months.

No strange sounds from the engine, just not working on all sylinders.

Started it up with new spark plugs NGK R7437-8 and after 5 min at idle 4 of them looked sligtly used, but the one in the sylinder nearest the flywheel looked brand new and was dry.. No oil and no petrol on the spark plug. This is the sylinder I think is fouling.

My driving style is mostly town or highway, ond sometimes I drive hard. But only for short periods og time. Always let the oil get warm ofcourse.

[RS3Dell]

Thank you for your replies.

I changed the spark plugs two weeks ago to Denso 22. The old ones were Denso 24 and I used them for about 6000km/ 6months.

No strange sounds from the engine, just not working on all sylinders.

Started it up with new spark plugs NGK R7437-8 and after 5 min at idle 4 of them looked sligtly used, but the one in the sylinder nearest the flywheel looked brand new and was dry.. No oil and no petrol on the spark plug. This is the sylinder I think is fouling.

My driving style is mostly town or highway, ond sometimes I drive hard. But only for short periods og time. Always let the oil get warm ofcourse.

 

What make & grade off spark plug do ABT recommend for there stage 1 ?

 

The NGK & Denso 24 are 1 grade colder than the Denso 22 & OEM plugs.

 

When running a colder grade of plugs they may plug foul & not self clean when doing town or stop start drive but will work better on highways & track use.

 

Dell.

Edited by RS3Dell, 24 August 2017 - 06:24 PM.

[Pil5burydoughboy]

I'm stage2+ & use NGK R7437-9, no issues as if yet (touch wood)

[JayRS3]

NGK R7438-9 for me (stage 3)

[RS3Dell]

Stage 2+ Using OEM plugs here & OK by my tuner. 

 

Would go 1 grade colder if doing lots off flat out use. 

 

Dell.

[Ridgeracer]

What make & grade off spark plug do ABT recommend for there stage 1 ?

 

The NGK & Denso 24 are 1 grade colder than the Denso 22 & OEM plugs.

 

When running a colder grade of plugs they may plug foul & not self clean when doing town or stop start drive but will work better on highways & track use.

 

Dell.

Im not sure what ABT recommends, but both the NGK -8 and the Denso 24 was sooting and not cleaning them selves. The Denso 22 looked good, atleast after two weeks.

[red14]

Ok now swap a coil pack from cyl 4 to 5 to find out if it's a coil pack gone, and advise outcome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RS3Dell]

Im not sure what ABT recommends, but both the NGK -8 and the Denso 24 was sooting and not cleaning them selves. The Denso 22 looked good, atleast after two weeks.

That gives me the impression that the Denso 22 are the right heat range & your original Denso plug went faulty & has now may be caused some damage.
And now that you have changed the plug you have a secondary fault.
Do you know anyone who can VCDs your RS & maybe shine some light on why No5 isn't working ?.

Dell.

[Kenny]

Have you pressure washed the engine or been driving in really wet conditions?

 

I had a similar problem with mine and it proved to be a water filled connector mounted at the front of the gearbox near the radiator. 

 

It showed fault codes on the gas pedal and some more which I don't remember and the epc and check engine lights was on.

Edited by Kenny, 25 August 2017 - 03:59 AM.

[alvareitor0102]

NGK R7438-9 for me (stage 3)

 

Hperformance and MTR recomends Denso IKH 27 for Stage 3 cars. Race plugs I think.

[JayRS3]

Hperformance and MTR recomends Denso IKH 27 for Stage 3 cars. Race plugs I think.

MRC tuning recommended the NGK for me when I had the work done so I listened to what they said. No issues for me

[RS3Dell]

MRC tuning recommended the NGK for me when I had the work done so I listened to what they said. No issues for me

Same here from MRC but as only stage 2+ OEM plug but change at 10k !

Dell.