Scorpiorefugee

Thanks SK. Just what I needed to go to bed on. :lol: You DO go to bed, don't you? It will probably soon be time for you to send "Q.E.D." Just hoping that the crank ain't wrecked. Again, thanks for your attention.

O.K. to summarise.... Yesterday - went to Bosch centre and Les (expert) disconected needle valve and VAG COM lost signal so timing > 0. --------------When reconnected all back to stable but slightly faulty - Timing = 8 adv. Performance quite reasonable and stable for the moment. Still a bit rattly and didn't feel quite right. Today, having re-read all of the info available decided to attack. Checked control to start of injection control - 90%ish pretty well fully one way. Start by checking injection timing again - stable at about 7.5 deg adv. Disconnected start of injection control valve (cut wire) - VAG COM indicated timing 28 adv. Reconnected and timing returns to 8 deg adv. - assumption control working over a range of 20 deg. and that control is at max to attempt to retard back to near TDC. but out of range. Assume normal range to be centred around TDC so there must be a mechanical timing error of about 15 - 20 deg. Now assume needle valve OK, timing control OK, so back to your suggestion - pulley slipped, but this does seem to be a way of diagnosing the fault with some certainty. Not having recent experience of what things look like down there I am having difficulty visualising the way this can happen but from the tests above I can see no other possible cause. It seems from what I have been told that the crank and cam shafts are now offset by the same 15-20 deg unless there is another cause for the mechanical drift - possibly the injection pump drive. I think I have done as much as I can. It's back to the friendly garage.

O.K. I can take a hint. ;) However, I should like some thoughts on the next chapter as I think we're getting to the chase. I tested the operation of the start of injection solenoid thus.. Timing seems to have settled at about 8 deg adv. for the moment and the solenoid has about 90% duty cycle. I.E full on. I chopped a wire and the timing went to 28 deg adv. so the solenoid seems to work.( Fault generated - solenoid o/c) Assumption 1 - electronic adjustment range about 20 deg. 2 - problem caused by a mechanical timing error in the region of 15 deg. Nasty thought - that has got to be pretty close to a wrecked engine. :o Will our hero be in time? :o Sorry! War andpeace is supposed to be serious. :P

I am assuming that on the forst try you had hissing but no starter action. Working on this It could be a bad connection in the high current part of the starter circuit generating a lot of heat but not passing enough current to operate the motor. I have had the flexible braid link on the motor itself disintigrate but this just stopped the starter altogether. It may be worth having a look down there while operating the starter where, if my assumption is correct, you should see some smoke. If it is the braid, I repaired mine with a large soldering iron and lots of braid from some low loss aerial cable. Ron.

SK, Dead right! WAR! No bl00dy surrender! ......... for a bit longer at least. Oh! And thanks for your last post which I missed 'cos I was fumbling over my keyboard.

And yet more... Today I went to the local Bosch injection specialist and spoke to Les - very helpful and knowledgable. Re the pulley - He looked with a torch and said it wasn't wobbling but explained that the problem here was usually caused by people who changed the timing belt and slackened the nut that holds this on when it wasn't necessary and then not retightening it to the 180 or so thingies (bl00dy tight!) and then for another 180 deg. so that it relied on the bit that was only ever intended for location guidance to keep it in place. The mechanic who has changed the belt twice since I have had it is a VW fan and I would not expect it of him but it should have been changed 2 or 3 times before I got it so, who knows? He added that if it had really become loose then the crank would be scrap. :wacko: He pulled off the connector for the needle valve sensor and the figure for actual timing went to 0 which indicated that the sensor was ok. It generated another fault code and the glow plug indicator started to flash - expected. He then explained thus... The start of injection valve is controlled as a result of a comparison between the flywheel sensor and the needle valve sensor (obvious when you think about it). Its rest position is fully retarded so I assume that it either jams fully activated or is being over driven because of a fault on the control panel. :wacko: Either way, if I can find a way of getting at the connection, I may yet be able to make a logical diagnosis, even if that takes me back to the pulley. The trouble is that, having driven home with the timing permanently at about 13 deg. adv., I cleared the codes and the damned thing is running perfectly but I don't suppose that will last. However, it might just give me a chance to take some measurements for reference. Sorry that this is not yet a success story but I am updating it on the basis that my experience may help someone else. P.S. Thanks to Bofus for that link to what is the most useful description I have found so far. I am going to settle down to read that tonight over a glass or two. (Beats a screwfix catalogue any day! :wacko: )

And more.... The fuel injection timing control, i. e. the selection of the correct time for the start of fuel injection, is calculated by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) (A147) using information from the needle lift sensor (B83). The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) (A147) compares the actual start of fuel injection with the set values from the map for the start of fuel injection and provides the appropriate signal to the injector (Y114). If the injector fails, the start of fuel injection remains fixed, dependent on the valve position. If the injector (Y114) is closed (e.g. due to an interruption of fuel supply), a maximum injection advance is performed. If the valve is stuck in an open position, injection is retarded. Quoted from TIS disc. I got the open closed bit back arsewards but it is a very revealing statement if a littlelacking in detail. It appears the only way to test the injector or the start valve is by replacement so now it looks like checking prices and tossing a coin. I might just try connecting my ancient oscilloscope up if I can find somewhere to connect it. It would be nice if I could find some way of making sense of this and pass it on so I am going to try to get something useful out of it.

Just a quick update. I've found some text in theTIS disc which states that if the injector(presumably the one with the needle lift sensor) is closed, the injection timing is fully retarded, if it is open it is fully ADVANCED... There are also some notes about a 'start if injection sensor' which I am having some difficulty in making full sense of. However, you have given me something else to check over although I suppose that this will have to be limited to electrical checks. One thing I have just remembered. A couple of times shortly before the fault hit with a vengence the poor old thing suffered a momentary loss of power after swinging left onto a roundabout and when it did hit hard, I had just completed one of those 270 tight left turns on a motorway access. Could this be a clue? :wacko: :wacko: :lol: :wacko: At least, this all sounds less drastic than some of the other possibilities. ;)

Thanks Bofus and also, for the umpteenth time, SeatKid. Yes, it does have a needle lift sensor, on pot 3, and Haynes gives some blurb on it. I shall have to re-read it and have a play. I wandered down to my friendly garage to ask them to check the bottom pulley but thay seemed reluctant to take my money and recommended a local specialist. I don't really have the facilities to tackle the job myself these days so I may have to take their advice. In the meantime, I shall investigate and report. Thanks again fellers.

fOster, Thanks for your reply. I agree with your reasoning apart from the fact that this thing actuallt starts from cold with the fault before I even get above 2000 rpm and the Injection timing also registers the 20 deg error on start up. All very confusing. Unfortunately, I can even reason against the pulley slip possibility on the ground that all sorts of varying driving doesn't cause it to change but just switching off and on whilst not disengaging gears can correct the problem. Another thing - The secondary symptom of severe knocking comes and goes, even with the input to the inlet manifold removed. Just one question this time. Is the N75 valve the turbo boost control? Other than that...AAAGGHH!!! :( :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

I am no expert on this and MAFs can fail into different states but it does supply information to the control system about the air flow into the engine and this is only one of the many things which are used to determine fuel injection, ignition timing, gear changing and just about everything so I doubt whether an expert would be able to give you a definitive answer so the only thing that helps is experience of a range of faults. Sadly, unless you are able to get error codes read, the only real way forward is to try by replacement. For what it's worth, a Garage will probably charge the price of a MAF for just guessing as to what the trouble is. I had an auto Ford Scorpio and the MAF caused all sorts of problems and eventually resulted in a wrecked engine because I was too stubborn to buy one 'just in case' because I had no means of proving it. The funny thing is that they frequently do not cause a definitive error symptom or even an error registered in the control system. An easy way forward is to find someone with the same engine and borrow one - not easy I'm afraid. If you can get to it, cleaning with carbretter cleaner can help because they do get coated with fine dust etc after many miles. Typical lief seems to be 50 - 100k miles. The MAF itself is not big but is frequently sold including the housing. Please do not buy one on my say so but you may have to do so to move forward, particularly since you say that the gear changes were better without it. When disconnected the control system will work on default settings which should produce a workable but not ideal situation and some people just leave it off but results do seem to vary greatly with particular models.

This type of fault does seem to crop up quite often and, from what I can see, there is seldom a positive cure and certainly nothing common. I have chased mine aroud for a week or two now being reluctant to throw a lot of drinking vouchers at what is outwardly a rolling wreck. You may wish to read through the posts but Ishall try to pass on what I have found. The fault symptoms have a lot in common but the most defining symptom with mine was the considerable increase in diesel rattle when faulty. It helped to make sense of this after I bought a VAG COM (

This is getting silly. I have a single repetitive fault code 550 - injection timing, and when faulty, (most of the time) VAG COM reports injection timing approx 24 deg before tdc and it really rattles. I have found, since stripping and rebuilding the pipework around the boost ctl solenoid, that the fault seems to clear for a variable period if I switch the engine off and on again while moving and without disengaging the engine. i.e. normal sound and performance. Just now, after I've been for a 3 mile round trip, the fault seems to have cleared and VAG COM now reports a timing error of only about 8 deg. All of this supports SK's suggestion that the pump drive sprocket is slipping but that will have to wait for a few days. In the meantime, I am wondering if there is any possible electrical or engine management cause of such a large error.

Yes it was......the plugs were always fouling with side valve engines making them a pig to start. And decokes were a binnaual ritual. And weber carburetors - you could never get them running quite right, the automatic chokes always stuck closed, they were....how should I describe them?.....complicated....italian quality...crap Ahh, but you could always fix them with bits and pieces left over from other scrappers, irrespective of make or model. And anyway, I never had a moment's trouble from the weber in my Mk1 cortina GT. Speedo and rev counter kept in line all the way round to 5 o clock. 65 bhp of great fun - until I flew it upside down into a ditch - OUCH! But then, that wasn't a side valve. My old Standard flying 14 was though. Aluminium head and oversquare pistons. State of the art from 1947. But what about my poor old Gal? Just found out that if, once warm, I switch off and restart quickly, I get full turbo boost for about 30 seconds or so and then it starts to sound like an old taxi and the power just drains away. I think I'll check the intercooler for blockage. The rubber pipe to the inlet manifold was swimming in gunk when I took it off so the intercooler may be in the same state. Re the pulley/timing, I've been reading about that and it does seem a likely candidate. Thanks again for your input. I'll keep updating this until one of us (me or the Gal.) gives up

This may be a bit off target but many cars suffer in this way if the MAF is a bit out. Try disconnecting it. On some models this will correct the problem as far as changing at the correct speed but can make the changes a bit fierce. This is just a suggestion basd on non Galaxy experience but, in lieu of more experienced input it may help. MAFs can be obtained for about

This now looks serious. I've put everything back together and it's no better but according to VAG thingy the diesel injection timing should be adout TDC but actual is about 25 degrees before. :o Diesel pump c

Mo4, I am amazed that you look after 4 kids, fix your car and find time to listen to us lot. I would have thought that that alone would be a good reference to get most jobs. Re your screen, I had a similar experience a few years ago when I damaged the screen loading 3 3m lengths of worktop into a granada. The crack took 2 years to spread and I eventually got it fixed in Chester one afternoon. The following morning at 5:30, I was driving past Luton and heard a slight crack and when I finally stopped I had a 5mm crack coming from the edge near the tax disc. (12 hours after I collected it) No sign of a chip and I remain convinced that it was caused by pressure and a bit of flexing. The fitters refused to accept any responsibility so I put up with it for a year as it spread across the screen before getting it replaced. I did another 100k in the car with no further problem. So, if you've other things to worry about, live with it until you have to get it fixed. Re the internet and insurance, I get all three of ours insured for less than

Thanks TURK90210, That's useful but worrying at the moment. I have lots of bits out of the turbo control system out at the moment and my immediate concern is to try to establish what is actually working because out of 3 valves, none seem to be behaving as valves and it would help if I could find out what the rest condition of the EGR valve and the turbo vane control is. Re code 550, I had assumed from the description that it was to do with fuel pressure and possibly associated with the need to crank the engine for a few seconds to start when warm or due to wear and tear after 220k miles, possibly supported by the fact that the code appears after the engine is warm. Life was never this complicated with side valves and downdraft webers. ;)

Please treat this with the contempt which it probably deserves but I had the same problem about 2 years ago and it turned out to be low fuel in spit of ther being some 10 - 15 litres in the tank. Somehow I had left it ticking oevr on my drive (about 1 in 4 slope) for a few minutes then switched off. Half an hour later it wouldn't start. I put it on to level ground and put another 5 L in and di everything you're doing for a couple of days. Eventually I got mad and got it to turn over until the battery went flat or it started. It took several minutes and eventually, after a lot of bubbles in the fuel line, it fired up. It has never repeated the problem but I never leave it ticking over on the drive now. As I said, call me whatever you like, I'm beyond being insulted these days. ;) Sorry, just read the other topic and got a fuller picture. Just ignore me.

The saga continues......... I now have codes 1262 and 1265 - no information but I did a test drive with the vacuum reservoir disconnected. It behaved exactly as before. i.e. fault both on and off. I have since removed the boost control solenoid and another almost identical unit and, testing with a piece of hose and blowing, neither seems to change with or without 12v applied although both click (on and off). the boost control solenoid seems to have a much more restricted air flow from the input and the other seems identical but with a white bottom end. Questions - are these identical and how should they react to being on or off?

I originally thought this problem was to do with the turbo and it still may be. However, I am now learning how to use a newly aquired VAG interface and the only code I can get is.... 00550 - Start of injection regulation 17-10 control difference intermittent This comes up every time on engine start. There were no other historical codes. The problem, now almost permanent, is that the engine sounds like an old tractor and has no apparent turbo action aalthough it revs freely to the maximum. The full power returns occasionally in short busts and the engine note reverts to a happy buzz. I have read (in Haynes) that excessive 'rattle' can be caused by one or more faulty injectors. The suggestion in the manual is to slacken the injector unions one at a time to check for a change in engine note. I've searched for this code with no results so my plea for help continues. The engine is the 110 bhp '98 with 220k of otherwise exemplary performance.

FOster, Thanks for your input. I'm getting roung to thinking that it has something to do with gunge in the pipes, partly because of its high mileage and partly because of the gunge I found on the air temperature sensor when I took it out. Also, when I changed the MAF 70,000 miles ago, that had a good coating of black sticky stuff. Unfortunately, this model doesn't have a waste gate but there are a couple of solenoid/valves in the vacuum circuit which I want to get out but it will have to wait for a bit. I have read somewhere about faulty injectors causing knocking so, since the fault symptoms include excessive diesel type noise, that is another avenue for investigation. In the mean time, I have ordered a VAG Com reader just to see if it helps. Needless to say, If and when I get a result, I shall update this.

Quick update. I've now had a good look around and all hoses seem in good condition but something strange... I seem to have 2 boost control valves connected in parallel. Each has it's own supply and they are definitely original. :wacko: Also, for what it's worth, the usual 'diesel rattle' is noticably worse under fault conditions.

Thanks Gio, I should agree but when it's gone into limp mode bofore it has always needed to be switched off before it resets. This time, it just suddenly picks up, but only if I let it rev above 3500 in second for some reason. I am beginning to wonder if it just needs a good thrashing to blow the muck out 'cos it seems to have been better since I've been changing up at 3000 rpm instead of 1500.

I haven't seen this particular plug assembly but when I had similar problems with the connections to the door mirrors I just bridged the entire assembly by chopping both input and output wires and connecting with a normal mains type screw connector. Brutal but simple and effective. Unfortunately impossible if you cannot get to both input and output wires. Ron.