philclemo

Hi gowler, We have a 2.3 Auto. We purchased the car unknowingly with a blown head gasket. It ran for 12-14 months with little problem (apart from the coolant exiting the expansion tank) until one of the spark plugs was getting wet with coolant. One thing i would say is that not once did the temp gauge go over 90 deg. I noticed the the heater only blowing cool too at idle, but it would warm if the engine was revved. With regards to the head gasket change, I am the last person to offer any advice on that! Good luck.

Ah, good old Stella, I know her well! I haven't tried to clean the MAF but I did have a mess around with it yesterday. Is it possible to clean them?

Bit of an update, I think? I took the idle control valve off to clean it. It was a bit grubby but I cleaned it up and tested it. No difference, whilst the engine was ticking over I disconnected it and the engine really spluttered so I would assume its working. I then disconnected the MAF and no difference at all. When I last did that the engine stalled. Is it possible that the MAF has a problem? Never really experienced problems with this type of sensor, so is this indicative of a fault?

Hi Paul Thanks, but Re: Idle Control Valve, the car hasn't stood. It has been used daily despite the lack of power, could it have picked something up? I do have a spare gasket for this part in one of the Gasket sets I have purchased though! Phil

Right! I had access to the Gal once more this weekend, because after reading another section of the Haynes manual for the Mk1 (timing chain replacement) it showed quite clearly that the chain could come off the crankshaft sprocket (you were right SK!) and this could have certainly happened due to the three persons necessary to get the head back on (two to lift the head and one other keeping the chain under tension!). Anyway, looking at the directions of setting TDC on No1 the Haynes manual refers to that if the timing marks are pointing directly at each other this means that No4 piston is at TDC not No1 - this is at odds with the TIS as it suggests, as a check after setting the timing, to turn the engine to No2 TDC and these timing marks would point to each other. When I checked this after SK's suggestion I could not get the timing marks to point at each other with No2 at TDC (in fact inlet was at 12 o'clock and exhaust was at 8 o'clock). So, yesterday I took the rocker cover off once more. Turned the engine until No1 at TDC and then another revolution to get No4 at TDC and the timing marks were out by two teeth! As a further check I turned the engine until I could get the copper links to match up with the factory marks on the sprocket, I couldn't as both sprockets wouldn't 'catch' the copper links. So obviously the chain had moved. Without not having access to the crankshaft sprocket, i was forced to time the engine from first principles (eg No1 at TDC, cam lobes on each cam at exactly the same position but horizontally opposed) - the result is an engine with it's guts back! Only one problem is that on tickover it appears to be a little lumpy, almost lean in fact. No problems in starting, everything back to normal. I haven't OBD'd it yet, that may pull some codes up perhaps. I would like to sort the lumpiness though, perhaps the O2 sensor after getting wet sparky Paul ???? Finally, thanks to one and all for your guidance and suggestions!

Hi Sparky I had the Gal today and carried out some more checks on the O2 Sensor. This reading was in the space of a minute from a rolling start at approx. 30mph accelerating (well trying to) up an incline, we did get to about 50 mph at the top by the way! O2 sensor 1 bank 1 Sensor 2 0.020v @ -9.4% stft 0.715 v 0.025v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.025v @ 0.0% 0.000 v 0.800v @ +6.3% 0.105 v 0.845v @ +7.0% 0.160 v 0.745v @ +1.6% 0.160 v 0.745v @ +1.6% 0.210 v 0.750v @ -3.1% 0.265 v 0.180v @ -0.8% 0.380 v 0.075v @ 0.0% 0.610 v 0.360v @ -7.8% 0.610 v 0.360v @ -7.8% 0.820 v 0.700v @ -3.9% 0.765 v 0.285v @ +1.6% 0.680 v 0.290v @ +3.1% 0.640 v 0.810v @ +5.5% 0.445 v 0.840v @ +6.3% 0.570 v 0.060v @ 0.0% 0.675 v 0.860v @ +14.8% 0.675 v 0.875v @ +14.8% 0.900 v 0.870v @ +14.8% 0.900 v 0.880v @ +14.8% 0.900 v 0.880v @ +14.8% 0.905 v 0.870v @ +14.8% 0.905 v 0.825v @ -3.9% 0.815 v 0.000v @ -9.4% 0.010 v 0.000v @ 0.0% 0.000 v 0.000v @ -9.4% 0.000 v 0.845v @ +3.9% 0.095 v 0.875v @ +5.5% 0.130 v 0.870v @ -0.8% 0.145 v 0.865v @ -1.6% 0.160 v 0.865v @ +3.1% 0.195 v 0.790v @ +3.1% 0.230 v 0.315v @ +0.8% 0.565 v I also tried disconnecting the Pre Cat O2 sensor, no effect whatsoever, on idle, or acceleration. On second start up the MIL came on. Personally I thought the ECU would have invoked limp home mode. What effect would disconnecting the battery and shorting the cables to reset the ECU have? I am going to try to get an emmissions test next week if possible.

Get home - inspect - <_< Bent sills!!!! How the f**k can a VW dealer do that??? Are they all incompetent? So, phone them up and they are going to look at it Thursday. That is terrible SK. I'd like to be a fly on the wall next Thursday though....

The old Galaxy has been the model of reliability in the engine department. :D That is our frustration! The Mk 1 was tough as old boots but this incarnation does seem to attract problems! I remember when for what soon turned out to be 3 months, the Mk 1 ran on minimum coolant, minimum oil ( on the dipstick) and a dicky coil thus watering down the oil with petrol and never complained! The problems with this one stem from a dealer who was crooked, he knowingly sold this with this problem and has squirmed his way out of responsibility for it. Hey ho!

Hi SK I understand your query. The niggle is that the chain and sprocket marks are as per last assembly, where we didn't have any performance problems. Looking at the arrangement at the crankshaft sprocket end I find it quite impossible for the chain to move as there doesn't appear to be any space for it to jump a tooth, I may be wrong though. With regards to Sparkpaul's comment relating to excessive water on the sensor, the car wasn't running brilliantly just before the second H/G replacement, and as it was drawing in more water (especially into cyl. 3) so from those symptoms it stacks up. Believe me I would have been happier to find that I had put it back with a sprocket one or two teeth out but it was as it had been dismantled. If, and it's a big if, the timing is out how much sway has or does thengine have to accept a variance in the valve timing, as on assembly, at rest the head is pushing valves down on to the piston top, that is why you must turn the crank to drop the piston 25mm from TDC, there doesn't seem to be much allowance to get this wrong. Perplexed!!!!! Phil

Hi Paul Thanks for your reply. So it could be a suspect pre-cat sensor? When you say you have previously done H/G were they on your Gal? If so your life would have been a misery if I had known!

Well, just plugged the diagnotics lead in and here are the readings taken over one minute of tick over at normal operating temp (90 deg on dash, 81 deg on Scantool). Each value is as the Scantool refreshes: O2 sensor 1 bank 1 Sensor 2 0.075v @ 0.0% stft 0.700 v 0.340v @ -1.6% 0.695 v 0.710v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.810v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.785v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.635v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.760v @ -1.6% 0.705 v 0.710v @ -1.6% 0.705 v 0.080v @ -3.1% 0.705 v 0.085v @ -2.3% 0.700 v 0.065v @ 0.0% 0.695 v 0.720v @ -0.8% 0.695 v 0.780v @ -0.8% 0.700 v 0.760v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.450v @ -1.6% 0.705 v 0.090v @ -3.1% 0.705 v 0.090v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.075v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.075v @ 0.0% 0.705 v 0.105v @ -2.3% 0.700 v 0.080v @ -2.3% 0.705 v 0.725v @ -2.3% 0.705 v 0.720v @ -1.6% 0.705 v 0.720v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.415v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.075v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.085v @ +1.6% 0.700 v 0.085v @ +1.6% 0.695 v 0.090v @ +0.8% 0.700 v 0.650v @ +1.6% 0.705 v 0.765v @ -0.8% 0.705 v 0.750v @ -0.8% 0.705 v 0.725v @ -1.6% 0.710 v 0.695v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.670v @ -2.3% 0.700 v Second check with dash saying 90 deg, Scantool saying 86 deg 0.115v @ -0.8% 0.710 v 0.745v @ -2.3% 0.705 v 0.750v @ -2.3% 0.705 v 0.095v @ -3.9% 0.705 v 0.090v @ -1.6% 0.705 v 0.710v @ -0.8% 0.705 v 0.765v @ -3.1% 0.700 v 0.080v @ -3.9% 0.700 v 0.070v @ -1.6% 0.700 v 0.080v @ -0.8% 0.695 v 0.745v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.710v @ 0.0% 0.700 v 0.710v @ 0.0% 0.695 v 0.670v @ -0.8% 0.695 v 0.085v @ -3.1% 0.695 v 0.175v @ -0.8% 0.695 v 0.730v @ -3.1% 0.695 v 0.090v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.700v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.150v @ -3.1% 0.690 v 0.080v @ -3.9% 0.690 v 0.080v @ -1.6% 0.690 v 0.715v @ -2.3% 0.690 v 0.730v @ -2.3% 0.690 v 0.130v @ -3.1% 0.690 v 0.090v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.535v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.730v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.760v @ -2.3% 0.690 v 0.670v @ -0.8% 0.690 v 0.775v @ -3.1% 0.690 v 0.665v @ -3.1% 0.690 v 0.125v @ -0.8% 0.690 v Are these values bouncing? It does seem to go from from a very low reading to the 0.7's. By the way, on this Gal there are two sensors, one pre-cat and one post.

Well done all involved. It just goes to show that modern engines are very sophisticated pieces of kit and ergo faults/problems are not always that obvious. Thank goodness for forums like this and diagnostics!!!!

Hi Paul Thanks for your input The readings for the O2 sensor are O2 sensor 1 bank 1, 0.68v @ -1.6% st fuel trim O2 sensor 2 bank 1 0.7v O2 sensor 1 bank 2 1.275v @ 32.8% st fuel trim O2 sensor 2 bank 2 0.000v Do these point one way or another? Cheers Phil

I connected the Gal to my Elm327 using Scantool software. Here are some readings: At idle Calculated load value (clv) 19.6% Timing advance (cyl 1) 8.0% Air flow rate (afr) MAF 3.54 g/s At 3252 rpm Clv 15.3% Timing adv 29.0% Afr 11.39 g/s My dad and I were discussing the vacuum advance on timing, and whether this was working and the cause of the power drop, but the reading show that there is advance taking place. Two other readings on fuel trim At idle Short term fuel trim (stft) bank 1 0.0% Long term fuel trim (ltft) bank 1 -0.8% stft bank 2 32.8% Ltft bank 2 -0.8% At 3200 rpm Stft bank 1. -3.1% Ltft bank 1 4.7% Stft bank 2 32.8% Ltft bank 2 4.7% I don't know what the figures mean but should there be such a large value for the fuel trim on bank 2 or is this erroneous? These where taken with Gal on the drive. I plan to take some more on the road and will post if there is any difference. By the way, what is the part bolted to the bulkhead, where the two vacuum hoses go to from the inlet manifold?

Hi Chris Yes I've checked everything thrice! There are two I haven't checked they are the VSS and the Cranshaft position sensor, these were disconnected as per the TIS but I can't see why they needed to be removed because the head lift didn't affect them!