SteveA Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Hi to everyone this is my first post and I'm looking for a little help. I have a Passat 1.8T Sport estate which used to go like stink, now the accelereration is so bad it couldn't out-drag a bloke in heels, and it couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding( flat out won't get past the ton) I took it into a main dealer who put it on thier diagnostics gizmo but that didn't show any real faults. The cars done around 120k and fuel or oil consumption doesn't seem to be suffering, can anyone out there shed any light on this problem???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Welcome to tyresmoke. Can you be more specific with the problem? A guy I work with had a problem where his 1.8T Passat Auto would accelerate upto a point and then from say 4k revs it would just be totally flat, he had no error codes showing at all and even employed an independent engineer (as VW insisted it was a fault with the gerbox). It turned out to be the MAF, which when replaced sured every problem he was suffering - but it hadnt registered any faults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Yeah basically its very poor on acceleration and like I said refuses to go over 100 It goes through the rev range in the lower gears but in fourth wont pull over 100. Before in first and second I used to have trouble changing up quick enough. Is there an easy way of telling wether the turbos working or not, thats what it feels like- it just doesn't have that turbo punch anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 COuld well be the MAF. Oh and someone forget their password????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 OK, cue hoots of laughter-what's a MAF and how do you check it's that that's is faulty. Different PCs and locations, but yes you're quite right I left my password at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 THe MAF is your mass airflow sensor, now the problem is that if you are not showing error codes then it will be a guess if it works or not, the quickest way to tell (as the guy at work here did) was get hold of a spare and change it. I presume with the mileage that you are no longer in warrenty so main dealer will charge you for diagnosis which isnt cheap. There are people on here who could give you a step by step of how to change the MAF. It might be worth a call to one of the tuners who do a lot of work with the 1.8T engine to see if they can advise - someone like AMD (www.amd-technik.co.uk) as they have a lot of time and experience of this engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 As you say, it is out of warranty it's a '98 model. Is the MAF fault something that should show up on diagnostical equpment but in this instance is not? I have a contact at a VW dealer who tested it before for nil charge but was he looking in the wrong place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Well I had 3 MAFs fail on my TT - and 2 of the three showed no faults, my New Beetle one showed no Fault and the guy at works Passat showed no fault - so the problem is that you need a dealer with a technicial who recognises the fault. one thing you could try on here is to post a query in the general cars as it will egt a wider audience and there are a couple of techie people on here but they may not look at the passat forum. If teh MAF has failed then I believe this causes problems with power delivery because the can no longer has an accurate air fuel mix so could lead it to run to rich or to lean with obvious consequences for performance. My TT was flat in power delivery from about 3500 revs onwards after the failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Could it be the accelerator sender unit is up the duff or is it not electrical gadgets that play with your heavy right foot pedal is it good old cable?? Just a suggestion I'm no techie!! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botang Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Will almost deffinately be the MAF. It never shows up a fault code, but is a very common problem on VAG cars. Luckily it is quite easy to change it and once you have connected it all back up your car should be as good as new, and you will realise that your car has not been performing that well for ages. It is actually a problem with them getting dirty but you can never clean them properly so its best just to replace it, should be around £100+Vat. It will be positioned just above your airbox/air filter in the main air intake hose, as I said it is pretty easy to change just make sure it fits properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N3WOB Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Welcome on board Steve & hope you get ya motor sorted soon R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS4_Barry Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Good chance it's the maf - 98 passat is throttle cable so unless it's ultra in need of adjustment that ain't the problem. Any missfires throughout the rev range possible coil pack/s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 No no misfires, just had a price for the MAF, £247+VAT= lot of money if it's not that. A mate of mine is trying to find a donor just to test this out. Big thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread-by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Have you tried any breakers to see what they want for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted March 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Yeah thought about that, there's a VW/Audi breakers just outside MK. Trouble is how do you know you're getting a good one, if this problem is as common as it appears there must be a fair chance of getting another duff one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 The other option might be to find a dealer that is willing to try one for you with a no fix no pay kind of scenario. Or even one of the better tunners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafi Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Check my posting on the technical side & save money. Also if you are interested in second hand stuff, I found two breakers who had the MAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botang Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 I wouldnt trust a second hand MAF if it were me. If you were to buy it and it was faulty you would not know whether to try another or not. I will get a price for you tomorrow, but £247+ Vat is rubish, (assuming it is the same part as fitted to the TDI's) Mercedes and Vauxhall both use the same part you may be able to get it cheaper from one of them (it is a Bosch Part). I got mine from my local VAG specialist the other week but havent had an invoice yet so will call them tomorrow and find out for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Thanks, If it's any help my engine type is AEB- not sure if petrol and diesel are the same part, can anyone shed any light on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botang Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Just had a word with my local VAG Specialist DG Motor Services in Wellingborough (not sure where you are but they are very good), you are looking at £225 inc Vat fitted. The MAF on your car is different from the diesel. He suggested that if you want to be sure its that you can take it off and give it a thorough cleaning with switch cleaner (you will need to buy a tamper proof torque screwdriver, not much) put it back together and try it. It should make quite a difference instantly if it is the MAF. Unfortuantely it is only a temporay fix as it will go bad again within a couple of weeks. The only way to cure it is replacement but at least you can be sure it is that before shedding out too much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Nice one Matthew, I'm in Milton Keynes so not a million miles away. As soon as I get home I'll try cleaning the MAF, I have had a look for it before but I couldn't see anything that stood out as being the MAF but with the info you guys have given me I should be able to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botang Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Will be made out of black plastic, it is a cylinder shape attached between the top of the airbox and the pipe that will go to the inlet manifold. Take it apart (i.e.remove it from the pipe and air box) and you will see a piece inside that cylinder. This is the bit you spray with switch lubricant. It works like a hot wire passing electric current through the wire by which it can tell how much air is flying past (by how much it cools I guess) But it is the wire which gets dirty and cannot get an accurate reading. Think this how trhey work anyhow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAA Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Ok, last night it was too late when I got home to get a anti tamper screw driver and clean the MAF so I disconnected it and took it for a blat......no difference!!! What does that tell us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Well it implies that you MAF isnt working I would haev thought - if you disconnect it then you know you have no signal and if perfoemance is the same it suggests to me that is the normal state of the MAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botang Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Yeah thats right, it seems your MAF is pretty bad. It should make a big diference when disconnected. The only other posibility would be a wiring problem btween MAF and ecu, but that would be very unlikely I would have thought. On the good side if you change your MAF you will realise just how bad it was and will think you have chipped your car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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