Golf 1.6 16v Performance probs...

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Thu 23 Jan 2003 18:53
Golf 1.6 16v Performance probs... - Matt A W
My Golf 2001 1.6 16v has suffered from an annoying problem since new. When started from cold it's fine and performs well, but when started from hot the engine is incredibly sluggish. At the same time the throttle sensitivity changes making pulling away more tricky and the engine note also becomes more boomy. Curiously, the warmer the engine when the car is started, the worse the problem is but performance never deteriorates if the car was started from cold! It's as if the ECU makes some kind of decision on how to setup the engine when the car is first started. The car is an import so is now out of warranty but three ECU,s, two EGR valves and several other sensors later and nothing changed. Basically the stealers didn't give a toss because the ECU has never logged any faults. Whether related or not I don't know, but the car has always had a tendency to pink under load, especially with normal unleaded - something the dealers reckon 'they all do'. Again, this was never fixed. I did notice over on www.honestjohn.co.uk mention of an ECU problem on 'Y' and '51' plate 1.6 16v's causing poor performance which was apparently a glitch in the software but typically the dealers have ever heard of this.

Anyone got any ideas?
Matt.
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Fri 24 Jan 2003 11:51
Golf 1.6 16v Performance probs... - MatthewH
I have the 1.4 16v Golf, the car is about 5 months old. I have also noticed in the past an occasional tendency to pink when the engine comes under load, e.g. cruising at 60 in 5th gear, I come to a hill and there is a slight pinking for a couple of seconds before the ECU takes into account the extra load. After that it is fine. Most noticeable with aircon on. Acceleration in 4th or 5th gear on the flat doesn't produce any pinking at all, so I just assumed that the aircon is drainng the power a bit from the smaller engine.
I also thought that my car goes slightly better in the mornings, especially when it is a bit colder. Bit odd really, maybe the setup of these engines favours cooler air?

HJ - does the problem with the 1.6 you describe extend to the 1.4 too? Also is the 1.4 simply a smaller version of the 1.6, or are there more differences?
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Fri 24 Jan 2003 12:16
Golf 1.6 16v Performance probs... - Matt A W
HJ

Thanks for your reply.
Do you have or know where I could obtain more information on the performance issues the VW 1.6 16v engine has as detailed on your superb Car-by-Car Breakdown pages. I have yet to find a dealer which knows of any ECU faults, or indeed any that are prepared to acknowledge that my car has a fault. Similarly VW tech people are appallingly arrogant and lose any interest when they realise my car is an import. My 1 year warranty has expired now, but as I declared the fault when the car was new, I still believe I am entitled to have this fault rectified. Performance sometimes becomes that bad that maintaining 70mph on the motorway is impossible. Occasionally power is lost when pulling away from standstill, and at a junction this proves very dangerous. Many thanks in advance.
Matt.
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Fri 24 Jan 2003 13:41
Golf 1.6 16v Performance probs... - Big John
I dont get any pinking on my Octavia 1.4 16V (same engine as golf 1.4 16V) on 95,98 or 99 RON petrol. Shell Optimax (99 RON) improves the performance though.
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