only had a week and problem already

[tomcat 0]

Riighty

I bought a B4 passat VR6 (1996) last week (I know but I need the boot space) runs beautiful but all of a sudden it's internittent starting. no rhyme or reason but it starts for a few seconds then cuts out.

What I need to know, is this a common problem and what is it likely to be? My first VR6 so I know absolutley nothing about them yet apart from I like the noise lol.

AA man topped up oil a bit and it started so I have topped it up to the top line on dipstick .

He said it could also be ignition switch, immobiliser or ISV (?) not sure what an ISV is, is it cheap/easy to replace if it's that?

Someone said an ignition switch just plugs in and is cheap as chips? if this is true is it as easy as it sounds?

Is there any way the standard VAG immobiliser can be bypassed? I only ever park on my drive or the car park at work so I can see the car virtually 24 hours a day so the stop lock is more than enough.

It's my daily driver and I've only had it a week it was working 100% and smooth as before today, could it just be something I've knocked adjusting the steering wheel position?

Sorry for tons of questions but I was loving the car to bits and all of a sudden it's become a pain in the arse today.

Cheers

[spadam 7]

Could be imobiliser problem. United motorsports can defeat the imobiliser so the problem wont come back.

[tomcat 0]

Thanks bud, is this the right C2? I'll send them a message now.Would this show up on VAGCom?

http://www.c2motorsports.co.uk/services.asp

[spadam 7]

Thats the one there on here quite regulary to so may be able to pm them for a price.

[Ben Seabrook 4]

AA man topped up oil a bit and it started so I have topped it up to the top line on dipstick .

He said it could also be ignition switch' date=' immobiliser or ISV (?) not sure what an ISV is, is it cheap/easy to replace if it's that?

Someone said an ignition switch just plugs in and is cheap as chips? if this is true is it as easy as it sounds?

[/quote']

as Adam has said you will need someone like C2 to remove the immobiliser from the ECU it could be the ignition coil reader and yeah they are cheap and relatively easy to replace mate http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MK3-GOLF-CORRADO-VR6-READER-COIL-VENTO-PASSAT-/200519282090?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2eafe16daa they do break down sometimes but if you have vag-com the best thing to do is to check it and see what comes up first

[tomcat 0]

Right, ran it through VAGCom, no immobiliser faults came up, it's only a fleabay VAG.com though.

Would immob issue show up? Are there any guides anywhere on how to change the ignition switch, I can pick one up at the weekend before spending out to remove the immobiliser.

[craggsy 91]

United motorsports now fellas

[spadam 7]

Not sure what your on about :-*

[VR6Pete 1,455]

Stealth Racing also offer the same service regards to immob deletion.

[bungy 2]

Be carefull when topping your oil right up as you can damage your cat if you over fill. If it is starting for a few seconds and then cutting out and your VagCom didn't show any faults maybe it is ignition wiring...

[CALICO 130]

Not sure what your on about :-*

there called united motorsport not C2

[craig46 0]

Try just shuffling the coil reader further up the barrell towards the key, worked for me, not had problem for well over a month and it did become a pain in the arse!

[tomcat 0]

Be carefull when topping your oil right up as you can damage your cat if you over fill. If it is starting for a few seconds and then cutting out and your VagCom didn't show any faults maybe it is ignition wiring...

I only topped up to the max line, but that in mind I suppose I could drain a little bit out.

By ignition wiring do you just mean the wiring in the steering column surround? I may pull the plastic cowling off at the weekend and see if there's anything obvious loose. unless anyone knows of a good auto electrician in Torbay area to test a few bits and make sure what I'm dealing with.

There's a cable hanging down by your left foot that goes into the centre console, it doesn't seem to make a difference to starting if I wiggle it but I'm wary of mucking about too much not knowing what I'm looking for.

[tomcat 0]

Try just shuffling the coil reader further up the barrell towards the key' date=' worked for me, not had problem for well over a month and it did become a pain in the arse!

[/quote']

that sounds more like my idea of a fix I'll try that first, cheers fella.

[tomcat 0]

Try just shuffling the coil reader further up the barrell towards the key' date=' worked for me, not had problem for well over a month and it did become a pain in the arse!

[/quote']

I just found your thread about the problems you had, did you end up replacing any parts or just litteraly shuffle the coil reader up?

[craig46 0]

Yeh after all the problems, my last ditch effort before buying parts was to remove the column surround to access the wiring and i had a look around to make sure there was no dodgy connections. As I took the surround off i got a better look at the chip reader (brown circular thing at the end of barrell) and thought if it was on its way out it might just be recieving a weak signal from the key so thought if i moved it closer to the key it might help - and it did, i drove around for a while without the surround so that if it dropped back down and wouldnt start i could move it back up. This happend a few times, so it was then apparent that this was causing the problem so i think i ended up putting a cable tie behind the chip reader around the barrell to stop it moving back down. I probably shifted it up as much as possible without it seeming loose on the barrell. This was around the time of that thread i made, maybe pushing a month/2months and ive had no problems. So worth a try let me know if it helps.

[tomcat 0]

Yeh after all the problems' date=' my last ditch effort before buying parts was to remove the column surround to access the wiring and i had a look around to make sure there was no dodgy connections. As I took the surround off i got a better look at the chip reader (brown circular thing at the end of barrell) and thought if it was on its way out it might just be recieving a weak signal from the key so thought if i moved it closer to the key it might help - and it did, i drove around for a while without the surround so that if it dropped back down and wouldnt start i could move it back up. This happend a few times, so it was then apparent that this was causing the problem so i think i ended up putting a cable tie behind the chip reader around the barrell to stop it moving back down. I probably shifted it up as much as possible without it seeming loose on the barrell. This was around the time of that thread i made, maybe pushing a month/2months and ive had no problems. So worth a try let me know if it helps.

[/quote']

Will do mate, I think I can live without the trim on the steering column for a while if I have to, it's only a daily driver so it can tide me over for a little while like that. I've ordered a new chip reader (only £9 plus postage) so if it is that I can replace it if needs be.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Tom

[tomcat 0]

RIGHT, Fingers crossed it's traced and sorted (for now)

After removing my steering column lower trim and the piece of lower dashboard I traced the wire from the coil readed to where it plugs in at the other end.

Wiggled the connection and heard a buzzing noise the car started 1st time.

went to get some petrol and started again and when I got home tried it again and it started again.

I've left the trim off for now in case I need to get at it again and have got a new coil reader but don't want to change it unless it's needed.

Hopefully it's sorted, thanks fellas.

Tom