did a timing job after fried thermo and still have rough idle. triple checked my work, replaced coil pack, replaced plugs and replaced maf sensor. I have to floor the gas pedal to get it to start and then it will idle but really rough. get to 2500 rpms and it sounds normal.
will not start at all without touching the gas pedal. possible i still could off on the timing ? i still have the cam locking bar i rented online and have no problem doing it again.
what does the small aluminum box (near engine wall middle that the vac lines running into it do)?
I noticed one side has a cap or is that an adjustment i dicked with?
what is the other device the wiring from the maf plugs into that also goes into the air intake sytem? i have tried 4 different code readers, the latest being ross-vag, and all i get from the engine is a "cannot read controller" error. it reads tranny, abs and various other segments but will not read the friggen engine!!!!!
any thoughts would be great.
thanks

 

If VAGcom does not read the engine, but is reading everything else, then there is something wrong with your wiring and/or ECU. I know, duh....

But did you check the idle control valve?

Looky here.

 

hey thanks, i'll give that a whirl. this car ran like a swiss watch before the thermo went bad and the car started overheating.
a couple of times, prior to doing the timing because of the bad thermo, it barely started and sputtered and barely ran and then would just fire up a minute later and run perfect. I always wonder about that with this post timing issue. not all , as a matter of fact very few, segments will engage with the vag-com. I get "cannot read controller" error messages over and over. I know these cars are way complicated and it would sure make it easier if I knew what the heck to do instead of guessing at everything. this idle thing is more of a misfire at low rpm's than anything. but who knows ........ does it make sense that is what it could be if i have to engage the gas pedal to make it start?
stumped in denver.

 

Did I talk to you about this before? Clean ICV and see if it runs better. Next thing is to check the throttle body. Clean it, adjust and etc.

 

yea this is the same car. it's not being used anymore ( as of about a year ago) but I'd love to get it back to running condition. I'll try the cleaning those parts and post later today.....
thnx!

 

You realize that the fuel gets jellied?

(After an year of sitting).

Purging your fuel system is the starting poin, I'd suggest

 

yea i hear ya on the gas and great point. it has been sitting a while. it was driven part time until late last summer but only started here and there since then.
will clean then drive and get new gas and post.......

 

Also get a new fuel filter ---and run some fuel system cleaner thru it...

 

ok , off to get the new fuel filter and some fuel system cleaner.
realized the post from HXG on "clean the ICU unit" is for a 12 valve and I have the 30. I did find a "google" on cleaning the throttle body intake and did that. what a PITA to get at since it's jammed up against the firewall. it was caked in crap so I cleaned it out and wiped the throttle plate and intake area clean with a rag. once the plastic is off u can get a full hand in there to wipe everything. It idled a little better after and sounded great at 2200rmp and above. would the engine rev perfect at higher speeds if you are still off on the timing by a tooth? I'm still paranoid i don't have it right........but like I said can't read the friggen codes.

 

well just got i out of the garage after 6 months and on the road. filled it wth gas and fuel system cleaner. drove around a while and got it up to 60. hesitating and running really rough. goose it and it goes after a delay and gets up to speed. once there any change in speed, on or off the gas peddle produces a semi-violent shake.
still think it's just the bad gas working it's way through?
Thanks!