I've got a Brand New Tractor !

[WonkyGibbon]

... sort of.

The S3 has intermittently taken to sounding truely agricultural !

The first couple of times it sorted itself out after 20 mins of standing amongst London's finest traffic - but this morning - it sounded ghastly for a full 45 - all the way to work. It's also underpowered.

Thoughts anyone ? Sounds electrical to me - but I'm not sure how to interpret the symptoms. Don't think it's the throttle pot. Could be the HT leads (they're Magnecore but could have been in use since Queen Vic), sparks ? or the coil ?

No clue.

Thanks,

Danny

[SS2.]

Could be a failing coil or breaking down leads...

Try pulling the leads off (wearing marigolds !!) in turn with the engine running. If the running gets worse, its not that lead. If you pull one and its no different, that would indicate a problem..

[z_chromozone]

I take it you have eliminated tappet noise from the list.

Does the sound change with revs.

Z

[WonkyGibbon]

Hmmm - the noise changes in line with the revs. Not sure what a tappet problem would sound like as such. I once had a lead disconnect itself on an old Citroen - doesn't sound so far from that.

SS2 - thanks for mentioning the marigolds - I really am stupid enough not to have thought of that ! Ouch !! Will try that in the morning.

The leads I could get from Halfords - is the coil a standard part (that I could also get there) - or is it something I'd need to order ?

Thanks guys !

[greenv8s]

Is it a misfire, or just a blowing exhaust?

[WonkyGibbon]

greenv8s said:

Is it a misfire, or just a blowing exhaust?

It's a thought - but I don't think so. It's a rather nastier sound than that. The manifolds are stainless steel and only a year a old. The rest of the exhaust is stainless and probably original - but I really don't think that's it.

[SS2.]

WonkyGibbon said:

is the coil a standard part (that I could also get there) - or is it something I'd need to order ?

I got mine from my local motor factors - loathed to give Halfwits too much of my business . They looked up the part in the catalogue and had it in stock. The V6 coil is nothing flash (no pun), AFAIK..

[doddze]

definately try each HT lead in turn as I had one come unclipped last year and my car had exactly the symptons you describe ie noisy (as in bad noise) and also the car had no power to the point I thought it may stall when pulling away... reconnected the HT lead and happy days... hope yours is a minor problem as well..

[E448]

try checking the terminals on the coil,mine was arcing across at low to middle revs and almost stalling.wd40 and a quick wipe round all was well. you need to look in the dark to see. also check your manifold gaskets.

[WonkyGibbon]

Thanks for all your help guys.

As is the nature of intermittent faults - the car is now in practical joker mode - and refuses to do the misfire. It'll probably start again on wednesday when I haven't time to look at it.

OR it could be fixed.

The problem started some time (quite a bit of time) after I last filled. Filling up again on friday - it stopped misfirng after about 2 miles. Really odd though - 'cos if it was dirty fuel - usually the whole engine will splutter and die before surging on again. But this just sounded like rough running, like a single cylinder wasn't firing.

Has anybody else had this symptom with fuel ?

I guess time will tell. I hate intermittent problems.