Golf R Choking while driving through water

[charais93]

The Sunday that just passed it was raining heavily all day in Queensland. Driving around like an Idiot all day, hit a water plain on the highway and started drifting, so after that i slowed down. About 3 minutes from home there was abit of flooded water build up on a main road, it didnt look that deep so i went through it with no hassles at all. After drving though it i noticed the car was running rough and choking somewhat. I dropped it home and turned it off and left it for the night as it was raining. The next day it started with no problems, but is still choking and driving not smooth.

Is there anything i can do from home to see what is going on? My mechanic mate scanned it for any codes and nothing came up, and said if any water got in(the intake is near the headlights and no way the water got up that high. Hopefully it is only a small issue like coil packs or spark plugs, it starts up fine, idles fine, only when i drive it the problems occur.

My mate said if it was misfiring it wouldnt start at all and wouldnt drive

Any reccomendations?

[Guest001]

Dont drive through standing water would be the first recommendation. But then its a waste of time talking to some isnt it.

Now you have found out what can happen.

[BOR444]

dont drive through standing water would be the first recommendation. But then its a waste of time talking to some isnt it.

Now you have found out what can happen.

hahahahahaha! On point!

[epidemic]

Check the spark plug wells. There could be water in there effecting the plugs / spark.

But yeah always be cautious about driving through water.

[charais93]

Check the spark plug wells. There could be water in there effecting the plugs / spark.

But yeah always be cautious about driving through water.

To my knowledge the spark plugs were done 7000k ago, my mate took my coilpacks and spark plugs out and one of the sparks doesnt appear to be in good nic, and the coils are abit ify aswell. If it was coils or sparks the engine light would be on and error codes would come up if it was misfiring. it starts 1st go and sounds the same, just while driving it crumbles

[brad]

Is there anything i can do from home to see what is going on? My mechanic mate scanned it for any codes and nothing came up, and said if any water got in(the intake is near the headlights and no way the water got up that high.

Yes it does get up that high and very easily. I personally know 2 people that have had their VWs written off after driving through "puddles". Condsidering I only know about 10 VW owning friends that's a fairly high probability.

Start with the simple stuff.

Pull the air cleaner lid off. Is the filter or housing damp? (should be bone dry).

Pull an IC hose off - is it wet or is the oil residue milky?

Pull the sparklers - look OK?

Measure the piston tops at TDC from a common datum parallel with the crank axis. All the same distance?

[Lucas_R]

To my knowledge the spark plugs were done 7000k ago, my mate took my coilpacks and spark plugs out and one of the sparks doesnt appear to be in good nic, and the coils are abit ify aswell. If it was coils or sparks the engine light would be on and error codes would come up if it was misfiring. it starts 1st go and sounds the same, just while driving it crumbles

Depends how badly its misfiring as to whether the car will start or not. If the misfire is only minor (or only happens when under load) the engine will still start in most cases.

The ignition coils on the GTI / R are pretty sensitive (fragile) so its possible that you have gotten water in the area where the spark plugs and ignition coils go and burnt one out.

[The One]

Depends how badly its misfiring as to whether the car will start or not. If the misfire is only minor (or only happens when under load) the engine will still start in most cases.

The ignition coils on the GTI / R are pretty sensitive (fragile) so its possible that you have gotten water in the area where the spark plugs and ignition coils go and burnt one out.

100%, would have to be a really bad missfire for the car to not start and run - lets face it, 118TSI's still start and run with cracked pistons......

I would start with simple stuff as others has said, plugs and coils, grab a VAG com and read MVB's 015.1 015.2 015.3 (1 is cylinder 1, 2 cylinder 2, 3 cylinder 3) and MVB 016.4 (or 0.16) which will be cylinder 4. Go rev it up a hill under load while reading the MVB's, also select high gear up a hill too, if it's missing you will see which cylinder/s is playing up, swap coils and plugs and recheck, if it changes, you know whichever you swapped to the newly faulted cylinder is your issue, if it doesn't change, you know your issue is no plugs or coils than I wouldn't waste anymore time and go straight to a compression test...

Any smoke out the exhaust?

[charais93]

All is Good Guys!! Turns out it was a dirty MAF/MAP Sensor haha. Did a launch and 3.86 0-100 time so i think its running pretty good!!

Thanks for the support

[The One]

All is Good Guys!! Turns out it was a dirty MAF/MAP Sensor haha. Did a launch and 3.86 0-100 time so i think its running pretty good!!

Thanks for the support

Lesson learnt than? Stay away from water?

[Guest001]

I come from an area that gets lots of rain and snow and ice in the winter.
I have never worked out here why idiots go out and think its smart to drive around in standing water. On days like recently we would stay home and leave the car in the garage unless it was urgent to go out,.
Here I see morons powering through water as fast as they can, kicking up huge bow waves and thoughtlessly pushing the water into adjoining properties causing unecessary damage and they think its fun. The Police ask endlessly to stay out of the water but its pretty obvious that there are a lot of deaf idiots out there.

It doesnt take a lot of water to cause it to build up in front of your car and enter the engine bay as has been found out here. Air inlets are pretty low and a bucketful up there will learn you why you should stay home.

Drive it like you own it not like you stole it.

Rant over.