EA211 Engine knock and pulling too much timing.

[Gutoneto]

Hi there,

I’m having an issue and quite lost right now. Over the last few weeks, I started to notice that I had some knock between 1000-2000rpm. I thought that could be caused by worn spark plugs and I replaced them (gapped to .7 and torqued at 22nm as per VW manual) and new APR coil packs. The knock improved a lot but still there. It's an EA211 CXSA engine at about 115k KM.

At the time when I had the plugs out, I did a compression test in all for cylinders (I think I did right) and all them came between 130-145psi (VW says when new between 145-210psi, max wear at 100psi and max of 40psi between them).

I spoke with the company that done the tune for me and he told me to gap the spark plugs down to .4 due the extra boost. He also prompts to do a log and see if there was anything wrong with the tune. In the logs showed that the cylinder 2 and 3 was pulling time up to 9,5 degrees in some cases!

He put the original tune back and the car still pulling time but this time around 4 degrees and the time being pulled randomly between them, not necessarily the same cylinder pulling 4 degrees. Sometimes number 2 pulls 3 and the 3 pulls 1-2 degrees and another time the 2 pulls 1 degrees and the 3 4 degrees.

I checked the stretch of the timing belt through VCDS and is saying that the camshaft is correcting by 5.3 degrees (VW says that anything over –/+ 5 degrees the belt/chain needs to be replaced ASAP). I have the car booked to do the belt this Tuesday.

I don’t know if that is happening because the camshaft is correcting too much or if there’s something else wrong.

Anyone here had or heard about this issue?

Thanks.

Guto.

[Sharkie]

Timing belt should have been done at 105,000km. Beyond that every km is taking the engine's life in your hands ....

[Guest001]

Running it on 91 or 95?????

[Lucas_R]

Throw 5-10L of E85 in the tank along with 98 and see if it still pulls timing, you may just have a dodgy batch of fuel after all the rain the east coast has had.

But also, if you have done 115,000km and on the original timing belt then best get that replaced to rule out belt stretch.

[Gutoneto]

Timing belt should have been done at 105,000km. Beyond that every km is taking the engine's life in your hands ....

I know, but life and work got in the way and finally I'll get done this Tuesday.

[Gutoneto]

Running it on 91 or 95?????

Always 98 since I bought it, and about 80% of the time BP otherwise Caltex.

[Gutoneto]

Throw 5-10L of E85 in the tank along with 98 and see if it still pulls timing, you may just have a dodgy batch of fuel after all the rain the east coast has had.

But also, if you have done 115,000km and on the original timing belt then best get that replaced to rule out belt stretch.

I will need to wait until next week as I fill out the tank yesterday, also it will give time to see if situation improves after Tuesday when I will get the timing belt replaced.

[rgh0]

Have you tried the next colder plug ?

[Gutoneto]

Have you tried the next colder plug ?

I haven't yet. I'm using NGK's Laser Platinum PZKER7A8EGS. These are recommended but not sure about what temp it is, I always get confused (don't know if 7 or 8 ) and couldn't find something more specific either.

[rgh0]

I haven't yet. I'm using NGK's Laser Platinum PZKER7A8EGS. These are recommended but not sure about what temp it is, I always get confused (don't know if 7 or 8 ) and couldn't find something more specific either.

The standard plugs are platinum iridium laser welded NGK IZKR7B. These are expensive and people often substitute cheaper plugs.

I am not familiar with the plugs you are using but I assume the first number 7 in your existing plugs is the heat range as that would be the normal NGK numbering convention. I would look for the standard plug style but trying in a 8 ( which is colder) heat range i.e. NGK IZKR8B if you can find it. If you cant find the exact same style in a colder heat range then you need to research the NGK coding and availability to find something equivalent but colder heat range

cheers
Rohan

[Gutoneto]

OK,

some updates... I got the timing belt replaced and the knock sound gone, the car is driving like never before and I can feel the power back. I got the tune back but (always a but, never is too easy), I still have some issues with timing being pulled some times and boost curve not so smooth (most of the time the car gives timing).

We just realised that the 90TSI and 103TSI have a slightly different compression rate than the 110TSI and 92TSI. The 90TSI has a compression rate of 10.5:1 and the 110TSI is 10:1. Also having a quite high air intake temperature over 40 degrees in a 10-11 degree morning.

A new tune will need to be done to see if the problem is sorted.

I'll get back when I get more news...

[Lucas_R]

Good to hear things are better after the timing belt was replaced - its must have been stretched causing the timing to be off a bit.

Re intake temps on this engine. I believe they use an intercooler thats part of the inlet manifold dont they? I dont think this can be changed or upgraded easily. You might need to look into a basic water injection setup which will cool intake temps down.