A3 1.9 TDI not pulling properly

Hello, I'm new here and I came here through www.audi4ever.at.

I was told that I might be able to get help here.


I have a small problem.


My A3 isn't accelerating properly.
I have the TDI with 110 horsepower.

My mother recently got a Volkswagen Golf (model 4).
also tdi, but with 90 horsepower.

and it pulls better than mine.



'It didn't cause any problems with my car before, but after I installed the skirts and the Remus exhaust, it suddenly became different.'
Instead of reaching 210 km/h on the highway, I could only manage a maximum of 180 km/h, even with a long run-up.

I thought it was because of the increased air resistance, but then I had the accident and the side skirts were gone, and it didn't make a difference.

It's like this: in 4th gear, I would usually reach speeds of around 170-180 km/h, and then in 5th gear, I'd get up to 210-220 km/h when going downhill.


Today, I was reaching 160 km/h in 4th gear and only 170 km/h in 5th gear. On a downhill stretch with no traffic on the highway, I could reach 180 km/h.

'Something seems off with my car. I have my 75,000 km service scheduled for early February, but I wanted to ask if anyone has any ideas about what might be causing the problem.'


Thank you in advance.

Best regards, wolfi.

Hi.

From the entire story, only a few concrete facts emerge, other than the fact that he can't drive as fast as he used to.

There are many possible causes for that.
Besides a possible assembly error on the exhaust (it's quite noticeable that the problem appeared since then, right ), all the causes listed in the technical article "Troubleshooting with VAGCOM" could be in question.

Since you haven't mentioned any stuttering, the NBF (Network Backup Function) and relay 109 can probably be ruled out.

How about the Remus? Have you ever tried reinstalling the original exhaust?

"Sport exhausts" rarely offer any real performance benefits on unmodified TDIs (other than perhaps making more noise).

Best regards,

Jan.

I can't say for sure whether it's the same as it was before the renovations. I actually drove to Italy the day after the renovations, and I wasn't allowed to drive faster than 130 km/h because the adhesive wasn't completely dry yet, I was told.
'Anyway, the car then sat in Italy for about 2 weeks under a tarp. It rained heavily occasionally, and after 2 weeks, I tried to start it, but it wouldn't even turn over. I then left it covered with the hood open in the sun for 3 hours, and everything was fine again. On the way home, I noticed for the first time that it didn't accelerate as well as before, especially when starting and in second gear. That's when I immediately suspected the body kit (due to increased air resistance, etc.).'


I actually only have the Remus exhaust because I like the way it looks, and because it fits perfectly into the cutout on my rear bumper.
I didn't buy it because of its performance and sound quality.

ZiagL wrote:

Of course, the car then stood in Italy for about 2 weeks under a tarp. It rained heavily occasionally, and after 2 weeks, I wanted to drive it for a short time, but it wouldn't even start. I then left it covered with the hood open in the sun for 3 hours, and everything was fine again. On the way home, I noticed for the first time that it didn't accelerate as well when starting and in second gear.

Hi.

that, in turn, points more towards moisture problems or corroded connectors .
Since the TDI engine relies on the "electronic drip," anything is possible.
In Italy, you can sometimes find dirty diesel fuel for sale, which could be partially clogging your fuel filter...

Okay, so we'll proceed according to the troubleshooting article .

Okay, it can't be the gasoline, since I didn't get gas in Italy. I live in Salzburg, and I easily drove a full tank of gas from Salzburg to Lignano and back.

So, in the Audi forum, the first suspicion fell on the mass airflow sensor (MAF). What do you think about that?

ZiagL wrote:

So, in the Audi forum, the first suspicion fell on the mass airflow sensor (MAF), what do you think about that?

Hi.

That's one of the usual suspects.
It might be, but it doesn't have to be.

hello

What would you advise me to do? Should I take my car to a workshop immediately, or should I wait until early February when I need to have it serviced for the 75,000 km check?

ZiagL wrote:

What would you advise me to do? Should I take my car to a workshop immediately, or should I wait until the beginning of February when I need to have it serviced for the 75,000 km mileage?

Hi.

What do you want to hear?

If it is the LMM (lambda sensor) and the loss of performance doesn't bother you too much, you can still drive with it for a long time, even until your appointment at the workshop.

If you hope that the cause lies there,
a) quickly found and...
b) is eliminated at the lowest possible cost.
Can you, based on general experience, completely fall on your stomach ?

Perhaps you could "repair" the LMM yourself for the price of a can of brake cleaner, in about 30 DIY minutes.
But in the workshop, you would most likely get a new one installed - just ask, for fun, how much that would cost .