Hiccup while driving every once in awhile, could it be the clutch?

[RoguesGambit]

Hey, how are ya guys?

As I mentioned, I'll be driving at pace with traffic or just cruising and once in awhile, car hiccups for a split second before continuing on. I was told by my teacher back in mid September that the clutch was 3/4's worn (only put 10-11k miles on it since I had it), so that's my first assumption.

Could it be more, or should I just save for a JHM Clutch/Flywheel

[thejoemeyer]

Hey, how are ya guys?

As I mentioned, I'll be driving at pace with traffic or just cruising and once in awhile, car hiccups for a split second before continuing on. I was told by my teacher back in mid September that the clutch was 3/4's worn (only put 10-11k miles on it since I had it), so that's my first assumption.

Could it be more, or should I just save for a JHM Clutch/Flywheel

I've had a similar problem in a b5 a4, and it turned out to be misfires caused by bad coil packs, it tended to happen more often when a little bit more load was put on the engine, such as starting to go up a hill or when downshifting at highway speeds, but would occasionally happen when just cruising. Replaced all 4 coil packs and it was gone, so if you can test them, I'd look at that, it's cheaper to replace than if your clutch is worn. Hope thats some help rather than an extra problem to be concerned about

[RoguesGambit]

Coil pack huh? I'll order some later, does the code matter much or no?

[Jake@JHM]

What are the conditions of this hiccup? Only while cruising? Can you explain a little more what this hiccup is?

[RoguesGambit]

I'm just cruising, feels like a slight throttle disconnect and then it's back to normal

[Jake@JHM]

Hmm.. it could be a slight misfire. Pull your plugs and check the gap. Have you checked your misfire counter?

[thejoemeyer]

Coil pack huh? I'll order some later, does the code matter much or no?

Are you getting a CEL with a code, is that what you mean? And Jake definitely knows a lot more than I do, so I'd see what he has to say before you move on ordering anything

[RoguesGambit]

No CEL, but will have it inspected regardless

[Mc Suly]

Hmm.. it could be a slight misfire. Pull your plugs and check the gap. Have you checked your misfire counter?

i'm having this same problem too.

mine comes and goes.
i got a flashing cel at 1 point for CYl1missfire.
i changed the spark plug & new coil... still happening! Even got a slight cel after that says still cyl1.

annoying as fuk

[Jake@JHM]

What heat range spark plugs are you using and what is the gap? You are a tuned FT right?

[yungcotter]

Im having the same problem. But mine can be violent at times when i accelerate hard but not WOT for an extended period (say15-20 seconds) i get a huge hiccup/ fall off and a really hard shift. My redtop coil packs are 6 months old and so are the plugs i'm running the tri electrode bosch jhm recommends i can't remember exactly which ones. i'll swap back to my old coil ones when i check the plugs. I also get some interference in the speakers wen i do that.

[Jake@JHM]

Im having the same problem. But mine can be violent at times when i accelerate hard but not WOT for an extended period (say15-20 seconds) i get a huge hiccup/ fall off and a really hard shift. My redtop coil packs are 6 months old and so are the plugs i'm running the tri electrode bosch jhm recommends i can't remember exactly which ones. i'll swap back to my old coil ones when i check the plugs. I also get some interference in the speakers wen i do that.

If your are tuned you will want one heat range colder. Did you get the ones that are the same heat range as stock? PM your name and I can look it up for you if you ordered it through us.

Tuned people will want Bosch heat range 5 or NGK heat range 8

[yungcotter]

If your are tuned you will want one heat range colder. Did you get the ones that are the same heat range as stock? PM your name and I can look it up for you if you ordered it through us.

Tuned people will want Bosch heat range 5 or NGK heat range 8

I think I bought the wrong ones according to amazon I bought F6DTC. which is stock?

[Jake@JHM]

I think I bought the wrong ones according to amazon I bought F6DTC. which is stock?

That would be the stock heat range, yeah. The FR5DTCs are great and cheap. However, currently on national back order possibly discontinued!

These are the next best thing: http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalo...27t-p-367.html

[SwiftA4]

If your are tuned you will want one heat range colder. Did you get the ones that are the same heat range as stock? PM your name and I can look it up for you if you ordered it through us.

Tuned people will want Bosch heat range 5 or NGK heat range 8

Jake,
I undertand the need for colder plugs on tuned vehicles, but are a lot of people who are stage 1, or stage 2, seeing a lot of pre-ignition issues with stock heat ranges?
I mean, I'm running stock heat range Denso Iridium's (0.028 gap) on stage 1 and haven't experienced any flashing cel's from misfires, but as some have stated, I can get a "stumble" every once in a while cruising down the highway (not at WOT). Could this be caused by pre-ignition in the cylinders?
I had always thought that in order to have "hot" plugs to cause pre-ignition, you really needed to be at high rpm's for a consistent period of time to cause them to get to the point where they get too hot.

[Jake@JHM]

A spark plugs heat range is the designation of how well a spark plug can dissipate heat, meaning how much heat is retained in the plug and cylinder after each time the cylinder is ignited. A cold plug will actually pull heat out of the cylinder to prevent pre-detonation which is needed during high compression (more boost).

Those stumbles that you feel are more than likely a misfire and does not need to occur while WOT. Although, typically cars with the wrong heat range of spark plug will ping while WOT because that is when there is the most cylinder pressure. It also happens more in warmer weather. However, a bad coil pack could cause the same issue.

When I purchased my B7 it came with Denso plugs and they misfired while stock and cruising on the highway and then every time I went WOT after just a very minor base tune. Swapped them out and then the issue went away.

[yungcotter]

now that you mention the weather this started as the weather was warming up. hopefully this is my problem and not my tran or torque converter or something like that.

[RoguesGambit]

See SIG for spark plugs, I gapped it in my class and it was smooth, maybe I need a new pair for my tune

regardless, come weds, along with the new tires/rims and the ssk/cross rod/boot&knob install, gonna have it checked as I said

[SwiftA4]

A spark plugs heat range is the designation of how well a spark plug can dissipate heat, meaning how much heat is retained in the plug and cylinder after each time the cylinder is ignited. A cold plug will actually pull heat out of the cylinder to prevent pre-detonation which is needed during high compression (more boost).

Those stumbles that you feel are more than likely a misfire and does not need to occur while WOT. Although, typically cars with the wrong heat range of spark plug will ping while WOT because that is when there is the most cylinder pressure. It also happens more in warmer weather. However, a bad coil pack could cause the same issue.

When I purchased my B7 it came with Denso plugs and they misfired while stock and cruising on the highway and then every time I went WOT after just a very minor base tune. Swapped them out and then the issue went away.

What bugs me though, is like others have stated, it only happens say once a month for me. And it only happens for like 5-10 sec, where I can feel a slight stumble, and then everything is fine.
To me, and I could be wrong, doesn't signify a bad coil pack. If the pack was bad, I should have constant misfires in that cylinder, throwing the flashing CEL.
As for the wrong spark plug heat range, the plug shouldn't get "hot" when just cruising down the highway. I'm not under boost conditions at all when these stumbles occur. If I were to be in boost consistently, then I could understand the plug getting to "hot".

[Jake@JHM]

now that you mention the weather this started as the weather was warming up. hopefully this is my problem and not my tran or torque converter or something like that.

Could very well be the plugs or coils. Obviously internet diagnosis is not the best, but from what it sounds like it may be your issue.

See SIG for spark plugs, I gapped it in my class and it was smooth, maybe I need a new pair for my tune

regardless, come weds, along with the new tires/rims and the ssk/cross rod/boot&knob install, gonna have it checked as I said

What is the heat range though?

What bugs me though, is like others have stated, it only happens say once a month for me. And it only happens for like 5-10 sec, where I can feel a slight stumble, and then everything is fine.
To me, and I could be wrong, doesn't signify a bad coil pack. If the pack was bad, I should have constant misfires in that cylinder, throwing the flashing CEL.
As for the wrong spark plug heat range, the plug shouldn't get "hot" when just cruising down the highway. I'm not under boost conditions at all when these stumbles occur. If I were to be in boost consistently, then I could understand the plug getting to "hot".

A intermittently failing coil pack will only show signs once in a while until it fails further and is always causing an issue. So don't rule it out just yet. The ECU will also only throw a CEL when the misfire rack up fast/quick enough. The ECU will allow a random misfire here and there as long is it constant.

I also think you are misunderstanding what the heat range for spark plugs really is. It has nothing to do with heating the plug up or cooling it down. Its all about how well a plug can dissipate heat from the cylinder. A colder plug gets rid of more heat than a hot plug. Determining what is considered cold or hot varies for every engine. On the 2.0T specifically the stock heat ranges are Bosch 6 and NGK 7 so when you add more boost (tuned) thus increasing the cylinder pressure you are going to need a colder plug. Therefore you will want a Bosch 5 or an NGK 8.

I talk about spark plugs in my build thread. Please have a read: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...=1#post9060324

[SwiftA4]

I also think you are misunderstanding what the heat range for spark plugs really is. It has nothing to do with heating the plug up or cooling it down. Its all about how well a plug can dissipate heat from the cylinder. A colder plug gets rid of more heat than a hot plug. Determining what is considered cold or hot varies for every engine. On the 2.0T specifically the stock heat ranges are Bosch 6 and NGK 7 so when you add more boost (tuned) thus increasing the cylinder pressure you are going to need a colder plug. Therefore you will want a Bosch 5 or an NGK 8.

I talk about spark plugs in my build thread. Please have a read: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...=1#post9060324

Thanks for the info. I do understand it's ability to dissipate heat in the cylinder, and was just referring to "hot" in terms of causing the pre-ignition.
I was just trying to further understand why it's happen under non boost conditions. If I was in boost constantly and this was happening to me, I could easily wrap my head around the stock heat range plugs being the problem.
Of course, I absolutely could have a intermittent failing coil pack. I was just hoping to rule that out since they've only been in the car for about 2 months.

Only thing left really is to swap the plugs out to a step colder and go from there. Thanks for the quick banter back and forth regarding this lol.

[Jake@JHM]

No problem! I would start by getting rid of the Denso plugs though.

[Mc Suly]

What heat range spark plugs are you using and what is the gap? You are a tuned FT right?

Yea NGK.
Also yea for tune. (not finished)

Today it rained, it was high humidity. I was missfiring a lot in low rpm range, but not enough to get a cel. Gas tank was half full.

[Jake@JHM]

Yea NGK.
Also yea for tune. (not finished)

Today it rained, it was high humidity. I was missfiring a lot in low rpm range, but not enough to get a cel. Gas tank was half full.

NGK is the brand, what is the heat range and gap of the plug?

[RoguesGambit]

I bought it from Europaparts.com, gotta check it out and see what rating it is.

Could be the coil packs since I never got the newer ones. Gonna get a red pair soon