2005 1.8t hard stating issues

[URS4surf]

I have been searching through this forum for a couple days now but still not sure what the problem is.

The first time I noticed this the car was at Operating Temp as I pulled in for some food. Came out maybe 20 mins later and car cranked over 6-8 times before it caught and started fine.

DD the car over the next couple weeks and did not see any issues at all. Went to play a round of golf last Friday (roughly 4 hours) when I came back the car would crank but not catch and start until about the 4-5th try. car sputtered and then recovered to smooth idle. gas smell pretty prevalent.

Now when the car is cold or warm it starts this way and I'm seeing misfires on multiple cylinders. I have not seen the EPc light when this happens but I think my problem is the crank/speed sensor from everything I read/found searching this forum.

Sometimes when warm/cold the car still fires up just fine but that is not the norm over the past few days.

The only codes I'm seeing are for misfires but I think that's from fowled plugs as the engine smooth's out after a min or so. Once started the car runs fine without any issues.

I have not had a chance to check the fuel rail but can smell gas once it starts so don't think its the pump. I also tried to prime it for 5 secs 2 times before starting and the problem did not change.

Has anyone had the crank sensor fail and not have the EPC light on?

I've ordered a set of coils as mine are fairly old but did not think that would keep me from starting? especially when it runs fine once it does start.

Any other ideas/input would be much appreciated?


Thanks,
Steve

[NY337]

Give your fuel injector cups a look on the intake manifold. If they are cracked, worn or disintegrated in any way it will give you enough of a vacuum leak that your car will have trouble starting.

[URS4surf]

Thanks for the suggestion,

They were fine back in June when I had to go back to stock tune/injectors. but worth a look in case that has changed.


Steve

[URS4surf]

well I figured out what the issue was, now trying to fix it.

The head gasket was leaking and I have a crack in the head to boot between the valves.
I'm no engine rebuilder but do I need to find another head or can the head be welded and be safe/dependable?

I searched but have been unable to find much on the topic which tells me that welding it is NOT a good idea?
either that or I'm using the wrong keywords to find that data.

2005 1.8T, AWB head, I believe the AWM head is also the same except for the valve cover from the power learning I have been trying to do over the past day or so?
This is a stg 3 car running 21lbs with a gtrs elim

Thanks,
Steve

[Toronto5.5]

Valvecover is the same between the two heads. AWM head will fit no problem.

[NY337]

Glad you found the issue. Wouldn't try and spend anymore money on your cracked head. Us 1.8t owners a lucky to only have one cylinder head so might as well try and track down a used one in good condition. Good luck. Did the car overheat in the past? Do you know the Air/Fuel Ratio of the motor at WOT? Pre Detonation or past overheating could be a couple of the causes of this.

[URS4surf]

k thx, good to know.

What cars did an AWM head come in? Passat's, Jetta's, and A4's?

I'm a backyard mechanic that's a noob at this type of repair as you can tell!

Thanks,
Steve

[URS4surf]

car never over heated that I know of in the past 55k miles. I don't know the afr as I don't have a gauge but never saw any lean codes only misfires....

Thx,
Steve

[Toronto5.5]

AWM head's came in Passat 2001.5-2005. Not sure if they came in others.

[URS4surf]

Trying to figure out if an AWP head off a jetta will fit my needs? is it a direct swap?



Searching now but have not found anything yet.

Thanks,
Steve

[URS4surf]

I took a look at that AWP head last night and it seems like it would work from my limited knowledge.

The only thing I found so far online for this head is it might need to have the thermostat area machined and trying to look for details on that now.
What I have not found is anyone using them in place of my AWB/on an Audi. I was originally looking for the latter but mine also has the crack in the same place on cyl 2 and figured it might be worth switching.


When a head has been planed/decked once, if it needs to be done again do you have to worry about compression changing. I think they only take 1/1000's on a pass..
IE: would you need a thicker head gasket if they are even available or is it a throw away at that point?

Thanks,
Steve

[URS4surf]

Can anyone please supply some input that knows this stuff?

My mechanic is off today and I'm trying to save some money picking up a used head. The one he can get locally is $500 before the machinist even gets started which I believe is quite high.

I keep finding conflicting threads and have not found anything much on that AWP head in an audi.
I've found some threads that said some heads needed to be machined to allow for the thermostat to clear or something like that. I don't understand this as the thermostat is in the block.

any help would be much appreciated !

I'm learning but not at the rate I need to.....

Thanks,
Steve

[URS4surf]

I'm dying here! help

Please let me know if this is accurate from what I was able to find today...

I have an AWB 2005 1.8T

I've found a AWP head off a GTI/jetta. this will bolt right up as it is also a small bore head?
I could not find the reference yesterday about something needed to be machined for the thermostat to work in A4's when using these other variant heads.
I will just need to swap over the VVT from my original head and will have provisions for SAI and everything else? egr, etc... I need this in Mass to pass inspection.
as long as the new head is beyond 139.2MM=minimum
Are there any head gaskets out there that are thicker or once the head reaches min they are a coffee table?

Are there any other options I'm missing? I don't feel comfortable ordering from an unknown off e-bay and the others I've found are $$$$ above the local costs.


Thanks,
Steve

[Toronto5.5]

You should have an AMB head not an AWB head.

I think the AWP should fit fine, it already hass VVT iirc, the only one that does not is the AEB, from that I recall.
I doubt you have to use a bigger headgasket just use a regular OEM one. The thermostat housing is in the block itself, not the head, so there is nothing to machine on the head for that.

Also check car-part.com. A used AMB head shouldn't be more than $200 bucks or so.

[URS4surf]

It very well could be an AMB,
When I called to get that information my mechanic was out and another person gave me that off the head. probably wrong or standing upside down :D

car=part was $350-400 for the 2005 a4 heads available and 80 miles away
I will go check and try a Passat and see what that brings up...


Yes I agree on the thermostat but found some threads indicating it did, but have not found them today. when I'm a newb at this level conflicting data is not good.

And I saw you had similar issues a while back through some of my searches, hope it is all good now though!

Thanks a lot for the replies..

Steve

[URS4surf]

Just to close this out correctly,

My car did have an AMB head like Toronto5.5 suspected..

Nice to have the old girl back!

Thanks for the help when it was needed...

Steve

[gtsingh91]

I've been having a similar issue to the OP. 2005 AMB 108k miles. My car will start perfectly fine when cold. However, intermittently, when warm or parked for less than 4 hours, it takes about 4-5 seconds of cranking for it to start. This kind of happened out of nowhere. No mods/maintenance done recently, except for regular oil changes with the same oil/filter. I plan on looking at plugs and injector seats this weekend. Any other suggestions?

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Are you getting any codes? I'm leaning towards a crank position sensor could be going out.

Jason

[Pswish]

CPS is an easier to replace than to test and a cheap try since it does tend to fail eventually and cause starting problems. Less than 4 hours and warm but not longer and cold?

[gtsingh91]

Are you getting any codes? I'm leaning towards a crank position sensor could be going out.

Jason

No codes. And yes, it's pretty much when the engine is warm. Cold starts are no problem.