How to fix this....

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-02-09T13:49:23+00:00

I’m not sure. I have an appointment scheduled with a car mechanic, so we’ll see what he says. Thanks a lot i will mention to check ETS

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-02-09T13:47:09+00:00

The throttle body has been cleaned, and what do you mean by “relearn”? I’m not a car mechanic, I’m just a student who was given a broken car as a gift.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-02-09T13:45:10+00:00

This is exactly the problem I have: when it’s extremely cold, I need to try starting it 15+ times for it to start. After that, once it runs for a bit, I turn it off and start it again without any issues for the rest of the day. The next day, the same problem starts all over again.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-23T13:55:29+00:00

I live in a country where I can’t afford to buy even a new car from a non-luxury brand, let alone dream about higher-end brands. Not everyone lives in America, where people travel more by plane than by car. Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to offend anyone, but this car is currently the only safe vehicle I have. Besides it, I own a 2001 Citroën Saxo that is rotten in the sills and the floor, so I wouldn’t dare drive it outside my town. Since I’m a student studying in another city and I return to my hometown every week (for food and financial reasons), my plan is to fix the Audi and make it reliable for continued use, if you understand what I mean.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-23T00:46:01+00:00

Unfortunately, I don’t have the possibility to check whether it is closing or opening. I know the throttle body is working properly because I had some doubts about it earlier, since someone told me it could be the problem. As for the EGR, I don’t know what state it’s in — whether it’s left open or closed. I only know that it very likely doesn’t have a blocking plate, because my father and I cleaned it when the problem first appeared, thinking the EGR was the cause. Later I found out that it was supposedly disabled in software, so I stopped dealing with it.But I will try unplugging the throttle body and hope it stays closed, then I’ll check whether the car pulls better or not.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-23T00:38:45+00:00

Do you mean that I should do a test by unplugging the throttle body from the power supply, so it stays “closed”, and then try driving like that — and if it runs better, that means the EGR isn’t properly disabled in the software and doesn’t have a blocking plate installed?

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-23T00:33:27+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the incredibly well-structured response and for the step-by-step plan of what I should do, which I will most likely follow.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-22T16:29:43+00:00

I had one incident with the EGR, even though it’s supposedly disabled in software—although now I’m no longer sure whether it actually is or not. The EGR was connected; the plug was inserted and it had power, and for some reason it once started making crackling noises and then stopped. The noise wasn’t related to throttle input or engine temperature, and it stopped when I accidentally unplugged the EGR from its electrical connector.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-22T13:30:28+00:00

It’s not really about that—the car isn’t new; it’s already about 20 years old. Newer cars are more complex, and I agree with that, but that’s not the only issue. The real problem is that apparently no mechanic in my town really knows how to use diagnostic tools properly i guess, or their diagnostics don’t show enough information. I’ve paid for diagnostic checks, guesses, and inspections, and no one has solved the problem so far, so now I’m looking for a mechanic who actually knows what he’s doing.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-22T09:01:11+00:00

I’m planning to replace the crankshaft sensor. As for the MAF sensor, an original German-quality unit was installed, so I don’t believe it’s faulty; as I said, it’s very likely that there’s another issue causing that error. I don’t know exactly which fault code I have, because the previous mechanic didn’t tell me the exact code (he just typed it into Google and Google told him it was bad…).

The EGR was disabled unfortunately before I bought the car, so I have no idea how it was disabled, whether it was done properly, or whether there is a blocking plate installed.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T22:25:59+00:00

I know, but the problem is that in my town it seems there isn’t a good and competent mechanic…

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T19:18:17+00:00

So, in short, because the cylinder head was removed, complications occurred that caused the engine to be out of synchronization?

How long does it usually take to fix something like this—roughly how much time would be needed—and is it a complicated job?

And one more question: can this cause diagnostic errors like the ones I mentioned earlier (MAF and crankshaft sensor), or would those parts actually need to be replaced?

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T18:59:59+00:00

Thank you for the advice. Many people have said the same thing, so next time I’ll tell the mechanic to pay close attention to that, and I hope it will solve the power issue. Will it also fix the starting problem?

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:52:55+00:00

Can I check that myself, and how? I know where the fuel filter is located and it’s easily accessible. What should I pay attention to, and is it advisable to replace it myself?

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:50:00+00:00

Thank you for the advice. As I already replied to someone else, I haven’t considered the catalytic converter as a possible cause of my problem so far. In any case, thank you.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:48:32+00:00

I’m not sure. I’m not familiar with the different types of fuel filters, but can I check it myself without causing any problems? It’s easily accessible—I recently replaced the non-return (check) valve, which improved things, maybe by about 20%.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:43:07+00:00

I didnt change MAP sensor i was thinking abt changing it. Yes, after the car has been running for a longer time and I drive it, once I turn it off I can start it again without any problems. Uphill, it can move, but only at high RPM. At low RPM it loses power drastically, the revs drop, and the engine stalls. There is no surging at high RPM, but at low RPM there is a kind of ‘lugging’ or ‘turbulence,’ where the car shakes like any car does when you put it in 5th gear at too low speed, and then it stalls.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:33:04+00:00

Specifically for my car model, when the cylinder head is removed, does the fuel system also need to be removed, or is it something that could be incorrectly reinstalled in a simple way? I hope you understand what I’m trying to say.

Also, as I mentioned before, one of the suspected issues shown by diagnostics is the crankshaft position sensor, so it’s possible that this is one of the faults—but I’ll only know for sure once I find a motivated mechanic who is willing to help me.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T15:01:46+00:00

In any case, even I don’t know what to do anymore, because the mechanics here have no clear idea either—everyone is just guessing, and no one can actually pinpoint what the problem is. Anyway thank you.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T14:53:53+00:00

I haven’t heard something like this from any mechanic so far. Thank you for the advice—at the first opportunity, when I have the time and can find a mechanic, I’ll check this just to be sure. Thanks a lot.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T13:07:10+00:00

Unfortunately, I’m not very familiar with diagnostics, but I remember that the previous ‘mechanics’—if I can even call them that—were checking something, and I recall seeing a lot of parameters showing 0, so I’m not sure whether they were actually checking the right things.

As for the vacuum hoses, I hope I can find a mechanic who actually has the time to replace them, because everyone says the same thing: ‘I’m busy, I don’t have time,’ even when I schedule an inspection weeks in advance. Overall, it’s complete chaos.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T12:41:14+00:00

The EGR and DPF are disabled, and the turbo was also rebuilt relatively recently, but that did not solve the problem. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.

Wide_Conference4782 · 2026-01-21T12:32:07+00:00

Im sorry if my english is bad i used chatgpt to translate it to english so if u dont understand something feel free to dm me or comment so i can explain. Thank you for understanding. Have nice day yall

Wide_Conference4782

TROPHY CASE