I'm having problems with the engine in my Mk4 XR3i Cabriolet EFI.

It runs fine when cold, but as it warms the idle gets worse and it starts to spit out water. If you try to drive it, again its fine when cold but once it starts warming up, it stalls every time you pull up. I doesn't seem to overheat, the fan cuts in and out as it should.

Now, the first thing I did was clean the ISCV, which didn't help. So I bought a brand new ISCV (ouch!), which also didn't help.

I changed the head gasket, which didn't help (the old one looked fine BTW). Took the head off again, got it skimmed and pressure tested, fitted a new head gasket and bolts...which hasn't helped!

So I'm stuck for what to do next really and was wondering if anyone could suggest anything?

 

check every single pipe these are a bastard for air leaks causing yr problem u havent by any chance got 2 valves one on side of injection one on air filter if u have take off and block up the one on the air filter does this cure it? water pump could b yr spitting water problem fella

 

Thanks cabriolet

Air leak is a good call, I suppose I have been convinced that the symptoms had only one cause, but it could be more than that.

I only have one ISCV, mounted on the rear of the driver's front suspension turret.

The water is from the exhaust (sorry, I should have made that clear), so I don't think the water pump is causing it.

 

could b headgasket compression test or sniff test it is it used on short runs could just b water from the combustion process or worse luck cracked block

 

I had a similar problem and found it to be a boken wire going to the coil that once it was hot expanded inside and broke connection.

 

Cabriolet - I left it running (at idle) for about 20 minutes yesterday and it was still throwing out white smoke, so I don't think it's just condensation. But then again it doesn't overheat at all. Have changed the head gasket twice, so I'd hope it isn't that. And everyone I speak to says that a cracked block is a very rare thing on a CVH, but it could be I suppose. I'll get a compression tester and see what it comes up with.

Lurch - that sounds like a complete git to find! How did you figure it out??

 

Right, did some more on the car today.

Did a compression test and got readings of (1) 168, (2) 168, (3) 159 & (4) 165. That would suggest to me that the head gasket is OK?

Tried playing with some sensors:

ECT disconnected makes it run worse;
IAT disconnected makes it run worse;
TPS disconnected doesn't seem to make much difference;
MAP disconnected doesn't seem to make much difference;
TPS & MAP disconnected makes it stall;
ISCV disconnected makes it stall.

Substitued the coil pack, MAP sensor and EDIS for alternative units - made no difference.

All of that seems to be correct to me, so I'm no nearer a solution. And it's still throwing out water from the exhuast, but the compression test suggests that everything is OK...so I lost!!

HELP!

 

Does it actually loose any water at all from the header tank, ie does the level drop over time with all this water coming out?!

 

errrr will have think fella

 

Toe Knee: It's quite hard to tell, as I don't really drive it so it only runs for maybe 1/2 hour at a time. If it does, it's not a lot although it is certainly dripping out of the exhaust. I topped it up this evening and will double-check in the morning.

Forgot to say: I also had a couple of garages look at it. One said that it was the head gasket (apparently they did a coolant gas test, which came out positive), another said that they didn't think it was that (which is backed up by my conpression test I think) and suggested cam timing (eh?!) and the third (supposedly an automotive electrician) said they couldn't read the ECU but that it was probably a sensor causing over-fuelling.

And you wonder why I'm confused?!

I appreciate anything you can come up with!

 

hi, i dont know if this is a common fault or not but i am converting my mk4 xr3i to rs turbo at the moment an when i took the efi off and inlet manifold off the gasket between manifold and head had failed around the manifold coolant hole and was leaking water into number 2&3 cylinders.

im not sure if this could be why your gas test showed a positive reading and compression read fine, myn said that both were fine though as i checked them 2 weeks before starting conversion

 

Now it's funny you should say that, as when I took the head off to change the head gasket I had a terrible time getting that gasket off - it was like it had been glued on around the coolant port. There was no evidence of a leak though and I used a new gasket when I re-fitted the inlet.

I wonder how I could tell without removing it again?

 

no easy way fella just a thought tho take the sparkplugs out when its cold get someone to crank it over and watch what comes out the spark plug holes this will tell u 1 that yes u r getting water in yr engine 2 which cylinders it is in it could b through the inlet as said earlier

 

We had the same problem with it stalls when hot. we ultrasonic cleaned the injeters and change the sensor (dont know it name in englich) there sits in bottom of inlet manifold there coolant run from the head to inlet. and the car drives fine now. by the way the car is escort mark 4 cab EFI