poor running.

[gramey lad]

HI could anyone tell me if it is a common problem to have connection trouble with the plugs on the various sensors in the engine compartment.
I seemed to have had an intermittent problem with poor running going off on cylinders etc . I opened the engine lid and waggled connection plugs took some off and put them back on again .The problem went as quickly as it came. Strange.

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2003 mexibeetle (engine no ACD451023)

[phade]

This sounds like that the hall sender is intermittant (it's part of the distributor).

To test the hall sender, start up the engine and let it warm up.

After it has warmed up, use a pair of pliers to wiggle the black 3 pin socket on the side of the distributor. If the engine then hunts, misfires or stalls as you do this, then the hall sender is faulty.

Unfortunately you will not be able to remove the hall sender from the distributor (the slotted disc impulse rotor is machined onto the distributor's rotor arm shaft). The only cure for this is to replace the distributor where you can get a replacement one from any of the following:-

- http://1600i.de/ (Manfred sells these via his spare parts page)

- partsvw@hotmail.com (Atonio Trejo, Mexico City. These are cheap but beware of import duty + VAT). Parts from him usually take about a week to arrive.

- http://www.vw-classicparts.de/

If however the distributor was ok, then one of the following could also be the cause:-

- Faulty HT leads

- Rotor arm and/or distrubtor cap worn or burnt out

- ECU voltage regulator faulty (error code ECU voltage too low and/or several other errors). Relay 30 is available from your local VW dealer for about £10.

- Fuel pump delivery rate too low. To check this have a look at my documentation on the 1600i website http://1600i.de/

- Fuel pressure incorrect (eg. fuel pressure regulator faulty). Again, see the 1600i website for further details

- NTC2 (engine oil temperature sender) faulty. To test this check the condition of the connector on the sender it's self. Also remove it from the car and check it's resistance. It should be about 900 Ohms at room temperature and should increase to a few K Ohms as it gets colder (approx 4.5 K Ohms at about 3 degrees C).

- NTC1 (air intake temperature sender) faulty. The same applies to this sender as well

For further details on where these senders are located, have a look at my engine bay photo on the 1600i website.

Good luck with your car and happy bettle-ing,

Phil