Missfire & Timing advance questions

[morgan306]

Good evening all.
I put my food down in 2nd earlier and the car went into limp mode. I pulled over and left the car running for a couple of minutes,and then decided to head home.I drove off and it was fine,boosting as normal etc. Stuck Vagcom on when I got back and got the following:

Saturday, 11 June 2011, 18:57:12.
Control Module Part Number: 8N0 906 018 BH
Component and/or Version: 1.8L R4/5VT 0001
Software Coding: 10710
Work Shop Code: WSC 66565
VCID: 78836BE34BDD
Additional Info: WAUZZZ8LX21017253 AUZ7Z0A2027915
4 Faults Found:
16684 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0300 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
16685 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0301 - 35-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
16687 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0303 - 35-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
16688 - Cylinder 4: Misfire Detected
P0304 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

Misfires-a-plenty? I have cleared the codes and they haven't returned after a little 3 mile test,but what would cause this? I have had all new sparkplugs and coilpacks approx 3 months ago,and the car is only used at weekends. It' a BAM engine if it helps.

Also on a slightly different topic,I had a look at block 010, Ignition Timing Angle, which was all over the place when driving,but I seem to remember reading that it shouldn't go above 10BTDC,mine I have seen in the 30's. I don't know what it all means but couldn't someone tell me if this is normal or I need it looking at?

This has prompted me to become one of the registered users of VCDS so I am just waiting for my email from Rosstech now.

 

[beachbuggy]

Is the car remapped I'm guessing it is!

Normally you would get into the late 20's BTDC for the ignition timing, I would say if you're getting into the 30's then it's likely that the car is knocking/pinking and the car is misfiring as a result of a possible back map or a map designed for say Vmax and you're running normal fuel.

It's only a hunch though

 

[morgan306]

You are right beachbuggy,it is mapped. Amd mapped it about 6 months ago,and at the time said it was running on the wrong fuel (tesco 99).Since that day I've only ever used V-Power. I had the car serviced about 3 months ago,had all fluids,filters,plugs and coilpacks changed and the garage did some logs and said it still had some timing advance. I really would like to get the bottom of it,if it is a bad map from AmD,where do I stand? And what is the effect of running with excessive advance?cheers

 

[beachbuggy]

Start by removing the battery and leaving the car for 15mins. This will reset the ECU and this will clear all the DTC's. Then basically just drive the car and see what happens. You may have a faulty Knock sensor, but this would tend to show up on vagcom.

It could also be that you have the wrong spark plugs fitted!! if they are running to hot they will cause the spark to fire early and in effect adding to the advance. Easy way to tell is to take the car for a run once warm, even load, say 3rd 60-70mph for as long as you can and then pull the plugs, if they are white then they are too hot and adding to the timing.

 

[beachbuggy]

Ohh to add. running to much advance causes pinking and a hot engine. Running this for extended periods of time can cause pistons to melt or exhaust valves to fail. Not ideal.

 

[morgan306]

Ok,thank you for your replies.I'm guna have a look at the sparks.Also saying that,they have been changed since AmD mapped it so I guess that might rule them out?