JoeyEunos

Thanks for chiming in fella Funnily enough I had it out this afternoon, only for a 10 mile run on dual carriageway and towards the end (When warm) hit 70 *cough cough* at circa 4k rpm in 4th for a few minutes. It did feel better afterwards, not 100% but a fair bit better so you might well be onto something... Air filter is 2 years old and had done circa 16k so I will fit a fresh one in the morning (Been meaning to get round to this) Power seems fine after around 1900 rpm, it happily reaches redline, there's just the stutter/hesitation at lower revs (Almost like engine mounts/bad drive shafts etc but both are fine). This is causing me grief as I know the car will usually run happily and has enough torque to do 1.5krpm in most gears without complaining at all Perhaps I will give it another longer run tomorrow but with some injector cleaner or Redex. Interesting that you thought fuel starvation as that was my first thought... If an Italian tune up doesn't work tomorrow I'll look at changing the fuel filter sooner rather than later too. Like this....? I'd considered simply fitting a generic Ebay blanking plate at the bottom where it joins the manifold and then re assembling for a stealth EGR delete, but if this achieves the same ends then I'm all for it... One question though, if the valve is 'stuck' in the open position then surely despite blocking the vacuum hose using the method you describe it would remain stuck open regardless of having stopped the vacuum?

@lupo 1.7sdi I think you covered this in this thread (I actually commented on it at the time).... Also covered here... So do you lot think I'm barking up the wrong tree RE fuel filter etc? I must admit this seems likely, the car leaves a sooty patch on the drive upon cold start... * Are the 'trumpets plastic? Safe to use carb cleaner/Mr Muscle on them? * Any tips (Or even better 'How To's) RE removing the EGR for cleaning * @mk2, I know you've done this, any guides RE removal of the trumpets/intake/EGR? Also, how did you clean the soot from the inlet ports on the block whilst avoiding debris falling into the cylinders? TIA.

CTS, really? I've got a few spare decent ones about and plenty of coolant too, I'm also prepared to admit I may be wrong but I'm struggling to see how it could cause juddering/hesitation Temp gauge reads true, no codes on my cheap China scanner and the fault is present whether engine is warm or cold...

As per the title chaps I don't get much of a chance to drive the little SDI these days as it's been in the wife's custody for a while now, took it out tonight and was disappointed to find that there's now a pretty nasty hesitation and/or juddering sensation at low revs, usually the 1000-1800 range. In the past I used to marvel at the fact the car would happily chug along at 30 mph in 5th at around 1100 rpm without complaining, now it seems like 30mph in 4th is too much to ask, it's complaining pretty badly and almost seems to be asking for a lower gear Anything over 2000 is fine... To make matters more frustrating, I got in this afternoon after driving it and asked how long it had been like, she confirmed it's been a month or so My first thought is fuel starvation? The current fuel filter is about to hit 2 years old and has covered circa 17000 miles so that seems like a good place to start? I know @Skezza has experience of cleaning the fuel pickup/strainer, worth looking there? Anywhere else I should be looking? As always any feedback/suggestions would be gratefully received.

Yup, I would've had it and got rid of something else to make space.... I briefly owned an S80 D5 and much as it pains me to say it the build quality put any VAG stuff I've had to shame.

^I like them but have a hankering for something more retro/slightly bigger than that, think proper Swedish barges (Before Ford got their greasy mits on them) 240/740/850 estates seem to fit the bill, might settle for an early V70 though....

^Too costly/rust prone/rare. I'm currently looking at old Volvo estates

Good, gusto is what's needed. Also it saves me having to buy it... I've been without a third car for 5 weeks now and the itch is starting to set in quite badly Seriously struggling to find anything cheap/interesting enough to buy, thoughts are now turning to car auctions

Did this sell @Rich?

I recently did exactly as Rich describes on Passat after having to drill out the speaker to replace a faulty window reg. No dramas, can't be seen once the door cards go back ?

True.

Good spot, thanks for sharing He makes replacing the drop links look much easier than I did

Gearbox any good? Also would be interested in prices for.... Injectors PAS pump Alternator PAS pipework TIA.

@lupo 1.7sdi that diagram provided some insight for me too, thanks for posting.

It's feasible I'm wrong about it, but I'm yet to see one that is If not this part seems to be listed for all 1.6 Mk4's 97-04 inc AEH.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Poly-V-Ribbed-Belt-Tensioner-Pulley-VAI-V10-9747-Top-German-Quality/401456490333?fits=Model%3AGolf|Plat_Gen%3AMK+IV|Cars+Type%3A1.6&epid=1772128243&hash=item5d78abe75d:g:SwgAAOSwyjJZzUIh It would be odd to sell a pulley that couldn't be replaced/fitted? If by some strange anomaly it is riveted in place then the whole tensioner is £45+VAT from TPS IIRC, but simply replacing the pulley/bearing with the part I've linked above for a fiver is the best route if possible

Would agree with that for the PD stuff, earlier VE seems capable of 200k+ on original turbo/injectors/clutch in most instances.... Also these parts seem cheaper and easier to replace on VE stuff. I'm on the lookout for an Octavia VE estate at present, either in 90 or 110 flavour. So long as it's 2001-2004 and VE I'm not precious

50 mpg is good going When I last had a 1.4 40mpg was an absolute record after a 100 mile run so you're doing something right.... Give me a nudge when you know what you're doing post debating etc I like them, although not sure I'd bother with the 1.4/1.6 models anymore given the SDi's/Tdi's are £500-£600 cars these days.... Mk4's have reached a stage where so many are being broken that the parts are virtually free. I bought perfect/rust free wings for mine at £10 a side, pimped the lowly SDI spec with good rip free GTi seats (£20), Gti rear lights (£2), Avus II wheels (£40), cupholders (£10) and a whole host of other spares I've bought 'just in case' for next to nothing. Good comfy cars and lots of knowledge and parts out there makes them a winner IMO.

On the Mk4 the tensioners are almost all held in place by a torx bolt rather than being riveted on, usually either a t25 or a t30. I've had lots of Mk4's and never found an exception to this rule! Zoom in on the following picture for evidence https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALTERNATOR-V-RIBBED-BELT-TENSIONER-AUDI-A3-VW-Bora-Beetle-Caddy-Golf-1-9-TDI/263506840285?epid=1531128122&hash=item3d5a3b4add:g:EQsAAOSwh1paJupZ Getting back to Lupo's, the pulleys are available by themselves pretty much across the whole range, see here... Lupo TDI https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Poly-V-Ribbed-Belt-Tensioner-Pulley-VAI-V10-9747-Top-German-Quality/401456490333?fits=Model%3ALupo&epid=1772128243&hash=item5d78abe75d:g:SwgAAOSwyjJZzUIh Lupo SDI https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/products/8172837-tensioner-pulley-v-ribbed-belt Lupo 1.4 16V/1.6 GTi http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEAT-AROSA-CORDOBA-IBIZA-Fan-Belt-Tensioner-Pulley-V-Ribbed-Belt-Idler/131621348957?fits=Model%3ALupo&hash=item1ea53e665d:g:xC4AAOSwjkVZfly5 Lupo 1.0 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLKSWAGEN-LUPO-BEETLE-Fan-Belt-Tensioner-Pulley-V-Ribbed-Belt-Idler/142413462995?fits=Model%3ALupo|Cars+Type%3A1.0&hash=item212880fdd3:g:KS4AAOSwN2VZP83a Sometimes the actual sprung tensioner gets weak but IME for the most part the bit that usually goes is the pulley (Bearings). It's usually far cheaper and easier just to replace that rather than the whole lot. HTH.

You're living the Mk4 dream now too? I'm running the Golf SDi as a daily again having moved the Passat on. It's reminded me that actually quite like it Have you sorted out my undertray yet?

Probably too late now but you can just change the idler pulley rsther than the whole tensioner if it was just a rought bearing causing the issue.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEAT-AROSA-CORDOBA-IBIZA-Fan-Belt-Tensioner-Pulley-V-Ribbed-Belt-Idler/131621348957?fits=Model%3ALupo&hash=item1ea53e665d:g:xC4AAOSwjkVZfly5 If it's anything like the SDI then it's held on by a single (15mm?) nut. I noticed this when I did the PAS pump on mine a few months back.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-VW-Lupo-3L-1-2-TDI-LHD-Rare-PROJECT-SPARES-REPAIRS/382372145618?_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D49919%26meid%3D9377411cc0894e96ac78a5092ef71e3c%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D122950116940%26itm%3D382372145618&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

Maestro too IIRC, bad times

Probably, and if so then my bad One thing's for sure, VAG seem to have had a blanket policy over the years of reserving their 'special' gearboxes for the TDi models, SDi's have always used hand me down parts bin petrol items (085, 02K etc) Ah well, at least we don't have DMF's to replace I suppose There's a sliding scale/spectrum of severity RE Northerness, I like to think I'm fairly coherant end as well

If you're refering to the gearboxes then that's not quite right (Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick)... The Golf 1.9 SDI's use an '02K' gearbox (Same with the Octavia 1.9 SDi's too FWIW). It's basically a modified '020' of the type found in most of the early Golfs but adapted to allow for a hydraulic clutch, it can also be found in 1.4 and 1.6 Mk4's, albeit with different ratios. Interestingly it's possible to convert (For Mk4's at least) to allow the use of the stronger Mk4 TDi unit, something I've given some thought to lately....