2010 Polo 1.6 6R EPC Light & Engine Issue

[Deago999]

Hey All,

Help me diagnose my car!

So my car has been 100% up until last night.
I was driving home, and felt a "blip" in power, it lost acceleration for about .... 1 second, then everything was fine. The feeling is almost equivalent to a rock skidding out from under your tyre causing you to feel like you have no traction for that split second.

It never happened again.

Today I was going to a doctors appointment, turned on my car - all seemed fine, then on the highway it did more of that chugging, this time quite often and I noticed the EPC light on. Acceleration is sluggish, and my car sounds like a diesel! It is particularly noticeable in lower RPM's (under 2000). MY car now shudders a lot in idle, doesnt sound healthy, and while I was on the highway in 5th gear, foot flat down, it took absolutely AGES to get to 3000 rpm.


Ive taken some videos to see if it might help:

1. This video is taken of the sound of the car when it was working fine (no problems at all) 2 weeks Prior:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6hNmm5v5CE

2. This video was taken today, most notable is 1:15 - 3:42 - This is coming off of an off ramp onto the highway. You can see the car struggles to go from 2000 rpm to 3000rpm. The shaking you see at 1:15 is the vibrations caused by the engine, and it reverberating through the body to the steering wheel
https://youtu.be/gB6un7FK0FU

3. This is the sound of the engine with the car on idle. This is a petrol car - but to me it now sounds like a diesel. I know the engine does need to move about a bit, but its a lot more violent than usual, and look how much the bonnet vibrates too - this is 100% not normal.
https://youtu.be/Z1BEX5IDDWI

4. This is the sound of the engine while revving the engine.
https://youtu.be/RXhAfXMxBzg


What do you think it is????

[HondaDriver69]

This is a semi-normal problem for an older car. Have you ever cleaned the drivetrain?

[Deago999]

Update: Sorry - didnt realize videos were still on private.
Updated.

[Deago999]

This is a semi-normal problem for an older car. Have you ever cleaned the drivetrain?

Ignore this reply.

[HondaDriver69]

This is a semi-normal problem for an older car. Have you ever cleaned the drivetrain?

Ignore this reply.

???

The dirt builds up overtime, eventually clogging up the drivetrain. It can build up to a point where it slows down the engine which causes the vibration and well as it not running right.

You won't notice it at first, but as the dirt builds up it can cause the engine to push harder than it needs to which will eventually lead to rough idle as well as making an petrol engine sound like a diesel. As is the case here.

It's sort of like if you have an electric fan running, and you clog it up with dirt or something similar, it will slowly degrade the motor as well as changing the sound it makes.

[Deago999]

^ Ignore.

[HondaDriver69]

Not sure why you would ignore that advice. My first job was as a VW mechanic for 20 years starting in 1987, so I do know what I'm talking about. This isn't a VW problem either, it has happened with my 2014 Civic (do as I say, not as I do ) but I got the car for free so I can't really complain.

Cleaning up the drivetrain should in theory fix the problem.

[CumGuzzler]

^ Ignore.

Haha, my friend, he gives good advice. Your drivetrain is likely caked with the African dirt. Cleaning this dirt will improve your car.

[THANAS]

Wtf did I just read, cleaning the drivetrain? Just sit on your hands please.

First step (as always) get the car scanned, no need for guesswork with modern cars and go from there.

[Deago999]

After my service - I finally got the answer.
Turns out my Ignition Coil on cylinder 2 had gone. Unfortunately I wasnt able to test this myself, because it was intermittent so it made troubleshooting extremely difficult.
Sorted now!