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Engine/Spark Knock?

rigti9

Ready to race!
So I have been hearing my engine a bit louder for a little while and decided to have it checked out. I had my boss take a quick look under the hood (STI guy), and he was thinking it was the valves making the chattering noise. Said it might be nothing, but to take it in since I'm under warranty and it would put my mind at ease. So I took it in today over lunch and got a call back a couple hours later from VW asking me what type of gas I put in. I've always used 93, except the few times I go south and am stuck w/ 92 or 91, but NEVER anything less. And each time I was sure to put the car back into stock mode tune, not going back into 93 until I had emptied out the next fill up of 93 when I'm back around where I usually drive. Nobody has ever filled my car up but me. I've got the car in stock mode, sitting at the dealer as they tinker w/ it. The services rep told me it sounds like it's a spark knock (wasn't sure what this was so I checked it out). And yes, the tune is locked as well.

Anybody have any experience with this?
 

fatty@golfmk6.com

Go Kart Champion
spark knock? as in the spark plugs were acting up? did you have any ignition problems or idle issues as well? or was your engine just "louder"?
 

steelcurtain

Go Kart Champion
You can have many misfires that don't increase knock. Make your plugs are gapped to .028 (APR recommendation). I would get a VAG-com to check yourself and ask the dealer to provide you with the logs. I'm not buying the spark knock story. Find a local guy for VAG-com thru the VAG-com locator site
 

rigti9

Ready to race!
Thanks guys. The dealer said that it was most likely due to poor quality gasoline. I had been filling up at the same Shell on my way home from work for a long time. For now I'm throwing it into stock and going to run 93 to see if this clears it up. Also may contact the guys who did my Stage I and see what they say as well. I'll see about getting someone w/ VAG-com, too. Good idea. Much appreciated.

And on a different note, the dealer always washes the car when they service it or whenever I want, but, when I went back to pick it up, I saw a nice ding in the car, right along the A-pillar on the passenger side I'm 100% sure wasn't there when I dropped it off. I showed them and I was freaking out because I definitely would have heard that while I was driving. Also, it wasn't like it was a scrape from something flying into the car while driving. It was like somebody had a tool and tried to puncture it (probably accidental) because it's a straight on shot, not horizontal. Looks like a bubble inward. The only thing is, there was some slight oxidation already occurring. So I'm wondering if it had already happened, but running it through the wash pulled off the paint and showed the metal, OR if the oxidation could begin to set in in a matter of about 6hrs that they had my car. Either way, I'm not happy and they told me they'd help me out as best they could. Great guys at the dealership. But I'm sure this wasn't my fault.
 
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