Diagnostic testing; Why we do need to carry them out? A question we get asked often! A large amount of customers book their vehicle into the garage having already carried out their own ‘Diagnostics test’. They then request repairs based upon their findings. For example, their code reader has shown up a glow plug fault, therefore they book in for a replacement glow plug! However assuming the fault code is accurately pointing out the exact issue in some cases is wrong! In some cases yes it will be but in others it could be wiring or another fault bringing up that code!

A cheap code reader from the internet can be a little as £20. But what your paying for when you pay for a diagnostics with us is years worth of knowledge. Our Head tech has been a specialist in the industry for over 25 years! Having an accurate diagnostics test can save you money in the long run. We don’t work based on a process of elimination, changing numerous parts guessing which is at fault!

So. Diagnostic testing; Why we do need to carry them out? The diagnostics test will take into consideration how the vehicle is driving, any fault codes, and associated common issues. Things only an experienced technician will know and be able to piece together to find the cause of the problems. This is why we are always fully booked for diagnostic slots, usually 3 weeks ahead for a diagnosis.

Contact us here to book in and get the earliest slot available; https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/

Intake valve carbon clean

We carry out Intake valve carbon cleans on TFSI & TSI engines frequently due to build up within the valves. 90% of EU cars being manufactured now use Direct Injection to power the engine. There are so many benefits to manufacturers using Direct Injection, mainly fuel efficiency and power! The EU have more stringent emissions laws than the rest of the world, therefore manufacturers are using this method to push the limits of emission friendly cars to their max potential.

What is Direct Injection?

Most of us get into our cars and it gets us from A-B, and when something goes wrong, we take our car to the garage and trust our mechanic to fix the problem! However, in most cases its beneficial to learn why problems occur and how to stop more problems developing. Direct injection is where the fuel is injected from the HPFP to the injectors and into the combustion chamber. The ECU tells the injectors what intervals to spray the fuel in, at a precise time and position to atomise with the compressed air. This mixture then ignites and turns chemical energy into mechanical energy. At the end of the cycle, the exhaust valves open and release the excess gasses.

So, what are the draw backs?

Unfortunately, Direct injection vehicles are prone to carbon build up, HPFP failure and PCV failure. The PCV valve takes the oil vapours and recycles it into the air intake to give a more environmental burn. However, this is where the mixture can partially end up back into the intake valves resulting in the carbon built up. Sadly, it’s not a 5 minute job to check how built up the valves are with carbon. Therefore, we need to know the warning signs! The build-up of carbon essentially restricts the air flow and stops the vehicle being able to breathe. Signs you need an intake carbon clean include; Noticeable loss in performance, Check engine light on/won’t pass emissions, Poor fuel economy and Rough running. If you’re experiencing these problem and the vehicle has hit the 30,000 miles mark we would advise an intake valve clean. After that first clean, it shouldn’t need carrying out again until 40-50,000 mile intervals.

What method do we choose to clean?

There are a number of ways to clean your intake valves however we prefer methods that don’t damage the valves. If you choosing to manually scrape off the carbon built up your going to scratch the metal which could cause more problems. We choose to use walnut shell. It is soft enough to do no damage, but blasted into the valves at high pressure it removes the carbon built up safely. After your intake valve clean you should immediately see the benefits. These should include, smoother idle, lower fuel consumption and smoother throttle response.

We also advise having your injectors tested and cleaned at the same time as your intake valve clean. You can read our blog outlining the benefits of this ‘here’.

To book in or get a quote call us on 01642 613852. Use our contact form ‘here’ on contact us on Facebook.

Car manufacturers servicing recommendations

The importance of keeping up to date with car manufacturers servicing recommendations. Lets be honest, the majority of people don’t take pleasure is paying a bill for their car. Even though most people rely on their vehicles so heavily every single day! Therefore, when it comes to servicing requirements, it’s easy to put it off. Thinking ‘Ahh well I haven’t had any issues with the gearbox, so why does it need servicing?’ The reason we should all keep up to date with the car manufacturers recommendations is to prevent issues arising. Potentially causing secondary issues within the car! The recommendations are there for a reason so let’s not put them off!

Transmission servicing

Transmission servicing covers your Gearbox, Haldex and Differential. They all have different advisories (I know, hard to remember when to MOT, never mind to service your Haldex) however its important to at least roughly stick to the guidelines. VAG advise every 38,000 miles for your gearbox. If not serviced essentially it will result in a huge increase in friction as the more viscous contaminated fluid is unable to lubricate the metal parts properly. Your previously smooth gear shifting will become clunky, sticky and could start to slip.

The Haldex servicing requirements are different depending on which you have. Gen 1-4 is advised every 38,000 miles and Gen 5 is advised every 20,000 miles. Gen 1-4 have a filter which is changed however, Gen 5 has a gauze filter which we remove along with the pump and clean before putting back together. You can tell which Generation you have by the year usually however there are some crossovers. If you’re unsure and require this service get in touch and we can help you out. Not having your Haldex service can literally stop it from working over time resulting in your 4-wheel drive vehicle having major problems. The only fix is a costly new Haldex and that will set you back a lot more than keeping on top of the servicing!

The Differential oil, Transfer box oil and Active diff services are all recommended at 38,000 miles.

Servicing

Your Interim and Major servicing should generally be alternated and at 10,000 mile intervals/yearly. This includes your Oil, Fuel, Air and pollen filters. If you have a petrol vehicle with spark plugs these should be changed every 30,000 miles but this can change depending on your specific vehicle and driving style (You know who you are). If your vehicle is under warranty and something fails within the engine/gearbox and it is deemed to be due to poor or lack of servicing, be aware you may not be covered and will have to fork out for the repairs yourself.

Timing belt services are advised at 80,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first. Apart from the 1.0-1.5 Tsi engines, these are advised every 4 years regardless of milage. Not getting your timing servicing could have catastrophic consequences. When the timing belt breaks, the crankshaft will continue to spin, while the camshaft will stop turning. As a result, the pistons will continue to rise and fall in their cylinders and can, in some instances strike the valves. When this happens, the pistons, valves and cylinder heads will be damaged, and because it happens so quickly, the damage will be virtually instantaneous.

We then have your more basic servicing all regardless of mileage:

Brake fluid change – every 2 years

Coolant/anti freeze – every 5 years

Air con – every 2 years

Hopefully this gives you a brief overview of your VAG servicing requirements and how important they are! If you would like to book in you can contact us via Facebook, Our contact page or call us on 01642 613852.

Why are customers hesitant to use quality parts. OEM or Aftermarket parts?

Since we launched the business in 2006 we have always fit quality parts. For us logically its more economical to fit quality OEM parts as opposed to cheaper low quality parts. There are so many reasons for doing this, mainly due to the fact that the OEM parts will have a longer lifespan. They may be slightly more expensive to start with but ultimately, they will last a lot longer.

However, we do have customers who come to us after having work carried out in other garages needing repairs on parts that have recently been fit to the vehicle. These parts can be less than half the price of the OEM standard we would fit. When put into perspective, it’s no wonder the parts don’t last as long.

Safety Aspects

Apart from the economical side of things, OEM parts regularly have supersession’s.  This is to do with identifying there is a defect with the design of the original. They then modify the part to improve it. This is another downfall of aftermarket parts as they are always based on the original design, so they are not up to date. Making them less efficient immediately, as the part would have been superseded if there wasn’t an issue with it. There may also be properties within the materials of the parts unknown to the aftermarket supplier. Making these parts break easier or cause the vehicle to have a different feel to the drive.

A lot of the time the aftermarket parts are backward engineered. This isn’t always is a bad thing is a part has stopped being produced as the vehicle is very old for example. However if you want your vehicle to be the safest it can be, its best to stick with OEM parts.

Braking

A good example of the differences between OEM and aftermarket parts is brakes. Brakes have to be made to a minimum of R90 standard. However that’s only a base standard. The OEM parts rating goes way above and beyond the base standard. This means a lot of the cheaper brakes are only just making the minimum standard. Why would you be happy settling for the base standard on what is essentially a safety feature? Obviously safety on the roads should be paramount and incase of a potential collision, the quality of your brakes could make a massive difference. You can read more about this here on a blog by TMD friction. They manufacture OEM brakes and are local to us too in Hartlepool!

Tell us your opinion. What would you prefer on your vehicle, OEM or aftermarket?

Back again with a blog on common seat Ibiza issues! The Ibiza’s popularity hasn’t really stopped growing however, its best to know where issues may arise and how to stop them!

We’ll discuss the bigger issues first, starting with the coil packs! Not too much of a costly repair however they can cause a lot of different problems. From the easiest to spot, a rough idle and running to a noticeable lack of power. You may also experience a significant drop in RPM’s whilst accelerating for no apparent reason. As well as the active gas waning light appearing on the dash when the vehicle has plenty of fuel!

Costly issues

The Ibiza is also common for having gearbox issues. Sticking in gears and lots of clunking noises! You’ll find that if your clutch is on its way out, it may be noisy in neutral but quiet when the clutch is pressed. Grinding noises, noisy in acceleration, struggling to get it into gear and a squealing when the clutch pedal is pressed. Generally there are a lot of symptoms to recognise if you think you may have a clutch on its way out! It’s a good excuse to look at upgrading to a RTS clutch kit which you can purchase here: RTS

Slightly more complex is having issues with your ECU. There are a few signs to look out for including, engine stalling or misfiring, Performance issues, car not starting and of course the warning light appearing on the dash. If you do think you may be experiencing some of the above issues, you can get your ECU tested prior to purchasing a new one. Depending on the issue you can get it repaired by companies such as ecutesting.com. However, the first port of call would be to get a diagnostic test carried out to determine the issues so your not changing parts without the knowledge its correct!

Less complex issues

Less complex issues include window regulator issues and door latch problems. New units are generally the only option to fix the issue and they both have very noticeable symptoms. The window would struggle and jump to go up and down if your having issues with the regulator. Issues with the door latch would include the door not staying closed as well as the door not opening on the first try.

So hopefully this has simply lined out some issues with the Seat Ibiza’s and any potential problems! You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection/diagnostic test. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!
You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/

Common seat ibiza issues

Adding a Racingline Carbon Fibre brace?

So this one is specifically for the MQB vehicle owners! (Golf 7 & 7.5 / Leon / Octavia). This may not be a mod you have even seen before, never mind knowing the benefits to your vehicle and overall drive! The Racingline Carbon Fibre Rear Brace reinforces the bodyshell at its weakest point for a more precise and pleasurable drive.

The MQB platform vehicles have a pretty stiff bodyshell. Between the front end suspension the chassis is very rigid however, at the rear the chassis has much more flex. This means that with hard driving the handling of the vehicle is much harder. You can upgrade the suspension underneath and try to strengthen and secure however it won’t affect the flex of the body up top! VW have acknowledged this and the Clubsport  S Golf gets a factory rear brace!

How does it work?

Adding a Racingline carbon fibre brace creates a stronger, stiffer rear body. It solves this issue by locking the crucial hard points together. Despite the added stiffness, this improved handling performance comes without sacrificing any ride quality or introducing any additional noise, vibration, or harshness into the cabin. Solid billet aluminium mounts are used and secured into beautiful, ultra-stiff carbon fibre link bars drastically stiffening the rear of the chassis.

Easy to fit?

All you need to fit the brace is a set of triple square drive sockets! The brace comes in pieces, with instructions on how to put together and fit to the vehicle. That’s another pro of this performance part, you can easily fit it yourself! The clever design means that installation is simple, using existing body mounting points with no drilling and no removal of trim required, and is completely reversible. You can use the brace with the back seats up or down and it doesn’t really take up any boot space!

You can purchase the Racingline Carbon Fibre Rear Body Brace here at our sister company. ‘VAG performance’ You also have the option to pay conveniently with Klarna!

If you have any questions regarding the fitment or whether its for you, pop us a message ‘Here’. We always have someone available and happy to help with any queries.

Thinking of upgrading to a REVO Air intake kit? You’ve come to the right place! We’ll go through the benefits of upgrading and the hardware/software options to go along side. Air intake kits are a complete replacement of the OEM standard already fitted to your vehicle. Initially you may be thinking about having a Stage 2 remap, in which an upgraded intake kit is required. This is because the standard kit cant allow enough air through the engine to allow for the stage 2 power, Therefore it becomes a restriction on power. Upgrading allows the engine to access enough air and reach the turbo as quickly as possible whilst minimising turbulence and restriction.

What does it do?

So as a result of the air being able to travel through the engine effectively, there are many benefits. Boost can be maintained for longer which will give you access to more power through the rev range. You will experience a more aggressive sound, which is why upgrading the Air intake is usually the first port of call for hardware upgrades. You can also gain a lot from just upgrading this one part. They are also not too complex to fit, and usually only take half an hour with a specialist.

Why REVO?

REVO have worked alongside some of the biggest names in the Air Filter industry. Therefore, engineering and designing one of the highest flowing kits available. They carry out extensive testing and use the highest quality materials to enable their products to be top of the market.

Where to buy?

You can purchase the REVO Air Intake Kits through our sister company: VAG-performance. If you require any information on fitment, best software and hardware to go hand in hand, you can email us or fill out the contact form here: Contact

What are the benefits of upgrading to a Superpro Anti Roll bar on your VAG Vehicle?

As most people should know now, we are a Superpro performance dealer. Therefore, any Superpro bushes, anti-roll bars and control arms, you can purchase through us or our sister company ‘VAG Performance’ https://www.vag-performance.co.uk/

We get a lot of enquiries for Superpro upgrades. However, a lot of people don’t actually know how the parts actually benefit your car. To start with lets find out how the anti-roll bars affect your vehicle!

What does it do?

Anti-roll bars or Sway bars help keep the vehicle structure and contact to the road when turning. The Bar will distribute your vehicle’s weight over all four tires to keep your vehicle as flat as possible through a turn. Sway bars improve a car’s handling around turns and corners by controlling the vehicle’s weight transfer, including body roll. By working to keep the wheels on each side of the car as even as possible, they help keep the car more planted and maintain a strong contact patch between the tires and the ground.

Certain vehicle models struggle more with poor traction and road handling therefore would massively benefit from having an upgraded Super pro anti roll bar. The most common vehicles we fit these too are Golf R’s and Audi S3’s. It reduces under steer in quattro vehicles having the upgraded rear anti roll bar fit.

What are the differences?

So what are the differences between stock anti-rollbars and upgraded ones? Aftermarket bars are often solid rather than hollow stock bars, with wider range of adjustment. They are largely beneficial for performance vehicles or vehicles that carry or tow loads. That being said, anyone can benefit from an upgraded Anti-rollbar as it will give an overall better driving experience.

You can contact us here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ to enquire or get a free no obligation quote.

Upgrading to a Superpro Anti Roll bar?

Common Skoda Fabia issues… what to look for? Following on with our monthly study of a popular vehicle; We thought we’d move onto a slightly more standard daily driver, the Skoda Fabia.

What to look for?

One of the most common issues we come across is with the Windscreen washer pump. The pump itself either packs up or (throughout the winter months) the pipes block up and split. Water then leaks in the passenger footwell. Because of this people usually assume it’s their door seals and the water pump is overlooked.

The next problem they have is with Suspension. The Fabia suspension is known to be quiet stiff and a firmer drive. Due to this, its prone to failure. When buying a Fabia always do the bonnet test. Push hard on the bonnet and if takes more than 1-2 bounces back to get back to normal, have the suspension checked over by a specialist.

Skoda Fabia’s (1.4ltr Petrol engines) have a reputation for being one of the most oil dependent cars out there. If you are looking to purchase a Fabia and the oil is low, we would question the service history. We would also double check the rest of the vehicle. Purely because, if the oil has not been checked regularly, maintenance on the rest of vehicle may have been neglected.

Window regulator issues.

Window regulators are also a common part for failing on a Fabia. If your windows aren’t going up and down properly, sticking or falling to one side; these are all symptoms of your window regular being faulty! There are a couple of tips to try and prevent the regulator from failing. Once the window is up, don’t hold the button as it puts extra pressure on the motor. Also try using rubber care products. This will stop the seals from going hard and will allow the window to go up and down freely.

The Skoda Fabia electric power steering pump is very common to fail on all models. What starts off as intermittent loss of power steering, usually leads to total failure if left to progress.
Common Faults include:
1. Intermittent loss of steering.
2. Steering heavy on idle & on revs.
3. Noisy power steering pump.
4. Blowing fuses.
5. Steering warning light on.

Gearbox issues

Last but not least the DSG gearbox. Certain 7 speed Fabia’s suffered serious issues with the VW manufactured 7 speed gearbox. Most cars with this gearbox were recalled. However, check when buying that the gearbox is nice and smooth and there aren’t any pre-existing issues. You will get also get a fault on the dash come up when selecting gear if there is a fault with the gearbox. This will simply say ‘PRNDS’. If this warning light occurs, we would advise getting a diagnostics test done asap.

You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection/diagnostic test. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!
You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/

Common Skoda Fabia issues

Common Golf R/Audi S3 issues… what to look for?

We often get asked questions about specific vehicles, their common issues and problems to look out for. Customers get a new vehicle and the first thing they want to do is know exactly what potential issues they could face, and rightly so! If you know what to look out for you can spot problems before they properly develop and potentially cause other issues in the vehicle!

We thought it would be a good idea to blog each month a case study of a different popular vehicle! This way you can easily find information from us regarding specific models within the VAG.

So what am I looking for?

This month’s blog we are going to focus on the Golf R and the Audi S3. Both have the EA888 engine which means they carry the same niggly issues. The most common problem people have is with the Haldex, mainly because people do not know it needs to be serviced. Off the back of the Haldex not being serviced the 4WD becomes non-existent and the vehicle essentially becomes FWD. The rear Diff then could need replacing, which would be a much more costly repair! This could be avoided by just having your Haldex serviced at the correct intervals. We recommend Gen 1&2 every 38,000 miles and Gen 4&5 every 20,000 miles.

The next issue we come across is the IS38 Turbo charger having issues. This turbo employs a ‘zero tolerance’ compressor design. There is virtually no clearance between the compressor wheel and housing. Improving efficiency and contributing to the incredible performance of the turbo. The compressor housing is lined with a Teflon insert, as the compressor wheel meets it in normal operation.

The issue is that batches of the turbo have not been balanced properly.  Several turbos have been stripped and examined, only to find the balancing is out by a very large margin on a few turbos.  This causes the compressor wheel to move off centre slightly.  On a “normal” turbo this would not be an issue, but on the IS38 the compressor wheel is hitting the Teflon insert. Digging in and snapping the shaft instantly. Therefore, we would advise before tuning (if that is a route you would want to go down) having an inspection to try reducing the likelihood of it failing.

Clutch Issues

The Clutches in the manual gearboxes also show some issues. The clutches are weak and show signs of slipping early on in age and miles! You will notice your clutch slipping if you are having trouble changing gears, the clutch pedal sticking, vibrating or appearing to feel spongey or loose; or Momentary loss of acceleration caused by a feeling of a ‘slipping’ clutch. The main problem with the clutches is that they are the same that are used in the Golf GTI’s. It has around 70HP less and is only 2WD. With the added traction of the Golf R and the added horsepower this then massively reduces the lifespan. Anybody tuning their car even at stage 1 level would have to consider replacing the clutch for reliability.

To ensure you get the most out of the vehicle make sure you keep up with your regular servicing intervals and keep an eye on the quality of your driving. Harsh acceleration and lots of start stop driving will do the clutch no favours.

What else?

Other common issues on the EA888 engines include piston and piston ring issues and Water pump issues. Squeaking front suspension arms is another concern. Golf R owners also complain of a defunct battery which needs replacing within the first two years of the vehicle’s life.

Hopefully, this gives you a quick overview of what to look out for if you are a Golf R/Audi S3 owner. Or if you are considering buying one in the future you can look at the pros and the con’s, every car has them! You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!

You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/