So first off I want to thank the members that are very detailed in their responses! I have been on here the last few days reading post about potential solutions to the problem I have been having with my Passat. It is a 1999 1.8. I was almost positive the things I tried would have cleared it up, but sadly it isn't any different than before.
I drove it fine last Sat and later that night I started it up and it started shaking horribly and I had the blinking CEL. So I turned it off and got on google which led me to this site. First thing we did was attempt to change the spark plugs and when we took the coil pack off the 3rd one we realized there was oil in there around the spark plug. So we took the plugs out, cleaned out the oil, changed the valve cover gasket and plugs. Started it up, still ran like sh*t.
So today I broke down and bought the coil pack for the 3rd one that had oil in it yesterday since the oil had gotten up in the coil pack as well. I was told if you take the bad coil pack off and start it that if it runs the same then that coil pack is bad. If you take a good one off and test it then it would run worse. I was like alright fingers crossed this will hopefully fix the problem. Nope. It is still rough and have the blinking light. I don't trust to drive it to the part store to get a code. I'm scared I will mess something else up.
I am wondering if I already messed up the catalytic converter? What else could it be? I can't afford to take it to a shop to get it fixed, so I have been relying on the info I find on here.
Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!
I drove it fine last Sat and later that night I started it up and it started shaking horribly and I had the blinking CEL. So I turned it off and got on google which led me to this site. First thing we did was attempt to change the spark plugs and when we took the coil pack off the 3rd one we realized there was oil in there around the spark plug. So we took the plugs out, cleaned out the oil, changed the valve cover gasket and plugs. Started it up, still ran like sh*t.
So today I broke down and bought the coil pack for the 3rd one that had oil in it yesterday since the oil had gotten up in the coil pack as well. I was told if you take the bad coil pack off and start it that if it runs the same then that coil pack is bad. If you take a good one off and test it then it would run worse. I was like alright fingers crossed this will hopefully fix the problem. Nope. It is still rough and have the blinking light. I don't trust to drive it to the part store to get a code. I'm scared I will mess something else up.
I am wondering if I already messed up the catalytic converter? What else could it be? I can't afford to take it to a shop to get it fixed, so I have been relying on the info I find on here.
Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!