1.6 Gti Randomly Cutting Out. Won't Start Now.

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Hi there, just got my car back yesterday from the bodyshop. Thought it was finally 100% done and then......

 

On the way home, cut out for no apparent reason slowing down for a junction. Started again first time. Noticed I was low on fuel, thought it might be about to run out. As I went to pull into the petrol station it cut out again, again, it started first time.

 

Filled up the tank, drove home to Leeds from Bradford and twice, driving uphill at about 50mph it went to die, but a blip of the throttle and it alright. Drove to town last night okay.

 

Fiance was driving home tonight and it cut out in traffic and died, she got it started, but it died again nearer home and she couldn't start it. I have been down and had a look, got it to start, its idling fine, upped the revs a bit and it cut out.

 

Now it won't start at all. The engine is cranking, but there's nothing else happening.

 

Does that sound like a fuelling issue?

 

What would be the first thing I should check? My initial thoughts are fuel filter or fuel pump relay. The filter is new though, only done about 2000 miles on it. Dizzy and rotor are the same age.

 

Car had been off the road for 18 months but had driven without a single problem for 600 miles or so in the last few weeks.

 

Any help / ideas would be most appreciated.

 

Also, is this the right part for the fuel pump relay? Think it must be but I have never seen one before! ebay

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Check the fuel pump relay, but it could also be the air flow meter, when mine crapped out I had similar symptoms e.g would not restart sometimes.

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Check the fuel pump relay, but it could also be the air flow meter, when mine crapped out I had similar symptoms e.g would not restart sometimes.

 

Air flow meter seems okay, it is not hunting and when I took it off, it wasn't stuck open or anything.

 

Whereabouts is the fuel pump relay? My manual says it is in the engine bay near the bulkhead, I could only find one 3 plug relay, unplugged that while it was running and it didn't cut out. Anyone got a photo?

 

Am thinking it might be the pump itself. If the relay was fubar, would it be intermitent like it is?

 

I can sometimes hear the pump buzzing, and when it is, the car will run, but then will cut out again and not start.

 

I am really stuck. Both parts are quite pricey and don't want to shell out for the pump only to find its the relay.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

The fuel pump relay is up under the dash next to the ECU. Even if the car wasn't hunting and not stuck they can still fail. Mine looked visually fine.

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Cheers mate found it. Took the relay out and took it apart, didn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

New relay arrived yesterday. Fitted it last night. Didn't make any difference. Unplugged the AFM and tried to start it, but nothing at all is happening. No buzz from the fuel pump, it's cranking, but no spark, nothing.

 

Have enquired about some fuel pumps and AFMs and will take it from there. I'm getting fed up with it now though, spent a fortune and its hardly run in 18 months.

 

Leaving the house at 6:45 every day just to get to work is pretty awful.

[Duroc 2 1 Cars]

It's possible that it's to do with the ignition amp, signal cable (dizzy to amp) or dizzy. Without a signal from the dizzy, the ECU will not allow spark or fuel. I've been there , and had to replace the dizzy to rectify the problem (there is a Hall effect sensor in it to produce the signal). But it might just be the lead that's the problem.

There are quite a few threads on the above problem. E.g. one with a picture of the signal lead:

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...;hl=signal+lead

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Bought an AFM from ebay. Spoke to the guy on the phone, he said it was from an 88 1.6 and he had tested it on his 1.9 309 and it was running fine. I changed it over tonight, along with fuel filter.

 

Car started after a few cranks and pumps on the accelerator.

 

However, the throttle seems to be jamming open.

 

When I start the engine, it will rev like crazy, then the accelerator pedal pops up and locks above its normal travel length. When the pedal is set like that, the car idles normally. The pedal is stiff and kind of locked in place, if I press it down a fraction, it will rev like crazy until it pops the throttle back up and locks again. Its is extremely dangerous to drive!

 

Switched the fuel relay back to the old one, same problem.

 

Started it with the pedal locked and then unplugged the AFM and it started hunting and idling badly (as expected) as soon as I plugged it back in, it went crazy again.

 

So is my new AFM fubar? Incompatible? Or could it be something else?

 

Is there anyone round Leeds way who has a known working AFM and could maybe help me out?

[The Arch Bishop 0]

Sounds more like the throttle pulley (where the cable goes into the throttle body, sorry, not good with the technical terms) is jammed against something. It's pretty close to alot of things round the AFM area. Is it possible something's rubbing up against it stopping it from closing the throttle properly?

Edited March 25, 2009 by The Arch Bishop

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Think it was actually just the adjuster nut on the AFM that needed tightening down. Was overfuelling massively. Had a play with it and got it going. Think I will need to take to a garage for fine tuning? Can't really tell if its running rich or lean. Its idling just over 100 rpm. Had it idling just below, but it kept cutting out.