And i thought i had won! - Cutout problems, cont.

leon · September 18, 2007, 10:51:30 AM

Hi guys, after replaceing the ecu over a week ago now i thought all the problems with the car had finaly been put to bed! boosts well and no more random cut outs, it runs like a dream!! - It drove perfect for a week and a bit, then today *blat* it dies on the motorway for no reason again. :rolleyes:

Any ideas on where i go next, i feel this is going to be one of those hard to diagnose problems as it works more than it doesnt, on the plus side im running out of things to replace!

So far i\'ve done the following:
Replaced plugs & leads.
Cleaned and Reseated Cables from battery to 100amp.
Installed ground kit. (includeing one on the Ecu)
Cleaned the throttle body and the ICS with carb cleaner and tested for functionality.
TPS has been checked and is within spec.
Replaced vac hoses and check valves.#
Replaced ECU.
Checked the sock on the fuel pump, and cleaned its ground.
Replaced fuel filter (and got a mouth full of high octane fuel)

I\'m thinking of going down the route of Ignitor, Coilpack then Fuel pump. After that i think im looking at the loom! I can\'t see it being the loom, as it\'s not a case of the car dies when ever i go bump, and trust me it goes bump. I do however have a HKS Turbotimer that has lost a cap! (but it runs fine, i think) im going to remove this anyway.

Anyone have any random off the wall ideas/divine inspiration? or do you think im going down the right track. im close i can feel it..

Brett · September 18, 2007, 11:03:23 AM

Can you describe how it failed? Was it a refusal to rev cleanly followed by he revs dropping down to zero or did it just cut out?

peterwolds · September 18, 2007, 11:13:07 AM

sudden death could be fuel pump happened to me on M62,new walbro fitted 45 miles earlier - a faulty one according to Pip who fitted it -all of a sudden no power :2eek in middle lane scary

leon · September 18, 2007, 11:21:14 AM

Exactly! mine just goes \'dead\' Complete loss of power. feels like somebody has just turned the engine off, funnly enough on the M62 in the fast lane(HAH rush hour) this morning. Rolled to a stop, turned the car off, started it back up stright away! im 99.9% sure i am running on the standard pump, is it possible for these to run fine then \'stall\' then resume function?

just to clarify, at the time i randown, while the gear was still engaged as i didnt want to lose brakes and steering on the motorway. but if i was to dip the clutch the car would just rev down to 0 and die.

Brett · September 18, 2007, 11:30:46 AM

Sounds like its time to inspect the wiring to the pump too.... could be you have a chaffed wire, its creating resistance, getting hot and then you are not getting enough oomph to drive the pump...

leon · September 18, 2007, 11:35:34 AM

i\'ve never had fuel pump problems before, Is that the kind of symptoms you would have if the fuel pump was to go offline, just a nice smoth death rather than a dramatic one?

Brett · September 18, 2007, 11:50:26 AM

Not sure, usually the engine will stutter slighty before dying if its fuel related...

nikp · September 18, 2007, 11:53:37 AM

So the engine cuts out? Do the dash lights come on? (i.e. engine HAS stalled).

If so, will it bump start? If not, while still rolling, can you switch the ignition off, and then switch it back on, and bump start it from that? If so, it sounds like it might be a relay: the switching off of the ignition and switching back on re-triggers the relay.

peterwolds · September 18, 2007, 11:59:49 AM

Quote from: leoni\'ve never had fuel pump problems before, Is that the kind of symptoms you would have if the fuel pump was to go offline, just a nice smoth death rather than a dramatic one?

mine was instant,no warning just no power,wouldnt restart - lowloader back to wgt on a cold/wet sunday earlier this year

leon · September 18, 2007, 12:01:00 PM

No lights come on to the dash (if it hapens tonight ill double check the lights) until it\'s roled to a complete stop. I have bump started the car a few times in the past while its still rolling, but i cant remember if i just droped the clutch let it die then re engaged, or if i had to key off key on. If it is the relay which would it be that i need to check/replace.

leon · September 18, 2007, 12:09:33 PM

im an idiot, Fuel pump relay at the front :Hammer

nikp · September 18, 2007, 12:20:26 PM

Don\'t start assuming that that\'s at fault, but it may explain what the problem is, so it is certainly worth checking.

leon · September 18, 2007, 01:52:47 PM

Oh i\'m not presuming, im just trying to figure out some way to limit this down to a component thats causeing the problem, or make the problem make sense. With it being an intermitant thing i cant realy do the usual checks such as resistance. Am i right in saying that there are two relays on the fuel system the circuit relay and the fuel pump relay.

Does the circuit relay do anything else other than the fuel pump?

As if i understand this right:
The Circuit relay provides power to the pump, (on/off) and the fuel pump relay controlls exactly how much juice gets to the pump via passing it through the fuel pump resistor.

But what i cant understand is why would the circuit relay disengage, and i cant see the fuel pump relay causeing this, As its either off or on, being off would just force power through the resistor, I Think, unless it gets halfway inbetween? but that could be said for the circuit relay *crys*

Martiny · September 18, 2007, 01:57:43 PM

Quote from: leonOh i\'m not presuming, im just trying to figure out some way to limit this down to a component thats causeing the problem, or make the problem make sense. With it being an intermitant thing i cant realy do the usual checks such as resistance. Am i right in saying that there are two relays on the fuel system the circuit relay and the fuel pump relay.

Does the circuit relay do anything else other than the fuel pump?

As if i understand this right:
The Circuit relay provides power to the pump, (on/off) and the fuel pump relay controlls exactly how much juice gets to the pump via passing it through the fuel pump resistor.

But what i cant understand is why would the circuit relay disengage, and i cant see the fuel pump relay causeing this, As its either off or on, being off would just force power through the resistor, I Think, unless it gets halfway inbetween? but that could be said for the circuit relay *crys*

You are correct, the pump only switches the resistor in or out, not the pump on or off.

leon · September 18, 2007, 02:21:30 PM

Thank you Martiny,
So logic would say that if a relay was to fail it would be the circuit one, unless the fuel pump relays got stuck midway, Not sure if this is relevent or even possible as i have not had a look at the way its wired up yet.

Im a curious lil fellow aint i? :rolleyes: feed me knowledge :E