Starting and running issues

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Hi all,

I have new problems, hoping you can help and give guidance.....

My 3b S2 coupe has developed starting problems, it's sporadic at the moment and hasn't failed to actually start yet although has taken a couple of minutes of persistant trying on a few occasions. With the fault present she turns over fine but doesn't start, whilst cranking I can hear a relay picking and dropping in the passenger side footwell. I have previously had a similar problem (when trying to start from warm) which I finally traced to a faulty fuel pump, suspecting similar this time as the pump's gone quite noisy whilst running. Not actually tested in 'failed state' (spark, fuel, etc) as always been in a hurry and got her to start in the end! Pulled the fault codes one evening and none present??

At the same time (and along with a suspected massive boost leak!) she's developed a tendancy to suddenly 'die' now and then.... all power just disappears then almost immediately returns, I suspect the 2 problems may be linked as I noticed both around the same time.

Anyone got any further ideas, hope to get a proper look over the weekend so any obvious 'look fors' would be appreciated.

Thanks all,

Gareth

[T2Andy]

Maybe fuel presure regulator

[madpugger]

If it was ABY i'd say hall sensor, but its 3B, so dizzy? has it still got the plastic gear?

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Thanks for the replys,

Had some time to look at her properly today and caught her in 'failed state'.

I initially thought this was coincidence but now not so sure..... the first time the non-start happened I was in the drivers seat (not the wife who just keeps trying till she goes), happened about a month ago and I checked all the fuses - all were good, I persevered for a bit... after about 10 mins i was about to give up but for some reason noticed the blower was on, I turned it off and tryed her again and she started. Today when trying to start I noticed again that the blower was on, remembering the first time I decided to crank the motor as I turned off the blower and surprise surprise she started as I turned the blower off.

Myself and my dad discussed this a bit.... our suspicion is that the battery in place may be under the required spec and hence doesn't have the guts to start with other items on. Batteries will always show frailties in the cold and I have noticed that even when driving the battery never shows much above 12v (I'd expect 14v on the gauge). The battery has been replaced since I had her the first time and is certainly small relative to the previous (it's a bosch s4 currently I think). Worth noting though that the battery is well charged and will crank the non strating motor for a good 20 mins on and off as my wife has proved.

What are peoples thoughts? Is the battery installed underated and causing the issue....

I also boost tested her due to very poor running and the consetina hose is knackered and leaking badly, is there a specific after market silicon replacement (x mm to x mm reducer or straight that I can easily get from ebay?) that will fit as a short term fix till I can afford a full set of SAMCOs?

Will do a bit more testing tomorrow and keep you all posted but right now I'm far too ecstatic following Spurs win at Arsenal to bother.... a few more celebratory drinks are in order me thinks!

Thanks all,

G

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Update

A quick update:

The wife decided to take the car to the shops rather than walk (well she is pregnant I suppose)..... drives to shop, stops car, went in first shop, came out, car starts..... goes to next shop, stops car, goes in shop, came out, car won't start, cranking over strongly but not starting. After a minute or so the battery warning comes on, look at the voltage gauge and it's at 10v with ignition on but on but car still cranks hard, now thinking the thoughts from earlier are right and that the battery just isn't man enough!

Luckily there's a big hill to push the wife down, with the help of some very lovely people we push her out of the car park and down the hill, car bump starts no problem.

Is this the battery as I suspect? Unusual in my experience for a car to crank so hard and the battery to be at fault but it's looking more and more plausable!

G

[Nuvo]

Most probably the voltage regulator on the alternator is duff.

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Well... it wasn't the battery, guess that would have been far to easy.

Still starting occasionally, voltage seems a bit all over the place so I think it's time to try the voltage regulator, does any one have one available that I could get my hands on really quickly?

The clicking relay in the passenger footwell when she's cranking still has me puzzled, convinced there isn't a relay that should do that?

ARRRGGGHHHH, I now remember why I got rid of her in the first place!

[newsh]

Could be ignition switch or voltage regulator. You have to fix the boost leak though as the mixture will be all over the place. You can use a short bit of straight silicon on a 3B to get you out of trouble, I had this fix working fine on mine for a couple of years Might still have the bits in the shed

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Hi again all,

Have spent some time doing bits today but have again had issues tracing the fault as she behaved herself..... That was until I had to go somewhere this evening and it failed again, turning over but not starting.

Whilst I had the Fuel pump relay out this week I wired it with a check lamp, hence watched this with the fault present and the fuel pump relay is picking and dropping rather than staying energised????

Checked the fuel pump and that is pulsing also.

Things I did today and so can be ruled out:

-Boost leaks fixed
-Voltage regulator replace
- checked fault codes again and none registered

Another oddity is that having hooked the battery on this morning the fan is permanently running, regardless of whether the ignition is on or off, I have removed fuse 20 for the time being and will do some testing tomorrow..... Anyone think that's linked to the starting issue.... Maybe a faultly coolant temp sender??

Will test and if necessary replace the distributor tomorrow as i suspect the hall sender is the route cause.

What does everyone else think..... Would really appreciate some thoughts.

Thanks

Gareth

[Acidburn]

I have a relay if you need one for the fan.

Also check the earth points to the manifold, at times to me sounds like something is loose and when you drive it this highlights it. I will let you know when i'm next in the area and bring vagcom

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Update from yesterday

Sunday: Decided to unplug the sensor plugs one at a time to see what difference they made to my fault condition, not very scientific but figured it might show up something of interest.

Of most interest was the unplugging of the Hall Sender (well actually more like the disintergration of the plug socket!).... when HS plug off and engine cranked the pulsing stopped and I got a steady feed to the fuel pump relay.... any thoughts on why? I had a quick look at the wiring diagrams but couldn't draw any conclusions.

Anyhow, having had the hall sender plug socket fall to bits and now feeling more confident the issue lay with it I took the dizzy off, quite the scrap without taking the inlet manifold off but got there in the end! Along the way I found that the breather hoses were literally in bits, actually broken in half in a number of places, hence will replace those! Also found tooth damage to the plastic dizzy gear although not bad enough to cause the fault, but another fault waiting to happen I'm sure!

The finally of the day was finding that the rotor arms weren't interchangable so next step is getting a new one! Glueing them on.... really?? Who thought that was a good idea?

Spent the rest of the day buying the wife a cheap A to B emergency run around, against my better judgement I went for something nasty and french..... but cheap and in good nick!

Will keep you posted on progress / findings, all thoughts welcomed!

G

[s2_wot]

Another oddity is that having hooked the battery on this morning the fan is permanently running, regardless of whether the ignition is on or off, I have removed fuse 20 for the time being and will do some testing tomorrow..... Anyone think that's linked to the starting issue.... Maybe a faultly coolant temp sender??

It might be worth checking the relay that controls the auxiliary cooling circuit. They do fail. It takes a signal from a temp sender on the water rail (close to the mfts) and switches on the auxiliary pump and the rad fan if the engine is off.
Also possible that there is corrosion on the temp sender causing the circuit to be completed as if the temperature was high.

HTH

[Acidburn]

pics I mentioned the other day

[SHEEPISH-S2]

Cheers Peter, they're really handy... also nice to see they were taken on an engine that's nearly as dirty as mine!

Gareth

[newsh]

We need a 3B dizzy sticky