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Showing results for tags 'intermittent'.
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This started out as what seemed to be running on three when accelerating or generally under load, despite idling nicely. It would clear when desired speed was reached and throttle was let off. I figured it was water getting in or around the distributor or leads and causing a short. Due to the heavy rain and water on the roads. Dismantled it all, cleaned and inspected the leads, dizzy cap and rotor. Checked the coil for any signs of shorting and checked and cleaned the plugs. Even though they're new. After putting it all back together and feeling quite confident, I was surprised to find it was still doing it. But it's been starting well and the above symptoms have been intermittent. This morning, it fired and died, which is unusual, but I put it down to the frosty night. Then it took ages to get going, with continual cranking and foot to the floor to try and prevent flooding. It was trying and would fire a bit more and a bit more and a bit more, until it eventually fired and then revved right up, all fine. Until I went to pull away. Then it was doing the, what sounded like, firing on three under load. Three miles later, at a junction, it cut out and didnt want to restart. It eventually did, after an extended version of what happened earlier. Then dying again and taking ages to start. But trying and gradually getting nearer and nearer and nearer, until it finally fired. Once fired up, it would rev right up, smoothly with no missing. But when trying to pull away, it would die. But eventually, with a wing and a prayer, I got going and I limped home. Although low revs would cause it to die. Now I'm wondering if it's not ignition at all, but a fuel problem ? But what ? It's got a new fuel filter and new Bosch fuel pressure regulator. I was wondering if the fuel pump has a filter/sock that might be clogged up ? As the old filter was full of crap. I checked the coil to dizzy lead checked the cap and cleaned the edge of the rotor. She fired up fine, but then did a bit of the missing when under load. But this time, got me to the supermarket and back. But really didnt want to start in the car park. Eventually fired and was fine being gently driven home. But it's the intermittent nature of the problem that is making it difficult to ascertain. If it packed up completely, then you'd know when you found the problem. Any suggestions as to what to test and how ? would be very gratefully received. PS. There are no error codes.
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- intermittent
- poor strting
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Hi, I've had this issue for a while, and I've been active on the polo group on facebook whilst trying to figure out this issue. I'll provide a timeline for my issue. 1. I changed timing belt, car started and I had no engine jerk. Car has always been difficult to start and nothing changed after changing the timing belt. 2. After around 2-3000km and 2 months, the car dies on the highway in the middle of a tunnel. After a couple of days with fiddling with vacuum lines, spark plugs, fuel and other fault seeking methods, I discovered that the ECU (multipoint Jetronic) had a blown circuit on the ground which stopped the injectors from opening. Added some solder and engine started. However, the engine now had weird idle and was uncomfortable to drive. Replaced ECU with a new unit from Ebay, no difference in behaviour. 3. I have changed sparkplugs, distribitor unit (complete) with hall sensor, distrubitor dizzy, distribitor cap, leads and coil. I also changed middle part of exhaust and all vacuum lines with new VW oem Ø3.5mm ones. 4. A post on facebook told me to check the timing, which I did. Haynes told me that the timing mark and timing light should overlap, but I am unable to actually change the settings enough to get the light to hit the edge of the timing mark indicator on the engine. I'll add some figures below. The Yellow line is where I am able to adjust the timing to be maximum, the green is where haynes recommends me to be. Did I buy the wrong distributor? It had a different letter in the end of the Part Number. If it is not the timing, which other things can cause engine jerk? It is really intermittent and only on cyl 2 and 4 which I checked with the timing light. It is as if it "skips" every 2-4th of the sparks. Anything else I can check? Thanks in advance. Yellow: Max adjusment I get, distribitor location in next figure. Green is where haynes tells me to be. Figure: Unable to advance timing further. Figure: Haynes recommendation of base timing setting. Figure: The setting above lets me hit the setting recommended by Haynes.
- 12 replies