1.8 16v Cuts out!!!!!!!!!!!

[KARMANN 0]

Ok, after months of hassel free driving it eventually caught up with me.

 

Last week my car was reluctant to start-just replaced battery few weeks ago and it was turning over fine but wouldnt fire up.So as a quick fix my father changed three of the spark plugs.The ones he used were spare ones lying around-they were only two point instead of four.So the car fired up first time with these in, and was going really well-but once it had covered a few miles the engine cut out whilst driving and then fired back up straight away this happened a few times before it finally died,and was reluctant to start.Still turning over fine.So i left it for a few hours went back to it and it started first time-so i got it home.Next day put 4 new recomended plugs in.It then started up no problem going great untill id covered a few miles then it cut out and wouldnt start again-still turning over though.

 

Does anyone have any ideas what it could be?

 

Oh i also noticed the Earth wire that connects from the car to the bonnet has broke-could this have anything to do with it?

 

 

Cheers Fraser

[aide 0]

 

Oh i also noticed the Earth wire that connects from the car to the bonnet has broke-could this have anything to do with it?

 

 

 

you mean the earth strap from the engine to the bonnet then yes, this would cause problems with grounding, and hence sparking

[Reggit 0]

Admittedly I don't know the 1.8 16v motor at all, but I dont think the strap to the bonnet is the problem, this is usually there to prevent a static charge build up on the bonnet. The engine to bulkhead strap is the important one, check if this is in good condition, but as engine will fire fine when cold I don't suspect this.

 

Sounds as though fuel vaporisation is a possible problem. Do you have any fuel lines running near to the exhaust manifold. and no heat shield? If so problem is possibly heat soak into the fuel line causing a vapour lock and no fuel to engine, this is only apparent with engine hot.

 

Like I said at the beginning I don't know your engine and could be talking complete rubbish!

[Henny 0]

Reggit, You're spot on there mate... The one from the cam cover/head is the important one, the bonnet one doesn't do much at all... :|

[aide 0]

errr yeh that's the one i meant when i said 'engine to the bonnet' :D

[Henny 0]

Ah, if it's the one from the engine to the bulkhead (should connect to one of the bolts which hold the coil on) then this is quite important as it ensures that all of the sensors on the head get a good earth... which on a valver is doubly important as that's also how the hall effect sender gets it's earth due to the dizzy being on the head!

 

Attach a thick bit of cable in between one of the bolts on the dizzy and the bulkhead and see if that cures your problems... 8) (mine ran like that for about 6 months until I got my arse in gear and ordered the proper strap from VAG! :oops: :mrgreen: )

[aide 0]

i rather like a thick bit of cable than a poxy little strap :oops:

[Guest]

can some one take a pic of this please? i would like to see exactly what/how it looks on the engine?? cheers

[KARMANN 0]

Cheers for the replies so far-what is a dizzy?

 

Cheers Fraser

[Reggit 0]

what is a dizzy?

 

It's the distributor, you'll recognise it as it has 5 thick HT cables coming from it, 1 to each spark plug and another to the coil.

[KARMANN 0]

So what is the best way to figure out what is causing the engine to suddenly cut?

 

Cheers Fraser

[aide 0]

id' say you have to diagnose as it happens.... why don't you run it till warm in your garage as soon as it happens take a look :D check the basics first - air, fuel spark BE VERY CAREFUL with fuel on a hot engine tho :onfire: