VR6 Engine Cut Out

[aide 0]

Hi all, it's been a year since since I was here! Sold my 16v last November and got myself an Mreg blackberry metallic VR6, completely standard except for an oil cooler I fitted in December (116degs to 98!!)

 

Anyway, I've done a search and not found my exact problem! Basically the engine simply cuts out, no spluttering, no warning, no relays clicking, no alarms or anything just revs die and cuts out, it's happened four times, once at 80 on the motorway - naturally i'm a little concerned It then takes a few minutes to restart, cranks fine, and usually restarts after locking and opening again.

 

It starts and idles fine normally, the ISV has been cleaned, the fuel pump is whining (not massively) but fuel pressure is fine, VW specialist over here says no fault codes on VAGCOM and i've checked relay 109 for corrosion - all seems well.

 

I don't know my way round the VR6, and am not really in a position to mess as I've just relocated to Belfast and don't have a garage yet!

 

It's a long shot, but any help appreciated. Even if it's pointers for the mechanic, I've read speed sensor, crank position sender, and VW immobiliser are possibles. Thanks in advance :D

[VR6 0]

Try having a search for "earth AND strap AND cutting". I think there's been a few posts where this has been the suggested cause for that sort of cutting out.

 

Can't remember if it solved the problem though ...

[dr_mat 0]

Sounds a lot like crank sensor problems. They tend to get worse when the block gets hot (80mph on the motorway would do it), and then the engine won't restart till the block cools down.

The only way to diagnose the crank sensor reliably on OBD1 is with an oscilloscope, looking at the traces it's feeding the ECU.

Or by buying another one and swapping them .. :)

 

Unfortunately they're not cheap..

[aide 0]

Aye thanks, i'll check the strap. Car runs fine for a week/ few hundred miles and then just dies, think a strap might cause more frequent failure than that.

 

I did a search and couldn't find anything specific, will keep trying with different terms!

 

Edit - thanks drmat, have read the crank sensors are £150+ish - happy days :(

[dr_mat 0]

If you get a competent auto electrician he ought to be able to look at the signal from the crank sensor at idle and tell you straight away if it's looking a bit rough. Should be a nice square wave. They lose definition as the magnets break down..

Yes they're expensive, but you might be able to pick up a 2nd hand one as a tester.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I reckon it's the fuel pump myself.

[dazzyvr6 0]

im sure vr6storm had the same problem,and it turned out it was as kev said,the fuel pump

[aide 0]

ok thanks, i'll get the fuel pump changed to elminate that possible fault and see if it still occurs...

[dazzyvr6 0]

and another thing,check that the relays in the fuse box are seated correctly

[fla 9]

and another thing,check that the relays in the fuse box are seated correctly

 

Yes, check the ecu relay 109. Its only £12 from the stealers and worth it just to eliminate it . Also, remove the fuel pump relay (167 iirc) and pulse it directly with a 12V supply and see it opens and closes circuit cleanly. Spray some contact cleaner on it, leave to dry properly and then spray the spade connections of both relays before reseating them a few times. See how you go from there.

[aide 0]

Thanks for guidance all, i checked the relays were seated okay last week, but am going to get a new 109 and 167 relays for certainty. Cheers fla i'll give the existing relays a check/ clean too. I'll be changing the fuel pump at the weekend provided i can find a bosch centre over here, from threads on here it doesn't seem complcated!

[dr_mat 0]

"fuel pressure is fine". I suspect it's not the fuel pump. It could be dying under load, but I'd expect the car to cough and splutter rather than just shut down.

Up to you, but my money is on engine sensors.

[dr_mat 0]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 4626345160

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

[aide 0]

'watch this item'

 

engine cut out for the fifth time this morning after driving for 5-10 minutes, so that's twice in two days which is more frequent than it had been, and both times I'v been showing just above red on the tank level - seemed rather coincidental so I filled up and did a hundred mile trip this afternoon - no bother at all.

 

still, going to change the pump this weekend, if it solves all well and good, if not at least those faults are crossed off the list. I'll move onto the engine sensors then!

 

One last thing! I've done a serch and there is some confusion re pumps, general understanding is 'later' vr6 pumps had white plastic top and were made by VDO - you don't have to buy the sender for these(?). 'earlier' pumps had a different top and you do need to purchase the sender for these. i'll carry on reading but if someone knows for cerain let me know!

 

thanks for help all.

[dr_mat 0]

If you buy the pump from VW you will need to swap the sender unit over from your old one. GSF supply the pumps with a new sender unit - which won't be calibrated for the Corrado tank, as it's a Golf/Passat generic part ...

Swings and roundabouts.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you ring Stealth, they might still have my old pump there which is about 6 months old. I fitted a beefier one for my Supercharger.

 

It's just the actual pump itself they have there, so you'd need to dismantle your existing pump housing to fit it, but it's really easy.

 

You can have it for £40 notes....

[aide 0]

thanks kev, sounds good. is there anyway you can confirm the motor you had in your pump housing will fit inside mine!?

 

had a butchers last night and the part number of my pump (housing) is the later model - 535 919 051D.

 

for everyones info, and from reading on here the earlier model pumps are 1HO 919 651Q for the pump, and 1HO 919 673F for the sender.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Unfortunately not, but it's up to you if you want to risk it!

[aide 0]

aye sorry, probably won't (unless i get stuck!) thanks for opportunity anyway!