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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Lap on 15 April 2006, 17:51

Title: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Lap on 15 April 2006, 17:51
Driving down the M1 at 70mph and suddenly the engine cuts out. The speedo is reading 70mph and the rev counter is on zero!  :huh:  The engine has completely died yet no lights on the dash come up like they do when it stalls. After a few seconds it recovers but does it again later on. If it continues to do this then its really not very safe. Don't want to pull out to accelerate and end up stopping in the middle of the road!  :shocked:

I know there are alot of posts on here about cutting out when stopping at junctions and the car started to do this yesterday for the first time (since I bought it). However, it was low on fuel so don't know if this is related. It still did it after I filled up though.
 
The car is a 1989 Golf GTi and i've done the dizzy cap and rotor and also had the cambelt changed.   

Any help is much appreciated. 
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Mew on 15 April 2006, 17:54
Sounds like what my rover used to do when driving in the rain for a while. A new coil sorted that out. Hopefully that might help?
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: jv on 15 April 2006, 17:55
Had the same problem a few weeks back - tightened up alternator belt, new leads, plugs, diz cap and rotor appeared to fix it.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Lap on 15 April 2006, 19:13
Cheers. I'll check the coil and the leads. It already has a new alternator belt.

However, is there any significance with the fact that no dash lights came on when it cut out? In fact, it was as if I had turned off the engine.  :undecided: If the leads, rotor arm, dizzy etc were faulty and the engine stopped then wouldn't the battery warning light come on?

Perhaps I am way off here since I've never had one of these cars before. 
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: FBF on 15 April 2006, 19:21
might be battery related.  check your earth leads.  or ignition related.  does sound like the battery disconnected for a few seconds to me.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: rubjonny on 15 April 2006, 20:21
check the wiring to the injector rail & the earth lead to the rocker cover, I had exactly this when both of these snapped on my GTI!  Managed to get it going again with a 13mm spanner, a penknife & some duck tape ;)
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Lap on 15 April 2006, 22:20
I'll check the injector rail and earth leads first thing tomorrow. Erm, sorry to sound daft but apart from the rocker cover, whereabouts do other earth leads live?  :embarassed:

Will check the battery too.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: rubjonny on 16 April 2006, 10:16
depending on the year, there could be one or 2 wires to the rocker cover, and another on the plastic coolant flange on the right side of the block.  Thre should also be a chunky braided cable running from the coil bracket to the rocker cover.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Mr Blue on 16 April 2006, 12:44
might be battery related.  check your earth leads.  or ignition related.  does sound like the battery disconnected for a few seconds to me.


ive disconnected the battery before and the engine kept running so not too sure about that :undecided:
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Uruk Hai on 16 April 2006, 13:03
On most cars once its running if you take the battery off it will stay running via the alternator !
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Organisys on 16 April 2006, 13:24
Sounds like a bad earth to me.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Lap on 16 April 2006, 22:50
Well, I checked what Earth leads I could find. Ie the one from battery to chassis, from chassis to gearbox, and from rocker cover to coil. Gave them all a good tug and they all seem intact although the mountings look a bit corroded. Should I remove them and clean them up?

A mate has suggested it might be my ignition switch intermittently cutting out the engine. Is this possible? 
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: rubjonny on 17 April 2006, 10:32
Its worth doing yeah!  The switch could be faulty, they can be a weak spot.
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: Lap on 17 April 2006, 10:39
Is the ignition switch easy to replace? GSF seem to sell them for a tenner. I took the shroud off the steeering column but couldn't see any obvious way to remove the switch.

Do I have to take the steering column off the car? 

Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: rubjonny on 17 April 2006, 11:17
not really, you need to get the housing off, problem is on late cars theres a steering column spline adaptor which must be removed first.  Its actually easier to remove the bolt from the UJ at the bottom, the allen bolt from the top and pull the column out complete!
Title: Re: Three weeks of ownership then............
Post by: kicklikeamule on 18 April 2006, 22:55
Missing the old Polo yet  :cry: