Engine spluttering then stalling about 45 mins into a journey

[myoptika]

Ok, I've trawled the board to see if anyone else has had this problem, but can't find anything that's exactly the same.

Basically, about 45 mins into a journey the engine starts spluttering as if running out of petrol. Eventually I have to pull over and stop, but it won't turn over. If I leave it 15 mins or so it then starts again with no problems. Could it be a problem with the fuel pump? I'm at a loss at the moment, although I've booked it in for a service on Thursday anyway. Should I be worried, or do you think it will be easily fixed?

[sacvwgolf]

what is it?

[Heyho]

I know that there are a million and one things that could cause this, but it puts me in mind of a possible blocked fuel tank vent.  As you drive, fuel leaves the tank but no air can enter, thus inducing an ever increasing vacuum, to the point at which the fuel pump can't overcome it.  Leaving it for 15 mins is probably enough to allow this vacuum to bleed away.

Very easy diagnosis for this.  Drive until you splutter to a stop, then simply remove your fuel filler cap - if there's a noticable "suck" when you remove the cap, then you've found the problem.  I'm assuming that like most cars, the vent is actually in the cap.

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

[myoptika]

Sorry, it's a Golf Mk2 GTI 16v (like the one in my sig).

I'll give that a try. Is it easy to unblock the vent?

[Thom89]

could be a blocked fuel filter...
Tom

[Notis_kr_16v]

might be the lift pump!

[Gambit]

is it spluttering or misfiring etc? does the rev counter bounce all over the place?

hall senders tend to fail on 16v's - leading to misfiring chugging etc when upto running temp

[NewStu]

You said that it wont turn over after stalling. By this do you mean that the starter motor does not turn at all? Or does it turn but not fire up?

[myoptika]

is it spluttering or misfiring etc? does the rev counter bounce all over the place?

Yes, it does exactly this! Rev counter going up and down like a yo-yo. What do you think it means?

You said that it wont turn over after stalling. By this do you mean that the starter motor does not turn at all? Or does it turn but not fire up?

It turns over but won't fire up...

[NewStu]

Bad earth maybe?

Check the main earth leads. The one from battery to chassis leg. The one from chassis leg to gearbox. And the one on the distributor housing.