The Facts:
Astra 97 P plate 1.4i
Engine Cutting out completely, about once a month.
Won't restart for 2 - 10 minutes.
Never happens at speed (less than 30mph)Normally 10-15 minutes into a journey but sometimes later.
Been in Garage and 'plugged in' 3 times, no results. Nothing stored in ECU fault logs. Car runs perfectly but for these cut outs.
Vague hunch from mechanic of Distributor? (red cap, 3 pin)
NO OTHER PROBLEMS except this.
(Started after visit to garage to re-align gears and new bush fitted to bottom of gear leaver)
Please Please help, it does it in the middle of roundabout's and junctions. You never know when! Not good for blood pressure.
Any help or advice gratefully received.
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Nasty one, I'd suggest firstly corrosion on the 3 pin plug/socket on the side of the dis.,failing Hall-effect switch inside dis.,failing ignition module, least likely is the ECU and less likely than that is the Ignition coil.Trouble is unless it is actually doing it at the time of testing no fault will be found or 'seen' by the ECU. Email me for details of a testing procedure you can carry out yourself next time it stops.
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
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hi andrew, i have had exactly same cutting out trouble as phil here; since it passed its mot. i\'ve gotten rid of auto-choke in favour of manual but problem remains. 2e3 carb; can you advise on testing procedure to nail this problem down as mechanic couldn\'t replicate it.also noticed mixture over-rich carbonising sparks, i think.
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Andrew
Thanks for the prompt reply. You are confirming suspicions of the dis. I don't want to fork out best part of £200 if it's not going to fix the problem, so the more people that point to it helps.
Details of a test to try when it happens again would be very useful.
It cut out 3 times yesterday and so in theory I now have a month of trouble free motoring to enjoy!!
If you want to get me direct then: philwalker@hotmail.com
Cheers
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I am having the same problem with a 1995 Fiesta 1.3i. Only happens at low speed or just won't start if hot. RAC man thought it may be blocked exhaust due to catalytic convertor breaking up but it wasn't. Garage cannot find fault or replicate it. I wondered if it was some sort of fuel starvation or blockage but it is intermittent. First started after nearly running out of petrol. As you say, it happens anywhere, junctions, roundabouts. Scary!
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I saw someone once with this problem on an astra, Vx said it was the ECU they changed the chip or something, fixed the problem but the car had lost all the ooomph that it used to have, apparently the new chip was of a restricted type which made the car slower.
The owner was well annoyed and asked them to change the chip back to the old one saying he would rather have a fast car that occasionally cut out than the slower car which was non the less reliable otherwise. Vx said they had thrown his old chip away and that his older type of chip which was less restricted was not available to purchase new, having been superceded by the newer version.
So your car might not be the same as his was i.e. you might not find after changing the ECU chip that you notice any difference in performance, but this story does illustrate that it might be the ECU which is at fault.
P.S. keep the old chip if you do get it changed!
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FAO: Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
I am still awaiting your kind advice regarding test procedures I can carry out when my Astra cuts out. Please get in touch, it's done it 4 times this week! Each time in the middle of a junction or roundabout. The wife is giving me grief as well !
Happiness would be an Astra that doesn't keep stopping!
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Phil, does it cut out straight away when it happens, or does it splutter and misfire first before finally cutting out? Just trying to eliminate whether it's an electrical or fuel fault.
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When it stops it just stops instantly, with no warning or spluttering. When it first started occuring back in october, you could restart it straight away but now it won't start for between 2-10 minutes. I right a*** when you're in the middle of the road!
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I have an Astra 1.8i and I had the very same trouble. Cutting out at junctions and midway round roundabouts! Very dangerous and I was not happy.
Took it to the main dealer (sadly) and was told I had to have the revs increased even though I felt this was not a real solution. It always worked fine when air con was on..but that is as expensive as getting major work done..haha
Anyway...that sorted it...but be ready for many more troubles...I have had mine for about 6 months and going to sell it asap as it has been nothing but trouble.
Good luck with yours
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JuC,
The main dealer's haven't got a clue! I can vouch for that. Thanfully there are websites like this to grab the real knowledge that's out there.
I don't want to get rid of my astra because it runs perfectly and cheaply (with exception for this one problem) It's just so odd that it happens so infrequently. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not!?
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Quick DIY ignition check. Equipment required: METAL paper clip opened out. Next time it stops don't switch off the ignition, jump out and open the bonnet. Disconnect the 3 pin plug from the side of the dis. Pull out the centre coil wire from the distributor cap and rest it next to the cylinder head, insert the paper clip into the CENTRE terminal of the wire you disconnected from the side if the dis and carefully 'stroke' the paper clip on the cylinder head and see if a spark jumps from the coil lead to the head. If no spark suspect amplifier under the coil, if you get a nice spark reconnect the 3 pin plug and get an assistant to crank the engine, if no spark now double check with the paper clip again. If you can get a spark with the clip but not while cranking you have found your problem... it is the dis. I have had on one occasion a broken wire on the +12v wire in that 3 pin plug but that would be easy enough to check with a test lamp or voltmeter.
HTH
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
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Andrew Moorey
I tried the paperclip thing and I'm not sure what result I got. Should there actually be a spark? I didn't see any sparks but I could hear the amplifier (or maybe somthing else) clicking away (like a relay) when I touched the cylinder head.
I assumed that it was making a noise for a reason, and therefore drew conclusions that it was the dis. The Dis has now been replaced and it worked fine for 2 days and now the car is cutting out again. It is however, able to be restarted almost straight away.
Any suggestions would be really welcome.
Phil
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Hmmmmm. I assume that the dis cap, rotor and leads are in good order? You should have seen a good strong spark leaping from the end of the coil lead to the block as you stroke the paper clip to earth.If not then a faulty rotor could be leaking the spark away. Getting time for some serious diagnostics.
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
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I had the same problem with a cavalier a while back, also had it checked by a dealer which showed no results. Returned to the garage from were it was supplied and the mechanic said right away, it's the "fuel pump relay" which is located in the main fuse box. I belive the cost (supplied and fitted) was £35. Hope this is soom help, mine got so bad the wife refuse to travel in it.
David
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it looks like it's the distributor and I'm currently scouring for a second hand one to try, but will look into the fuel pump relay in any case. My wife is on the verge of refusing to go in it. Why do they do that? Thanks for the advice
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David,
The problem you had with the fuel pump relay, did the engine just stop instantly? or did it splutter. My Astra's engine just stops instantly, more often than when slowing down or gently accelerating, never more than 15mph.
With all the other contributors pointing at the dis. I've replaced the Distributor and it's still cutting out. I am very disapointed as I think I'd convinced myself it was the Dis. too.
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Andrew Moorey **please read 4 messages up from this one!**
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Phil
I could have wrote your email at the time, it cut out instantly,
I said the relay was in the main fuse box but I believe it can be elsewere depending on the model. Try it, I found my bill (sad I know) it was £35 + vat. Hope to hear some good news soon.
David J
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Progress Report:
Distributor has now been replaced with a brand new one.
Ignition Coil pack also replaced.
Still cutting out! More often infact.
Only a couple of attempts left and the car will be sold.
Any more suggestions? Anyone?
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Have you tried the FUEL PUMP RELAY yet?, I know it seems to be a electrical fault, which put me on the wrong scent when I had the same problem. My cavalier started in the same way, about 2-3 times a month and got steadly worse until it was happening every day. Have you got a Hayes manual/the relay is a large clear plastic push in multi pin plug-in. It's just a simple exchange job.
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Sorry, I've not tried the Fuel Pump Relay yet, I've not had chance as the car's been in the garage (vauxhall) for most of the time since I last wrote here! I suggested it to the mechanics but they seemed fairly dismissive of it. I'll try them again if not doing it myself. (I've got the Haynes).
Problem is convincing the wife to bother trying more options, she wants to get rid of it now. It's only got 40K on the clock!
Cheers for the advice.
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When you did the paper clip test and got a spark by stroking the clip to earth did you still have a spark when cranking with the dis reconnected? Did you check the 12v supply to the dis?
Where are you located?
Andrew
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I ran the paperclip test again, I think I mis-read it the first time. I've had plenty of opportunity to do it as the car is doing it about every other day now!
I did get a nice big spark and the engine wouldn't start when reconnecting everything. Not checked the 12v supply yet. Will do next time I've got the car.
Alas the wife has all but signed the death warrant for the car now.
The car has been in with Vauxhall for the best part of a week, still no luck.
I'm in Birmingham
Phil
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Many years ago I had a Hillman Avenger that would suddenly cut out, then after a few minutes, restart.
To cut a very long and expensive story short, it was the very small fuel filter in the carb that was choked.
I ripped it off and the problem was cured.
I also had another Hillman Avenger that would cut out and not restart.
After an even longer and more expensive story it was found that the condenser in the dis. was faulty as were the two I replaced it with.
Apparently the condensers had come from a duff batch that were made by a duff company who copied Lucas's packaging!
Hope this helps.
Dennis.
P.S. Diesel cars much better and simpler!
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I'm having the same problem in my L reg seat ibiza.
Driving along, slow down for a bend, go to accelerate and there's nothing there.
my local VW independant garage were certain it was either the coil pack or the distributor. They changed the coil pack for me to have a go with and it still did it within 10 miles. I took it back today and they put the old coil pack back on but with a new distributor. for 30 miles it was fine but then it cut out 4 times in 8 miles.
they don't know what's going on, i don't know what's going on and it's getting really frustrating/dangerous (i had to sit in the middle of a roundabout for 10 minutes yestaerday waiting for it to restart)
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from what you said could well be the pump relay.after all if relay packs up no injection.bad as coil failure.just a thought?
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This all very interesting as we have identical problems with a L-reg Astra California (LS) 1.4.
Things that go wrong with it are:
1). Refusing to start.
It turns over but doesn't ignite.
Then after a few minutes of attempts, it'll start *INSTANTLY*.
This happens perhaps once a fortnight.
2). Revs cut/car kicks when moving.
This happens quite infrequently, perhaps once a week.
The car continues to move on unfussed with no obvious signs.
3). Engine just stops.
This can happen at any time, whether idling or moving.
This has happened only 3 times, all within the last 6 months.
Today it needed an RAC call-out, but after an hour or so when the RAC got to the car, it started *INSTANTLY*!
We're going to look at the suggested things like:
a). fuel pump relay,
b). HT power test,
c). HT leads,
d). distributor (new in last 2000 miles),
e). rotor arm (new in last 2000 miles),
We're aware that this is an old thread, but is there anything else that can be suggested? What happened with your problems Phil?
Other than that the car is tremendeous having only covered 48,000 miles.
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try a new coolant temp sensor,ive had a few astra 1.4s cause this problem,its a blue 2 pin sensor on the inlet manifold.
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Phil, have you checked the fuel filter, it may be filter may be clogged out, resulting in the car cutting out, I had mine replaced, a few months ago with my Astra, Is it always at roundabouts that the car is cutting out? The fuel filter supposed to be changed annually.
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