Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:11:46 pm

Title: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:11:46 pm
Before I take it to the garage has anyone any ideas what this could be?

I drive a diesel estate and sometimes when I start it up, it starts okay, but when I want to pull away it just dies on me.  The problem happens only when I go to pull away in first gear, and the engine seems to want to die.  Once its going it goes!

I thought I may have some contaminated fuel, but I don't think that's the problem.

Any ideas anyone?

Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: jeff1 on November 21, 2009, 06:15:03 pm
Could be a fuel filter problem on a diesel 
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: krave on November 21, 2009, 06:17:59 pm
How often, Will it restart after failing? does it ever chug or stall while driving, or missfire/
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: jonnyald on November 21, 2009, 06:19:13 pm
does it  rev up normally,when u arent moving ?  what jalopy is it u have ?
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: kevinc on November 21, 2009, 06:20:31 pm
hi tosh,don't know if you are mechanichly minded,but personally i'd put twice the reccomended amount of injector cleaner in the tank and drain the fuel filter-it may have water in it-if you do this you will have to bleed the injectors-simple to do but messy
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:22:43 pm
How often, Will it restart after failing? does it ever chug or stall while driving, or missfire/

Yes it will restart after failing; it only fails when I try to pull away; but when its idling it gets a bit smoky from the exhaust.  It doesn't missfire but it will 'chug' in 1st or 2nd gear - only sometimes and a little though and its fine once its going.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:23:34 pm
does it  rev up normally,when u arent moving ?  what jalopy is it u have ?

No it won't rev up normally when I'm not moving, not straight away, but will eventually.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: matt on November 21, 2009, 06:25:49 pm
air intake needle sticking ( very common problem with what you described )

fuel filter full of crap

injector blocked or not working 100 %

is it a newish car, could be the ECU failing ( with the wet conditions in your car )

Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:26:16 pm
,but personally i'd put twice the reccomended amount of injector cleaner in the tank

Cheers Kev, but this rang an alarm bell.  Am I suposed to put injector cleaner into the tank?   :-[
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 21, 2009, 06:28:20 pm
Hey, cheers guys, non of the stated problems sounds expensive (apart from the ECU thing; the car is about five years old I guess), so that's great.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: jonnyald on November 21, 2009, 06:30:28 pm
i was a spannerman ,many years . heres the sort of advice i sometimesdished out -----------

"you say the problem happens only when you pull away ? "  


 "well,,,,,mmmm,,,, if i was you ,i wouldnt pull away "   ;D  



<from wot you say,it sounds like it could be anything from a split rubber intake hose to even a dickey valve .  best you get it looked at as sure as the sunrise it won"t fix itself !
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: kevinc on November 21, 2009, 06:38:36 pm
yes it mixes with the fuel mate and should clean the injectors as its working,twice the amount should do it quicker to be fair i do this every six months just to get it all clean
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: kevinc on November 21, 2009, 06:43:22 pm
tosh as an aside!do you use a car for wc?as in are you using a trolley?might have something intresting to go through with you
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Moderator David@stives on November 21, 2009, 06:46:21 pm
when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: elite mike on November 22, 2009, 09:15:59 am
sounds like air getting in some where
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: d s windowcleaning on November 22, 2009, 09:25:51 am
when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens
what would happen dave when doing this ? with doing this can it help to find a problem ?
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: elite mike on November 22, 2009, 09:44:46 am
tosh have a look at your fuel lines, and check to see if there are any leaks
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: elite mike on November 22, 2009, 09:49:50 am
or you can ask on here tosh

http://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Moderator David@stives on November 22, 2009, 11:10:50 am
when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens
what would happen dave when doing this ? with doing this can it help to find a problem ?

it releasesthe back vacuum  from the tank,you will get those symptoms when the fuel tank vent gets blocked, especially whrn you have filled the tank to the brim

 i have to do this on one of my cars occassionally
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: AuRavelling79 on November 22, 2009, 12:11:15 pm
when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens
what would happen dave when doing this ? with doing this can it help to find a problem ?

it releasesthe back vacuum  from the tank,you will get those symptoms when the fuel tank vent gets blocked, especially whrn you have filled the tank to the brim
 i have to do this on one of my cars occassionally


Tosh can't afford to fill it to the brim he spends all his money on women's clothes ...  ;D
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 22, 2009, 12:15:53 pm
when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens
what would happen dave when doing this ? with doing this can it help to find a problem ?

it releasesthe back vacuum  from the tank,you will get those symptoms when the fuel tank vent gets blocked, especially whrn you have filled the tank to the brim
 i have to do this on one of my cars occassionally


Tosh can't afford to fill it to the brim he spends all his money on women's clothes ...  ;D

You're not far wrong there, Malc!  :-[
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Central Window Cleaners on November 22, 2009, 12:28:33 pm
I had the same problem as this a few years ago on a mondeo diesel turbo, it turned out to be a seal gone on the turbo and was quite cheap to get fixed by our local mechanic.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: SherwoodCleaningSe on November 22, 2009, 05:55:28 pm
If the car is about 5 years old it will have an OBD chip in it, this will register a fault that can either be obtained by plugging a computer into it or sometimes through the dash board, if you have a look on the net you should be able to find out how to put you car in diagnostic mode if it has one.  Mine for instance, you hold the odometer reset down and then start the car.  Once you get the code look online for what the problem is at a place like this.
www.obd-codes.com/

Hope it helps.

Simon.

PS injector cleaner is good stuff.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: abilol on November 22, 2009, 11:11:18 pm
my van was running like that and it was coil pack
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: cozy on November 22, 2009, 11:28:34 pm
You sad JAP git ! All that cash you have, and wont invest in a new motor! Bet "Wor lass" can get it running ;D Tight fisted pay wallah ::)
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: chris@c.m.s on November 22, 2009, 11:40:39 pm
My driving instructor told me when I started to learn, many years ago Orientals are the worst people too teach to drive, no coordination apparently, never have forgotten that quote!   

Try releasing the handbrake then slowly release the clutch while bringing in the gas.

Hope this helps ::)
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: cozy on November 22, 2009, 11:41:40 pm
Yeah good point
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 23, 2009, 08:10:51 am
Very good, lads, now pee off!  ;D
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 27, 2009, 08:04:25 pm

<from wot you say,it sounds like it could be anything from a split rubber intake hose to even a dickey valve .  best you get it looked at as sure as the sunrise it won"t fix itself !

Yep, you were right.  It was an RAC call out this morning after my first job and a tow to the garage.  Diagnostics couldn't find anything wrong with the car so they think its something called an EDL valve which does something with my exhaust needs replacing.

The car is running fine now, and is booked into the Fiat garage on Wednesday (unless it conks out again).  It costs about £250 - £300 including labour, so its not too bad!  Pain though.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: eclipse on November 28, 2009, 12:07:58 am
could it be a EGR Valve    Exhaust Gas Recirculation  valve   

i had similar problems till i change a seal on the valve runs ok now
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Ta-ra on November 28, 2009, 08:36:00 am
What colour is it?  Might make some difference.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: daniel worgan on November 28, 2009, 09:01:58 am
It's probably in meditation mode and just chilling out,it will come back to life soon.... ;D
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on November 28, 2009, 11:44:11 am
what do you expect from cheap crap cars fiats are prone to conk out on ya sooner rather than later `mine never went far enough to pay for its self your problem is either a blocked fuel pump on running it on low fuel for a long time of a lamba sensor playing up hope this is of some help FIAT WORST CARS AROUND next time go for a ford connect diesel you wont regret it tosh
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: Tosh on November 28, 2009, 12:08:59 pm
My Fiat has been great!  It was bought when it was about three years old, and I've had it for over two years now and this is the first problem I've had with it, and it gets some stick.

I've had more trouble with spanking brand new cars in the past.
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on November 28, 2009, 12:13:51 pm
maybe it was just mine then it spent more time at the garage then it did on the road  ;D ;D. but i think in rcent years fiat have got there act together
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: jonnyald on November 28, 2009, 01:37:22 pm
hey i think FIATS  are allrite , mines reliable 
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: AuRavelling79 on November 28, 2009, 05:00:19 pm
My Fiat has been great!  It was bought when it was about three years old, and I've had it for over two years now and this is the first problem I've had with it, and it gets some stick.

I've had more trouble with spanking brand new cars in the past.

You've got some strange hobbies Tosh! But hitting new cars is a very strange hobby indeed!

Oh hang on ... didn't Basil Fawlty start that craze when his Austin 1300 packed up while he collected a duck from Andre's for his "gourmet night"?  ;D
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on November 30, 2009, 07:13:26 pm
well i give me motors some abuse scrapes and dents come as standard wen i trade in and a hell of a lot of frapeing
Title: Re: My ruddy car is playing up!
Post by: traps7 on November 30, 2009, 07:27:20 pm
Personally I just go straight to a garage nowadays. I've spent too much time and money on parts in the past on trying to guess what's wrong on a modern car/van. You could be there all day. They're so complicated now. Best left to the experts IMO.