[Tosh]

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?

[jeff1]

Could be a fuel filter problem on a diesel 

[krave]

How often, Will it restart after failing? does it ever chug or stall while driving, or missfire/

[jonnyald]

does it  rev up normally,when u arent moving ?  what jalopy is it u have ?

[kevinc]

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

[Tosh]

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.

[Tosh]

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.

[matt]

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 )

[Tosh]

,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?  

[Tosh]

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.

[jonnyald]

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 "    



<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 !

[kevinc]

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

[kevinc]

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

[Moderator David@stives]

when it happens again try removing the fuel cap and see what happens

[elite mike]

sounds like air getting in some where

[d s windowcleaning]

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 ?

[elite mike]

tosh have a look at your fuel lines, and check to see if there are any leaks

[elite mike]

or you can ask on here tosh

http://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/

[Moderator David@stives]

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

[AuRavelling79]

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 ...