Very low idle +cutting out / Sudden Lack of power!

[amdaman]

Right, was just driving along and suddenly at the traffic lights the car starts chugging worse than usual, with the idle at around 500, so i blip the throttle and go.. I'm at a steady 3k revs then I lose all power and the revs drop right down to 500 again while i'm still moving and while my foot is down to the floor!!

Then power was restored and it shot off, but it kept doing the same! :roll: So I pulled up and switched the engine off to check everything was tight which it was..

Then when I go to start the car, i turn the key and all I could hear was the fuel pump but no starter! The starter has been on/off the last few days so i'm not sure whether it's sticking or what??

Get it started by bumping it and it continues to keep giving me power then taking it away and all of a sudden acts perfectly half way through the journey!??

When I get home the starter motor is ok too, plus sometimes when the car is off and the keys are out some of the lights remain partially illuminated?

Could all this be connected? I did all my earths the other day too, but what's the earth for that's on the front of the box (near the front bumper) as if that got wet could it cause issues as the rain was quite bad?

Here's a video of it's issues, note that my foot was in the same position on the accelerator!

YouTube - idle

 

[The T.I.B.]

hows your alternator when running?

also is it better in the dry

 

[amdaman]

it's been pretty good in the warm weather but the heavy rain today seems to have done something.

Think alt puts 14v to battery.

 

[The T.I.B.]

deffo no water in the plug wells or anything like that?

 

[ricerfuel]

yeah i suspect water as well

 

[amdaman]

plugwells look fine, What is the most likely to get wet?

I'm thinking the earths on the box and maybe the lambda wiring?

Tried to do it this morning too, after I redlined it it seemed to go away, might have been lucky though?

 

[Chris H]

most likely to get wet is the plug wells.

If that vids of you holdign constant throttle then it dipping down and going back up then you have a lambda or TPS issue.

 

[amdaman]

I'll double check..

Going to change the MAP sensor, TB and Bosch lambda (as I got em all cheap)

 

[amdaman]

check and cleaned all earths, TPS, alternator connections, reset ECU still nothing.

Just waiting on the lambda, but how would a lambda cause such big problems? I was sure it was an earth fault though as I drove through a big puddle yesterday and different lights on the dash illuminated??

Also the problem does go away after 15-20mins of very painful driving, and if i'm on WOT it won't do it, so I have to drive around everywhere in 5th with my foot to the floor just to get it to act rationally :/

 

[Jorge]

Air filter???

Any chance of getting some water in the air filter while it rains cats and dogs, do you have an air induction kit or something alike?

 

[amdaman]

got an airbox with a foglight feed but theres no way water would get to the TB.

Lambda is the only thing I can think of at the moment, because it's a bosch universal so water may have got into the wiring, but I though the lambda was ignored when the engine is cold?

 

[Chris H]

the lambnda is ignored until its up to temp, did you do the checks I told you last time to make sure the cts isn't switchign to early?

 

[amdaman]

hi chris, sorry I forgot the checks but tell me as i'll try again.

It smells like it's running uber rich too. It acts normally after 25ish minutes of driving.

 

[amdaman]

also just went to take my lambda out, and it was hot, even though the car hasn't been run for a couple of days... is that normal?

 

[Chris H]

you my good man have a bit of an issue there, your relays ain;t turnoign off or you have a bit of melted wiring somewhere

 

[sparky33]

Must be some strong battery if that didn't flatten it. Chris is right, as it is heated to prevent it being covered in crap, heats up like a glow plug.

 

[amdaman]

i'll investigate that.
but it's sorted now Changed the MAP sensor and lambda today, i'm guessing it was the lambda at fault though as it looked like a universal one, replaced it with Bosch, sweet as a nut.