Need Help! Car stalling and sometimes not starting!!!

[mbilal]

Hi members, I have a few problems that recently started playing up and Im not sure which steps to take for repairs.

A couple of weeks back, legnum decided not start as I spent nearly a hour cranking it over and over. In the end, I left it overnight at the local shopping centre carpark and in the morning started fine and drove it home, Its been playing up lately as it sometimes doesn’t start after a short drive. It will crank for ages as If the immobiliser or something is preventing. But after leaving it for a long time and it cools down, then it will start.
Yesterday, it decided to stall twice, as Im driving, transmission doesn’t change, revs drop and then the engine dies, again it takes an hour of waiting to cool down before it can start again.

Spoke to the mechanic and first he said it could be the crank angle sensor or cam sensor, shutting the engine off completely, or the ignition box, (the large heatsink lookalike near the fan) that doesn’t want to work when overheats and needs to cool down before starting again.
Does anyone have similar issues or can tell me whats happening? Its frustrating to put hazards lights on in the middle of traffic and hope for the best so it starts and takes me home.
Any Ideas?

 

[Scubasteve]

change the font color can't read what you wrote

 

[mbilal]

this website also doesn't let me type properly as it keeps autosaving and most of my letters wont typing, typed it up on word, copy and paste and now looks like this.

 

[mbilal]

In the end, I left it overnight at the local shopping centre carpark and in the morning started fine and drove it home, Its been playing up lately as it sometimes doesn’t start after a short drive. It will crank for ages as If the immobiliser or something is preventing. But after leaving it for a long time and it cools down, then it will start.

Yesterday, it decided to stall twice, as Im driving, transmission doesn’t change, revs drop and then the engine dies, again it takes an hour of waiting to cool down before it can start again.

Spoke to the mechanic and first he said it could be the crank angle sensor or cam sensor, shutting the engine off completely, or the ignition box, (the large heatsink lookalike near the fan) that doesn’t want to work when overheats and needs to cool down before starting again.
Does anyone have similar issues or can tell me whats happening? Its frustrating to put hazards lights on in the middle of traffic and hope for the best so it starts and takes me home.
Any Ideas?

 

[VOLK]

Fixed! Edit > Switch editor to source mode > select all > remove format.

When you type things up in word, it tries to copy in the formatting (font/colour/size).

If you paste text, right click > paste as plain text.

 

[mbilal]

Hi members, I have a few problems that recently started playing up and Im not sure which steps to take for repairs.

A couple of weeks back, legnum decided not start as I spent nearly a hour cranking it over and over.

In the end, I left I overnight at the local shopping centre carpark, and in the morning started fine an drove it home. Its been playing up lately as it sometimes doesn't start after a short drive, it will crank for ages as if the immobiliser or something is preventing from firing up. but after leaving it for a while and it cools down, then it will start.

Yesterday, it decided to stall twice, as Im driving, transmission wont change gears, revs drop and the engine shuts off. Again it takes an hour or so of waiting to cool down before it starts again.

Spoke to the mechanic and first he said it could be the crank angle sensor or cam angle sensor, shutting the engine off completely, or the ignition box ( the large heatsink lookalike box in front of the fans) that doesn't want to work and needs to cool down before it starts again.
Dos anyone have similar issues or know what going on? It embarrassing to stop the traffic every now and then.

Any ideas?

 

[Scubasteve]

Alternator charging the battery properly. Any dash lights or code errors coming up?

 

[naughtika]

Is it auto or manual?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[BCX]

or the ignition box ( the large heatsink lookalike box in front of the fans) that doesn't want to work and needs to cool down before it starts again

This is the power transistor for the radiator fans, nothing to do with ignition.

Symptoms almost sound like IFS (ignition failure sensor) on the way out. If it were me, I'd take the engine cover off, and pour water to cool it down next time it does it so see if it's heat related. TCU needs tacho signal, so if IFS is playing up, might explain the odd behaviour with the gearbox.

Does the tacho stop working too?

 

[VOLK]

Crank but won't fire tells me it's charging fine, not alternator or battery related. Sounds like crank angle sensor...maybe. Check my sig for how to check for codes, no point in endless guesswork when your ECU can tell you what's faulting.

 

[trotty]

I'm thinking it maybe a faulty fuel pump. They can do the same symptoms.

 

[mbilal]

Its Auto, a second before it stalls, the engine light comes on and then the car dies. I thought it was an electrical problem and the auto electrican said it sounds like the crank angle sensor is going, and then I had to visit the mechanic coz the timing belt cover needs to come off, etc. if I can find out what the problem is I can take it one step at a time and replace what is needed.
So far, it will start on cold starts, but after some short trips there is a chance it wont start and keep cranking, as if the fuel isnt being fed.

 

[mbilal]

Bought a bluetooth OBD adaptor and have the torque app, when it arrives ill plug it in and see if any fault codes come up.

 

[mbilal]

It starts on cold starts and runs OK, when it wants to, just take it to the nearby shops and back, dont want to embarrass myself in traffic, so I dont think its the fuel pump.
i thought it could be some blocked fuel lines, I had driven around a week with low fuel (fuel light on) and then the day I filled up full, the first problem started, (cranking and not starting). After a couple of days later, this stalling problem happened. On the way back from the mechanic today it stalled at the lights again, but fired up and i was away again.

 

[mbilal]

I think it could be the crank angle sensor, or maybe the Ignition sensor like Bill is saying, is that behind the timing belt cover as well? If its going to be opened up after all, mechanic is saying buy a timing belt kit and ill do it all at once as well. Dont know where to start from.

 

[Gt_Galant]

Just a guess but maybe a blocked fuel filter ? Maybe its playing up because it has crap in it and letting and not letting fuel pass ?

 

[fieldy107]

I dont think the OBD adaptor and torque app you bought are going to work. Ours cards are not standard OBD.

You can use a paper clip to check error codes, there is a guide on here somewhere.

 

[VOLK]

Yep, in my sig. Pins to bridge are here. Problem could be a heap of things. Run codes, check for vac leaks as a start.

 

[naughtika]

cheapest troubleshooting is..

next time it happens, jump in 3 & 4 on the IFS connector... if it works, that would confirm its the IFS

 

[mbilal]

next time it happens, jump in 3 & 4 on the IFS connector... if it works, that would confirm its the IFS ???

I didn't quite get what is meant, where is the IFS connector? do I join those 2 terminals with a paperclip?

I know how to short terminals on the OBD, had to do that when programming keys, and some lights were flashing constantly.