Hi all

Been having a few issues with my 98 Cinq sporting cutting out and then being hard to start, and today it refused to start from cold. Took about 5 mins of trying to turn it over before it even sounded like it was trying.

Until today, its always started 1st time but ive had the cutting out problem for about a week. When its running its lovely, but it tends to cut out as i approch a junction when i let the revs drop to idle speed, sometimes it will restart straight away, and other times i can be stuck for a few mins trying to start. This doesn't happen every day, can drive all day with no problems, then another day it will cut out a few times.

Has anyone had this problem? Did you solve it?

Regards,
Julie

boy do I know this feeling - have a read through some of the threads I have posted - it sounds like you have what I have :bang:

try here

Does giving it a bit of gas make any difference.

When it doesnt stall do the revs drop below say 900?

Personally i would start by checking the battery connections are on tightly and that all earths are secure.

I would start with checking for fuel and spark, then meter on the mainfold temp sensor.

Cheers

SPD

The link doesn't appear to work.

At normal tickover, revs are about 8-900rpm and when the car stalls its just cuts out witout warning. Trying to restart with or without throttle makes no difference. Battery connections are nice and tight, but now you mention it, the battery light comes on on tick over and goes out when rev'd.

Ive not cheacked spark or fuel yet, as it started in the end. It does try and fire, and does run for a split second, do this for about ten times and eventually it starts but has a missfire for the first few seconds. How do i go about testing the manifold temp sensor?

Thanks for the help so far guys.

Does the battery light stay out after youve revved it or flash back up when it drops to idle.

Check the other end of the battery ground cable that goes to under the coolant tank. Then check the cable that goes from battery to alternator. Then check the cable that goes from under the ECU to the gearbox. Just a hunch.

I also always take rallycinq's advice as he knows more than i ever will.

jamjar1972 said:

The link doesn't appear to work.

Click to expand...

yeah, two of my threads were merged to here

Will have a look Monday at the fuel and spark, and also the earths. How do i test the temp sensor that rallycinq mentioned earlier?

I found your thread now Simo, all very similar problems! Very annoying too!:bang:

Regards,
Julie

Meter across the sender set to resistance.

You are looking for a very high resistance when the car is cold, reducing as the car gets warmer.

If the temp sensor thinks the car is colder or hotter than it actually is it will send the wrong amount of fuel.

This all assumes you have fuel and spark, which you need to check first.

Cheers

SPD

Even if you have the lights and blower and rear screen on the battery light should stay off, at 900 rpm unless the rpm is erratic, the engine should be vibration free even at 900rpm, the alternator is on too small a pulley really.

You may have two problems...

Does it ever missfire or does it just stop, at random. e.g.is the a missfire on acceleration?

David is correct when it wont start next time you need to check for spark, if there is not a spark I'd suspect the TDC sensor they can (do) fail intermittent!

Noel

UPDATE...

Went to it this morning, armed with an old plug to test spark and spanners to take the airbox off.

Tryed to start it first, and guess what........ It bloody started first time!:bang:

Still, went ahead and looked over the earth points, all looked good but i gave them a clean anyway. All battery terminal and connections were fine too.

I took the temp sensor out just to have a look, nothing out the ordinary. Will check the resistance out at work later.

My battery light comes on at idle and goes out when rev'd, at idle i would say the engine is smooth, untill you turn lights, heaters rear screen or when the fan cuts in, this causes the revs to dip and take a second to work its self out.

When it does just cut out there is no warning lights, no missfire. Just cuts out and as i say if im lucky it will fire straight up, but most of the time once its cut out its a bugger to start, tryed starting with little or no throttle and also foot to the floor. Id say its just a case of 'catching it right' with a very light throttle works best for getting it to restart.

It starts best with no throttle at all the little computer does it all, any throttle may cause a problem...

It is not got a carb that you need to encourage.

My battery light never come on, unless you stall the engine, the engine note will alter as the engine cooling fan kicks in before the computer adjusts the idle speed again to compensate for the increased alternator drag.

Noel

Checked the resistance of the temp sensor, all seemed OK, had a high reading and decended rapidly as the engine temp increased.

My injection light came on when the temp sensor plug was removed and the cars idle was high (1100-1200rpm) as soon as i replaced the temp sensor plug idle dropped quite low (700-800rpm).

Think next time it will not start im going to remove the temp sensor plug and see if this makes any difference.

rallycinq said:

I would start with checking for fuel and spark, then meter on the mainfold temp sensor.

Cheers

SPD

Click to expand...

David has told you this twice... I'd agree...

Noel

Pep0 said:

David has told you this twice... I'd agree...

Noel

Click to expand...

But if the car is starting then there is obviously fuel and spark, i did say that i went to check those things this morning but it fired up first turn of the key. As soon as it refuses to start i will check for the spark and fuel.

Julie

OK, wouldn't fire up this afternoon so i checked the spark and fuel. There is a good spark and a mist of fuel can be seen too.

After a good few mins of trying it eventually started and had a missfire that cleared within a few times of being rev'd.

When i got to work, i left it ticking over for a few mins and the revs dropped and im sure it actually cut out for a split second but it saved it self and resumed normal tickover. Hope you can understand what i mean there. LOL

Julie

jamjar1972 said:

OK, wouldn't fire up this afternoon so i checked the spark and fuel. There is a good spark and a mist of fuel can be seen too.

After a good few mins of trying it eventually started and had a missfire that cleared within a few times of being rev'd.

When i got to work, i left it ticking over for a few mins and the revs dropped and im sure it actually cut out for a split second but it saved it self and resumed normal tickover. Hope you can understand what i mean there. LOL

Julie

Click to expand...

Hi

That is clear you may have an intermittent fault. For myself I'd replace the crank angle sensor, or gently waggle the cable to the sensor while the engine is running, but David (the purple green hair toy) will have a better plan, he always does.

Noel

I get called some wierd things, but that takes the biscuit!

It does sound like over fuelling to me which could be a temp sensor issue, howver, remove the map pipe, make sure its completely clear of any blockage and that the hose and connectors are intact, not split.

Cheers

SPD

Hey,

I had this problem for ages with my SX Cinq, it would just randomly cut out, sometimes it would start up first time other times it would take an absolute age!!

After replaceing the plugs, lead, ignition coils and doing loads of other checks, I replaced my TDC Sensor, BAM, Problem solved, I would suggest giving that a go to be honest. They're not that expensive.

Thanks for all the help so far guys, is the crank angle sensor the same as the TDC sensor?

I'll also check the pipes for and blackage or cracks and post my findings.

Julie