General Re: Idling problem and stalling

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Hi There
We have a P reg uylsse that as never idled properly from the day we purchased it. However over the last three weeks the problem as got worse and the car keeps stalling, it happens when its cold and other times when its been driving for half an hour or so, today it stalled on me so many times i cant drive it anymore.
After going through some of the old posts concerning this problem my husband cleaned the idling valve and just inside the carberetta where the butterfly is, for a few days the car was fine but now worse than ever.
We have ordered a new idling valve hubby is going to change it himself ( i hope he knows what he is doing) We have also been told by someone that owned an N reg uylsse for years to unplug the ecu then plug it back in. So first of all should we do this and how do we do this? and where is the ecu situated ?
To be honest i think when hubby purchased this car he made a boo boo, we have already spent so much money on other stuff that needed doing. I am now wondering if we should just count our losses and scrap the blasted thing.
Any help would be appreciated
Carol

 

[BusDriver]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

I had a similar problem. The idle control actuator (it's a little stepper motor attached to the throttle body) was first cleaed. Yes that worked for about a day. So, in the end, the mechanic I used replaced the unit with a secondhand good one. It was plugged into an diagnostics computer (it was a Citroen one, but as it's a PSA engine it was OK) and reset. Another problem was detected: the lambda/oxygen sensor was not working properly so fuel mixture was all wrong. We changed that for a good used part too. Labour and parts came to £150. Money well spent as the car now runs faultlessly...

I don't know how much you paid but I bought our 2.0s (1997 too) for £770 and have since spent £110 on a cambelt replacement, £40 on a service, £35 on replacing the door locks and that £150 above. All in all, just over a grand for a nice people carier ain't bad...

Stick with it! Good luck.

 

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Thank you so much for your advice! in all honesty i do like my people carrier and would love to get it working properly. I am a woman so sorry if this sounds dumb! by idle control actuator do you mean the idle valve itself? where is the oxygen sensor? its so akward not having a manual.
Do any of you know a mechanic in the croydon area we could go to? only the fiat dealers charge a fortune.
Thank you again
Carol

 

[BusDriver]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Carol, the 'actuator' is called many things depending who you talk to. It is a small electric 'stepper' motor that controls the idle valve 'butterfly' (you can tell I'm no expert!). I bought a good condition second hand one for £25. FIAT will charge £102 for a new one . The chap I use fitted it and also checked the little temperature sensor that clips on the top of the throttle body (it's the black plastic thing with a screw in it connected to the yellow plastic plug in my photo). Then, with his diagnostic computer connected to the ECU, he performed tests and reset it. It was then we discovered a fault with the fuel mixture and the oxygen sensor was the culprit. The connector for this (I think - I wasn't paying too much attention at the time ) is at the bottom front of the engine (I think it's a purple connector). Follow the cable round under the airbox and you'll see it disappears behind the engine. Now, because the engine was very hot we had to wait until he could remove items (injector rail and such) to feel where it ended up. The sensor is located right at the top of the downpipe by the subfarme (apparently - it was him effing and blinding with his hand bent at an angle, not me!). Once located though it seemed like a quick enough job to replace. That part cost me another £25 (good used).

Then another test (on the road too - to make sure the ECU learned what to do) and the car was signed off as officially 'fixed. And apart from the relief the increased power is marked. It's positively sprightly! (And the fuel consumption's better too).

I can't help you with someone in Croydon, but I could put you in touch with someone in Essex (Billericay)...

Good luck.

 

[cipher]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

BusDriver,

The Ulysse that you ave pictured used to be mine!

We sold it in Oct last year, to find out the next month that we were expecting our fourth child, so we now have a 2000 (W) JTD EL. Not before we considered buying that one back....

Odd how things turn up in the least expected places.

Incidently, I had a similar issue when I owned the one pictured above, replaced the plugs and leads, and it was all okay.

 

[BusDriver]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

What a small world!

It's a nice bus, and we are taking it to France end of next week. A report follows!

Don't suppose you have any service history? Even if there's no paperwork, an idea of if/when any work done would help me firm up it's provenance, so to speak.

 

[gball]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Busdriver,
Whats circled in the picture isn't exactly a stepper motor its a plunger,but it does control the idling. They are available from ebay for about £20, just get the right one. I have one in front of me right now.

 

[BusDriver]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

I stand corrected. Told you I was no expert

£20 off eBay? That's good.

Unless it turns out to be the wrong one, of course.

Is this idling thing a common problem with the 2.0?

 

[gball]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

It appears to be, I had the opposite problem it would only idle! The instant you tried to accelerate it stalled. The AA thought it was the throttle potentiometer, but could only make a guess he couldn't interrogate the ECU.
That was 3 years ago and the problem hasn't returned, Carol should stick with it and she will have a great car, I would really miss mine now.

 

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Busdriver,
Whats circled in the picture isn't exactly a stepper motor its a plunger,but it does control the idling. They are available from ebay for about £20, just get the right one. I have one in front of me right now.

Hi Gball
I have looked on Ebay for one of these under plunger and stepper motor, but cant find one! what do i look under?
Carol

 

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Hi Busdriver & Gball
Thank you so much for trying to help me with these problems. I have been trying to get hubby to follow your advice but with some difficulty! when he came home from work this evening he started the Uylsse it was just the same as the day before kept stalling! he then took the earth wire off the battery for five minutes and put it back (was told to do this by someone today) :bang: the car was exactly the same. He then unplugged the electric connection to what you called the stepper motor, he noticed the connections were all corroded! he cleaned them! plugged it back in, and hey presto the car started, hubby took it out on a file mile run it never stalled once. The idling is still not 100 % i know the car is far from fixed!
Well the new idle valve should be here tomorow once hubby has changed that i will get him to go through all the things you have advised to do.
Keep your fingers crossed for us! i will keep you posted.
Thanks again
Carol

 

[BusDriver]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

You'll get there! It will need a diagnostics computer plugged in to ensure everything is working as it should.... And don't forget the test drive with the computer connected so it registers the gear selection (something we needed to do - it's like the ECU needed to be taught again!)... I may be talking b******s but it's what we did - and it seemed to work.

 

[gball]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Hi Gball
I have looked on Ebay for one of these under plunger and stepper motor, but cant find one! what do i look under?
Carol

Try this item number and then make sure you have the correct one, 330249571527.

 

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Well guys the uylsse is booked in with the garage, having the diagnostics check done tomorrow, we have our fingers crossed they will find out what's wrong and it wont be to exspensive to fix.
Thanks for the item no Gball! will let you both know how we get on.
Thanks again
Carol

 

[carol]

Re: Idling problem and stalling

Hi Guys
Got the uylsse back from the garage tonight the diagnostics did show a fault! they fitted a new map sensor and reset the computer, they said this should be and end to the idling and stalling problem. I took it on a short run this evening she seemed fine, i will be taking her on a longer run tomorrow so fingers crossed! Its just i got used to her running fine for a day or two then the next few days she would keep stalling and spluttering, so i am sort of expecting it to still happen. I hope the problem is solved though i do like my Uylsse really.
The total price was £184.65
Thank you again for all your help and advice! i will keep you posted!!!!