engine cutting out

last_orders

hey, i hope anyone here can help me with my problem. i have an 8yo vw polo which loves to cut out. what happens is that while im slowing down to stop the engine rattles sending the rev counter up slightly an then it cuts out, its my first car an it happened a bit when i was first driving but i solved the problem by gearing down correctly but lately the problems back an its getting worse. some days it never happens an other days it'll cut out constantly, so you can imagine in heavy traffic the stopping and starting means it cuts out dozens of times. safety wasnt a concern givin id be goin so slow anyway but the other day it happened while i was pulling out of a side street an while i was slowing down to see if i was clear it cuts out an i lost power steering an i was a whisker away from hitting some bloke (was a very narrow road). im not getting into it again til its cheacked coz its too dangerous. i have it booked in to be looked at but if anyone can shed some light on the matter so i know what im dealing with it would be much appriciated. cheers.

crosstownk

Could be a few things, tbh. Firstly check the intake air preheat pipe that takes in air which has been warmed by passing over the exhaust manifold. If the pipe is broken it could be drawing in cold air which is causing the car to cut out. Secondly, it could be that your throttle body is dirty. This can be cured by cleaning it with a catalytic convertor friendly carb cleaner. It could also be a problem with the air mass meter, or possibly a faulty engine temperature sender. I reckon it's more likely to be one of the first two mentioned.

last_orders

thanks for the prompt reply, i should have mentioned in my original post that my catalitic converter is broken off inside the exaust. when i first got the car it was givin a good seeing to by the garage an the mechanic told me about it but said its nothing to worry about, is what he said true? tbh most of what ya said went straight over my head but a mate of mine is mechanically minded so ill rope him into applying your advice, thanks again buddy

crosstownk

If the catalytic convertor insides have become detached from the casing - it could cause similar symptoms. It is possible that the loose component could completely block the exhaust and cause the car to come to a standstill - and it may not restart. TBH, you really need a new cat - you may fail your next NCT if unconverted gasses are getting past the cat. I don't think it's the cause of your current fault, but it could be a future problem.

antopanto

I had this problem with my polo, and it was resolved easily. I checked the water in the battery and found it virtually bone dry. I topped it up with de-ionsed water u can buy this very cheap at a motor factors. It will take 2 days to take effect (water to turn to acid) and voila