Car is cutting out while driving!

Jonny Drama

Hi,

Have a 2001 Opel Vectra 1.6L (187k) and had a bit of trouble with it starting and cutting out a few months ago, but it sorted itself out without me bringing it to a garage.

In the last few days it has been starting/driving kinda OK, but I notice it getting a bit giddy with the revs when I'm driving it even though I'm not messing with the accelerator. But today when I was driving at about 55mph in 5th gear on a straight road I could feel it jerking a bit and I knew something wasn't right, so I put my foot on brake and clutch to drop a gear so I could pull in, and it conked out! It started agin but was struggling to keep the revs, then it conked again. Got it started again, drove it 100m and same again it conked out after doing a bit of jerking..

Not sure what the prob is.. Any ideas? Thanks

tony 5

could be the fuel pump

dgt

Jonny Drama wrote: »

Hi,

Have a 2001 Opel Vectra 1.6L (187k) and had a bit of trouble with it starting and cutting out a few months ago, but it sorted itself out without me bringing it to a garage.

In the last few days it has been starting/driving kinda OK, but I notice it getting a bit giddy with the revs when I'm driving it even though I'm not messing with the accelerator. But today when I was driving at about 55mph in 5th gear on a straight road I could feel it jerking a bit and I knew something wasn't right, so I put my foot on brake and clutch to drop a gear so I could pull in, and it conked out! It started agin but was struggling to keep the revs, then it conked again. Got it started again, drove it 100m and same again it conked out after doing a bit of jerking..

Not sure what the prob is.. Any ideas? Thanks

This sounds very familiar....

Here's an almost identical problem my van suffered. Cured it too, could be of some help to you

Linky

pjmn

Could be fuel pump as stated above - however could also be a faulty immobiliser (if there is one on the car)... had a vectra before and the immobiliser used to kick in and cut all power to the car itself... great when I was in the outside lane of a motorway!

m.mac

I had a corsa that when you were driving along and it would keep losing power for a couple of seconds then it would be fine. It just cutting in and out all the time. The problem turned out to be the air flow sensor. Replaced it with one from a vectra and it worked grand from then on. Mighten be the problem with your car but a possible solution.

Jonny Drama

Thanks for the replies.. It seems like it could be a number of things! It does feel like air flow, and the only reason I'd say that is because of it being giddy at times even though I wouldn't even be pressing the accelerator..

Media999

Have the throttle body cleaned. Had the same problem on an a4 and that was the problem 100%.

Jonny Drama

There's no warning lights on the dashboard.. Would any of the problems mentioned above show up warning lights?

Media999

Throttle body needing a clean wouldnt

Jonny Drama

Well it's with the mechanic now so we'll soon see what the problem is!

Devi

Jonny Drama wrote: »

Well it's with the mechanic now so we'll soon see what the problem is!

I have a 04 vectra with the exact same problem, if you find out what it is will you post it please.

Swampy

Crankshaft sensor perhaps.

Jonny Drama

Devi wrote: »

I have a 04 vectra with the exact same problem, if you find out what it is will you post it please.

I will indeed.. That's if I ever get the car off the mechanic!! It's been gone now for the best part of a month..............

Over 2 weeks ago I got a call from the mechanic saying the car was fixed, the throttle body was caked up and it needed a cleaning, so I was told no problems were showing up on the diagnostics etc..

I was still a bit sceptical, drove away, and 30 miles later it conked out again, so it's been in the garage ever since waiting for an egr valve.

But as soon as I get it back I'll let you know the story.

Jonny Drama

Devi wrote: »

I have a 04 vectra with the exact same problem, if you find out what it is will you post it please.

Just to update you - the mechanic said he cleaned out the egr valve for me, not sure if that will work, I'm picking it up this evening and I'll lett you know if the problem has gone or not!

Devi

Jonny Drama wrote: »

Just to update you - the mechanic said he cleaned out the egr valve for me, not sure if that will work, I'm picking it up this evening and I'll lett you know if the problem has gone or not!

Funny enough i got a new erg valve fitted only 2-3 years ago. Had to changethe manifold last year which is connected to the erg. Its a funny one alright,I think there is a problem further down that’s effecting the erg valves. Illprobably just trade it in at this stage, sick of it going on me.

Jonny Drama

Devi wrote: »

Funny enough i got a new erg valve fitted only 2-3 years ago. Had to changethe manifold last year which is connected to the erg. Its a funny one alright,I think there is a problem further down that’s effecting the erg valves. Illprobably just trade it in at this stage, sick of it going on me.

Got the car back yesterday evening, egr valve was cleaned up and a few other small things were cleaned in the engine as well, and 20 miles later it broke down again, so I've given up now at this stage, it could be a number of things I'm told!

Please Kill Me

Jonny Drama wrote: »

Got the car back yesterday evening, egr valve was cleaned up and a few other small things were cleaned in the engine as well, and 20 miles later it broke down again, so I've given up now at this stage, it could be a number of things I'm told!

I feel your pain, it's very frustrating. I'm having a similar problem with my Mazda 626. I was told it could be (a) egr valve (b) Throttle Position Sensor (c) throttle body, which has since been cleaned and didn't fix the problem (d) manifold gasket sucking in too much air (e) vacuum pipe (f) a dozen other possibilities. It's going in next week to (hopefully) get sorted once and for all. I've already changed the coil and leads thinking that might be the problem but alas, it wasn't.

Jonny Drama

Please Kill Me wrote: »

I feel your pain, it's very frustrating. I'm having a similar problem with my Mazda 626. I was told it could be (a) egr valve (b) Throttle Position Sensor (c) throttle body, which has since been cleaned and didn't fix the problem (d) manifold gasket sucking in too much air (e) vacuum pipe (f) a dozen other possibilities. It's going in next week to (hopefully) get sorted once and for all. I've already changed the coil and leads thinking that might be the problem but alas, it wasn't.

How did you get on with your car since? I did a bit more research on mine and it looks like it might be the crankshaft sensor!

tcawley29

This sounds similar to my old Toyota Yaris. If it has a timing chain have the tensioner checked. If it is indeed the tensioner that is the problem and you do nothing you will need a new engine before too long.

Jonny Drama

Mine has a belt.. I think it could be crank shaft. Cheers anyways

delthedriver

EGR valve ?

Jonny Drama

delthedriver wrote: »

EGR valve ?

Well the mechanic said he cleaned out the EGR valve for me so I'm assuming it's not that.. The car is 2001 and I fitted a brand new EGR valve in it in 2007 so I'd be very surprised if it was bucked again?

I've driven it a good bit since, mainly on short journeys (5-10 miles) and there's no problem, only the odd jutter from the engine.

I've only driven 1 longish journey (50 miles) and it was fine then also. It wouldn't do that 50 mile journey for me at all before, but maybe I got lucky on that last journey.. But I am no in no way confident driving it because it could conk out at any time mid-drive as soon as it judders and then I put my foot on clutch to slow/change gear!

There are no warning signs on dash board. I did the pedal test and the only code that appears is 1530, which is for an A/C relay. The mechanic said that code would have no bearing on the performance of the engine!

Blueseyes

Jonny Drama wrote: »

Devi wrote: »

Funny enough i got a new erg valve fitted only 2-3 years ago. Had to changethe manifold last year which is connected to the erg. Its a funny one alright,I think there is a problem further down that’s effecting the erg valves. Illprobably just trade it in at this stage, sick of it going on me.

Got the car back yesterday evening, egr valve was cleaned up and a few other small things were cleaned in the engine as well, and 20 miles later it broke down again, so I've given up now at this stage, it could be a number of things I'm told!

I had the same prob with my astra.. Changed the valve and still didn't work.. Turned out the cat was blocked and was choking the engine .. Maybe check out the cat..

Jonny Drama

Blueseyes wrote: »

I had the same prob with my astra.. Changed the valve and still didn't work.. Turned out the cat was blocked and was choking the engine .. Maybe check out the cat..

cheers, il do that