Car keeps shutting down on me

ptarpeyoc

I’m having some trouble with my car and I can’t seem to determine what the problem may be, electrical or mechanical?
I’m driving a 2001 Bora TDI, I’ve owned this car for about 11 months now has never given me much trouble just that it wouldn’t start some mornings but a new battery quickly solved my problem.


The car was fully serviced (glow plugs too) about 4/5 weeks ago.


So here’s my problem –

I was driving along about 3 weeks ago and the car started to lose power slowly start to splutter and would eventually die.
The car would keep turning but it wouldn’t catch, it would only catch say 20/30 minutes later when as if the car had cooled down but would turn for a very long time. It would generally just go after about 30 minutes from a push start. I’d get to drive it again for about 5/10 minutes until the car would start to chug again and eventually die then I was back to square 1 with the problem.


It was thought to be a crankshaft sensor but that was changed and to no use.
There was a hole in my windscreen line which had been dripping water down onto the bulk head and I then removed the ECU took it apart and a drop of water did come out of it I then left it to dry in the hot press for the night got the hair dryer on low power heat drying it for about twenty minutes glued It by the seals back together plugged her back into the car then it was going great for about 4/5 hours and it started that problem back together all over again.


The car has been plugged in by a friend with a snap on diagnostics and another very expensive tool (there was 4 other cars in the garage that were reading so tools couldn’t be faulted) and the car isn’t reading or showing up onto the diagnostics.


I’ve been told by some that I can get a 2nd hand ECU and bring my ECU to a programmer and he will then swap my information from the old ECU to the new one. (So I’ve been told) This is setting me back about €200 altogether I don’t want to go throwing money at this if its not going to work so if anyone has any insight or experienced similar problems please help me out because I have a conscience and don’t want to go flogging this car off to be someone else’s problem and it’s a great car to drive first hiccup its given me in nearly a year of having the car.

If anyone has any insight im very greatful thank you

dantastic

Sounds like the ECU needs changing no matter what.

However, I think the problem you are describing sounds more like a fuel pump on it's last legs. When they are about to die they tend to over heat after a small while and become ineffective until they have cooled down.

Don't know about your particular car but if the pump is in tank you can try to run it with the fuel tank mostly full. If that help, change fuel pump.

ptarpeyoc

dantastic wrote: »

Sounds like the ECU needs changing no matter what.

However, I think the problem you are describing sounds more like a fuel pump on it's last legs. When they are about to die they tend to over heat after a small while and become ineffective until they have cooled down.

Don't know about your particular car but if the pump is in tank you can try to run it with the fuel tank mostly full. If that help, change fuel pump.

When we jumped it one day actually a week ago today a friend noticed a bubble of about an inch in the fuel pump line. The fuel pump is up on the front as far i'm sure.

Car seems down on power in 2nd gear or could just be me being very paranoid. Fuel pump or ECU related issue if its not just me overthinking things?

dantastic

Ok, like I said - not familiar with that car at all but it certainly seems like a problem with fuel delivery rather than a ECU problem.

There should be no air in the fuel lines. If you can observe air bubbles pass by when the car is running that's definitely where you should be looking. Could be a leak somewhere where you are taking in air. Especially if the pump is up front and you are sucking diesel rather than at the back pushing it.

ptarpeyoc

dantastic wrote: »

Ok, like I said - not familiar with that car at all but it certainly seems like a problem with fuel delivery rather than a ECU problem.

There should be no air in the fuel lines. If you can observe air bubbles pass by when the car is running that's definitely where you should be looking. Could be a leak somewhere where you are taking in air. Especially if the pump is up front and you are sucking diesel rather than at the back pushing it.

The car is actually at a garage at the moment going over at 5 to collect it but rather go chancing a fuel pump change rather than changing an ECU hopefully you and him are on the same idea and it wont cost me a fortune :rolleyes:

Interslice

Do you know if it's a PD TDI engine or VP tdi?

Interslice

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=342025

Interesting thread here from about post 12 on. Id say either you have a blockage in your fuel sender or them small rubber leak off hoses between the intectors are letting air in and recirculating air into the filter. Moneys still on the sender, I'd pull it and see if you can clear it out first. There expensive enough, about 100 quid new.