Engine "dies"... Can't find the reason.. :(

[st3ff3n]

Hi!

First thing, I'm not THAT good at writing in English, so please excuse me for that.

I have a Seat Ibiza 98' 1.4 which i bought at a fair price.
Odometer reads 171000km.

After a couple of weeks running without any problems, the engine starts to choke. Seems like it runs out of fuel or something like that. Tachometer hits 0 as it chokes, but ignition is still on.

After a couple of similar chokes, it dies completely on me..so the first thing i do, is to change the fuse for the ECU. It starts afterwards, but it seems like that was not the problem, because after another half an hour of driving, it dies again...Seems like it just needs time to "cool down", and then it starts up just fine...

I brought the car to a mechanic, and they told me it was the coil that was about to break down, so i bought a new coil for it, and fitted it in right away. I also changed the timing belt, and waterpump. (It needed to be changed anyway.)

So now the car has been running fine for two days, and suddenly it is doing the same thing all over again...

Does anyone have any idea about what it is that may cause the problem? I'm not exactly a skilled mechanic, so I'm running out of ideas...

 

[CraigW]

Sounds like the thermostat is stuck shut/open. When the car heats up the fan isnt kicking in to cool down the engine.

Well thats what I would say that it is.

 

[st3ff3n]

It is definitely not the thermostat, because the engine temperature stops at its normal position, not even near overheating. The fan is absolutely doing its job

Any other ideas?

I thought about switching out the spark plugs just to be sure, and the fuel filter, but it sounds strange to me that those things could be the problem... I mean, if one of the spark plugs are bad, the engine should still be able to run (at a very reduced performance ofcourse), or am i totally lost?

My other car is a diesel-car, so i kinda lack the experience of troubleshooting any other types of engines..

And then again, whats the odds of the fuel filter being so full of dirt that it may cause the engine to stop?

What about the part which distributes voltage from the coil to the sparkplugs? (don't know what the part is called in English ) And how can i check if there is anything wrong with it?

 

[CraigW]

If it was the spark plugs and/or spark plug leads then the car would be misfiring.

I have heard of fuel filters being really clogged meaning they would only let a small amount of fuel through.

 

[st3ff3n]

Okay, so the fuel filter might be too clogged up?

Anyways, i have ordered parts for my car now. I need to try the small things first...

Spark plugs
Rotor + lid
Fuel filter
Oil filter
Air filter

We took the car out for a test drive yesterday, and it "choked" a couple of times while we drove, but it did not come to a complete stop. The next time it completely stops, I'm going to check if it is getting fuel... Does anyone know if the fuel pump is a typical weakness on this model?

I've been trying to call different mechanic-shops to see if they know about any typical faults with the specific Ibiza...but with no luck.

By the way, is there any good explanation to why the clutch is so damn heavy? I feel like I've run 5 miles on foot after a 2-hour drive in the city... hehe

 

[Ad-mk2Ibiza]

haha everyone says that im gunna have to try a petrol one day, cause my diesel clutch is hydraulic

do any of your mechanics have vag-com?
might help you

 

[st3ff3n]

Yes, but they did not find the exact explaination to what could be wrong with my car anyways... :-(
I spoke to the mechanics who checked my car earlier, and they suggested i checked underneath the rotor, because there is a part there which supposedly is a well known fault in all WV and Seat cars around 98'...

So, i now know which part it is, and it's "plug and play", so i ordered it today. Hopefully i get the part before the end of next week.

He called it a "giver", but all i know is that it some sort of electrical thing...and easy to replace. Expencive part, by the way, cost me around 62GBP... (635 norwegian kroner)

 

[G223]

haha everyone says that im gunna have to try a petrol one day, cause my diesel clutch is hydraulic

oh no it isnt!!! no diesel ibizas have a hydraulic clutch

 

[Dolly_Gti]

id try a fuel pump relay first, then a ECU relay, then a fuel pump... keeping in mind youve changed the coil already.

 

[hendy83]

Hi!

First thing, I'm not THAT good at writing in English, so please excuse me for that.

I have a Seat Ibiza 98' 1.4 which i bought at a fair price.
Odometer reads 171000km.

After a couple of weeks running without any problems, the engine starts to choke. Seems like it runs out of fuel or something like that. Tachometer hits 0 as it chokes, but ignition is still on.

After a couple of similar chokes, it dies completely on me..so the first thing i do, is to change the fuse for the ECU. It starts afterwards, but it seems like that was not the problem, because after another half an hour of driving, it dies again...Seems like it just needs time to "cool down", and then it starts up just fine...

I brought the car to a mechanic, and they told me it was the coil that was about to break down, so i bought a new coil for it, and fitted it in right away. I also changed the timing belt, and waterpump. (It needed to be changed anyway.)



ANY JOY???????? Cheers

So now the car has been running fine for two days, and suddenly it is doing the same thing all over again...

Does anyone have any idea about what it is that may cause the problem? I'm not exactly a skilled mechanic, so I'm running out of ideas...

hi i just had a similer thing make sure theres no split pipes and change your CRANK SENSOR may do the trick!!!! mine was running crap and was slightly missing and cut out when it got worm! it should cost about £45ish.or just get a DIAGNOSTICS TEST done and it should find the fault it will save you time and money seriously.I ended up buying a part that cost £125 and done nothing,its good i don't mind renewing parts but it doesn't do the bank any good you might find its your ECU or even a RELAY by your fuses????



any joy??????? let me no!

 

[toonfiend]

Its your crank sensor mate, I had the same problem as you, changed the fuel pump relay, the ECU relay, bought a complete new distributor, new leads, cleaned the throttle body and ICV..... all to no avail, then I fitted a new crank sensor, its been fine ever since. The old one had split at the end. Good luck....

 

[Fl@pper]

By the way, is there any good explanation to why the clutch is so damn heavy?

the conversion from hydraulic involves a right angle swivel to a cable that goes forward then up and all the way back to the bulkhead then across the wipers to another right angle straight down to the pedal

6ft of cable over several angles is never gonna be light work

mind i reset my newish cable when i changed gearbox recently and it's never been this light before, still 'heavy' but light for a 16v i must admit

 

[hendy83]

Its your crank sensor mate, I had the same problem as you, changed the fuel pump relay, the ECU relay, bought a complete new distributor, new leads, cleaned the throttle body and ICV..... all to no avail, then I fitted a new crank sensor, its been fine ever since. The old one had split at the end. Good luck....

i agree totally like i said in the fred before mines running like a beast change the crank shaft sensor seriously!!!! cheers Hendy83

 

[Cupra Kid]

Just clean the throttle body first as its a free fix and if it doesnt solve it you've only lost a few minutes.

 

[hendy83]

Just clean the throttle body first as its a free fix and if it doesnt solve it you've only lost a few minutes.

mate i done all this andit done nothing just change your crank shaft sensor and it will be fine like mine is!!