Club G40 Forum

Club G40 => General Car Chat => Topic started by: metz on August 06, 2013, 03:47:10 PM

Title: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 06, 2013, 03:47:10 PM
hey guys, had a bit of a weird problem today while dropping my daughter off home. she lives on a hill and i set off ok no problems. Got to the end of the road and i turn left onto a rather steep hill. pull out to turn onto the hill and lose all power. car restarts on the turn try again and the same happens. in the end i turned right and went down the hill. car is running fine otherwise and still making 13psi (stock charger 65mm pulley)

Any ideas chaps as im a bit bewildered.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: Yoof on August 06, 2013, 04:09:02 PM
Wiring around the steering column?

Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: scotsjohn on August 06, 2013, 04:11:14 PM
1st move to Holland? 2nd I'd be thinking of fuel supply/ air locking, but the only place I can think of that might be possible is in the accumulator. Maybe worth bleeding the fuel line.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 06, 2013, 04:15:02 PM
it only did it on that steep hill. i tried to replicate it on the way home on similar inclines but it was fine.
the car will sit and idle fine and rev just fine its only when u tried to set off the rev's just dropped off and the car stalled.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: Yoof on August 06, 2013, 04:25:18 PM
How steep is it?

If you're going left uphill, all fuel would surge towards the pickup.. although depends on the camber f the turn I suppose.

How much fuel you got in the tank? Also did the pump get any louder before it cut? The accumulator is small, but will hold more than enough for some idle and then pullaway in such situations.

Just go right, and downhill from now on, should sort it. haha
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 06, 2013, 04:30:43 PM
its very steep. never had the problem before today. just thought it may be a sign of something about to go so was gunna swap it out
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 08, 2013, 01:13:18 PM
done it again today, anytime i turn left on an incline from a standstill. any ideas guys?
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: Etches on August 08, 2013, 03:26:00 PM
Sounds fuel related, you looked at the fuel filter and lines / fuel pressure?
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 08, 2013, 04:20:03 PM
didnt know where to start tom
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: PeteG40 on August 08, 2013, 08:50:39 PM
you sure its not hall sender? heavy turning breaks the circuit?
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 08, 2013, 09:16:37 PM
its only uphill left turns. boyh fuel pumps are working and no fuel leaks. how would i test hall sender pete?
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: PeteG40 on August 08, 2013, 09:54:19 PM
get another dizzy?
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 09, 2013, 07:28:42 AM
Why would it be the hall sender though? slight incline with wheels locked left and it dies when u set off. wheels locked right and its fine.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: PeteG40 on August 09, 2013, 12:34:37 PM
Just an idea. . Hall sender is only 3 wires... designed to break in a collision. Over time tge go weak... which gives are  car which either runs or doesnt.  If not fuel related I was suggesting a huge left hander forces could temporarily  mean the wires are broken.. car stops.


Only way to test is borrow a dizzy... put it on and have a go
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 09, 2013, 03:04:50 PM
I think i have found the problem!

got the other half to turn the steeringwheel to the left while i looked at the loom in the bay for any stretched wires when all of a sudden a mass of sparks from behind the inlet manifold. the main earth wire from battery to starter motor had rubbed on the steering arm erm knuckle? where the arms bolt into the rack. so gunna take one off the other coupe. very lucky find though. the ecu could have quite easily burned out i guess.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: Andy on August 09, 2013, 08:15:35 PM
That's a live feed to the starter - unfused too. ECU isn't really at risk, it's the wire itself melting and/or catching fire that's the worry. On the other hand, the wire's spec'd to carry the starter motor cranking current (which is a lot - a few hundred amps usually), and the battery gets flat pretty quickly if that current is constant so the risk isn't as bad as it might seem. Certainly not bad enough for VW to think it warranted the expensive of a fuse and fuse holder!

I replaced that and the alternator harness on mine in the rebuild, the insulation on the original wires was getting very stiff and brittle. Most modern cars will have a beefy slow-blow fuse inline on that wire these days, which still takes a fair bit to blow.
Title: Re: weird power loss problem in the G
Post by: metz on August 09, 2013, 08:55:41 PM
I realised after i had gone back outside i had put earth lol. how much was it roughly when you replaced yours Andy? i may nip to TPS next week. i have insulated it with good old electrical tape at the moment and re routed it out the way of the steering arms. no wonder the car would violently lose power when i turned left. Been for a 30 min drive tonight and everything is back to normal now.
Just need new TCA and gearbox mount now  :-\