1.6 Cutting Out/ Fails To Start

[flipperthebushkangaroo 2]

Help, have seen loads of similar but not quite the same issues on the forums,

 

The story so far, the car usually starts immediately but recently started taking a while to catch after this it ran fine,

Then last Saturday refused to start at all, got some ignition testing lamps fitted them and car started first time

removed them again car still fine so took it for a spin, went fine for about 7 miles or so then engine cut without any warning and stayed this way, refitted lamp thingys no ignition showing to any cylinder. waggled wiring to distributer cap (have changed that now although old one looks OK), coil and reseated all ht leads, car started straight away so drove home like that.

As i got into street car cut out again and had to coast rest of way home. removed plug lamps and tried to start car, it refused.

gave up.

Got out to start fault finding again this morning bl&^dy thing starts every time, first time (hard to believe I'm complaining about that ) so have cleaned up terminals to coil and bought plugs, plug leads, and ignition amp (still looking for Bosch coil) but not sure which is the most likely culprit (or even were the amp goes??).

Not very convinced it is plugs or leads as have had no missfireing.

 

Any and all advice very welcome as i am now warey of driving it anyware.

 

Thanks in advance

Roddie

[steve@cornwall 100]

Help, have seen loads of similar but not quite the same issues on the forums,

 

The story so far, the car usually starts immediately but recently started taking a while to catch after this it ran fine,

Then last Saturday refused to start at all, got some ignition testing lamps fitted them and car started first time

removed them again car still fine so took it for a spin, went fine for about 7 miles or so then engine cut without any warning and stayed this way, refitted lamp thingys no ignition showing to any cylinder. waggled wiring to distributer cap (have changed that now although old one looks OK), coil and reseated all ht leads, car started straight away so drove home like that.

As i got into street car cut out again and had to coast rest of way home. removed plug lamps and tried to start car, it refused.

gave up.

Got out to start fault finding again this morning bl&^dy thing starts every time, first time (hard to believe I'm complaining about that ) so have cleaned up terminals to coil and bought plugs, plug leads, and ignition amp (still looking for Bosch coil) but not sure which is the most likely culprit (or even were the amp goes??).

Not very convinced it is plugs or leads as have had no missfireing.

 

Any and all advice very welcome as i am now warey of driving it anyware.

 

Thanks in advance

Roddie

 

 

Had a similar fault a few years ago. After several trips and a couple of hundred quid to a local "specialist" I was none the wiser. The last part I changed in a process of elimination was the rotor arm. (replacing a nearly new item) this cured it completely, the problem seemed to be the arm occasionally turning on (as opposed to with) the distributer shaft. Worth a try at only a few quid

Had similar a few years ago.

[flipperthebushkangaroo 2]

Had a similar fault a few years ago. After several trips and a couple of hundred quid to a local "specialist" I was none the wiser. The last part I changed in a process of elimination was the rotor arm. (replacing a nearly new item) this cured it completely, the problem seemed to be the arm occasionally turning on (as opposed to with) the distributer shaft. Worth a try at only a few quid

Had similar a few years ago.

Thanks for that Steve will give it a try tomorrow

Typical about the only bit i haven't got, never mind off to GSF tomorrow then, by the way any idea where i can get a Bosch coil from at a reasonable price (or suitable alternative)

Roddie

[MerlinGTI 3]

I have exactly the same problem, on my phase 1.5 1.6!

 

It cut out a couple of times on the motorway but instantly booted back up, then last week it died whilst ideling on the driveway and refused to start. I left it there a couple of days and tried it again still no joy. No spark. Its been getting harder to start over the last 3 months, mainly after doing a journey... turning it off then getting back in a hour or so later.

 

Anyway.....

 

New dizzy cap and rotor arm

new plugs (correctly gaped) and leads

New coil

New battery (the old one was a bit s*it, worked though just about)

 

And it runs now, still a bit pants to start sometimes (second try type affair).

 

The intresting thing is it was a new coil that cured the absolutely refusing to start problem (first thing i fitted).

 

Im going to get a new ignition amplifier and see if theres any improvement.

 

I got a valo coil from GSF £21

[flipperthebushkangaroo 2]

Well it seems to work ok now (touch wood).

 

So what was the problem?

 

Not entirely sure but it continued after the distributer cap change so not that, after it failed last time it started working again on its own so i,

 

Cleaned up coil contacts,

replaced rotor arm (cheers Steve)

replaced plug leads as they looked a bit ropey, this may have been the problem as the main lead from the coil to the distributer cap came apart as i removed it (although it seemed ok last week, perhaps i am just a heavy handed fool).

 

now have a new amp to keep just in case and a coil on its way from e-bay(these will live in the car till i am sure its ok )

 

By the way where is the ignition amp on the car? is it the bit i can't quite see below the distributer?

 

Thanks for the advice Steve and MerlinGTI

 

Hope this helps anyone who uses the search in future

 

Roddie

[rapidmi 4]

i had the exact same fault mate with my 1.6 last week

 

changed coil and now its fine, changed the plugs at the back of it tho once i knew that was defo the problem

[MerlinGTI 3]

By the way where is the ignition amp on the car? is it the bit i can't quite see below the distributer?

 

On mine is by the coil, its a bit hidden away (lower and closer to the bulkhead than the coil)

[DamirGTI 325]

Hi !

 

Check/replace/fit some spare : fuel pump relay , dizzy signal cable (if it's an Jetronic car) , ignition amp. + coil ... and check all ignition circuit wiring and connectors ..

 

Regards !

Damir

[flipperthebushkangaroo 2]

On mine is by the coil, its a bit hidden away (lower and closer to the bulkhead than the coil)

 

Thanks for that i'll pop out and have a look in the morning if its not too wet

Roddie

[hodgy 0]

mines started doing the same since i serviced it and it wont tick over now so would i be able to take the stuff back and exchange them saying they are faulty?

[andychalmers 0]

A common problem on a 205 is a tachometric relay (fuel relay) failing. They normally are intermittant fails. This is a good place to start. Also the blue temp sensor on the back of the head behind battery is a common fault. Also I think you call them ignition module, the little black thing screwed onto the metal backing plate seem to fail quite alot. Hope this helps