A&Q about 350Z
Q:
I know this comes up quite a bit but I've done a search and nothing seems to exactly match my symptoms!
My 1991 mk2 Golf GTI 16v has a tendency to stall as I'm pulling up to junctions and changing down, usually when the engine's warm (not hot) and after I've opened it up a bit. It's more annoying than anything else, but I'd prefer if it didn't do it.
ISV was cleaned not so long ago by previous owner, he suggests over-run cutoff valve might be blocked? Anything else it might be?
Cheers!
A:
Still sounds like ISV - depends how well he cleaned it! I think the overrun cutoff valve failing would tend to make it hold the revs, rather than cut out, but I'm not 100% sure
A:
sounds like classic isv set-up to me.
A:
Bloody hell. I'm half tempted just to buy a new one from GSF and have done with it.
A:
id suggest you clean it again, then check the idle has been set correctly
A:
Will do guys, cheers once again for your help!
A:
Update!
Just opened the bonnet with a view to cleaning the ISV, and look what I found:
A wire has broken off that plug, see!
What is that, and do you think it's got anything to do with the car idling poorly/stalling?
Furthermore, if I want to get a replacement, what would you call it???
A:
Thats your cold start valve.
A:
Ah right, so is it likely to be causing the probs I described above?
Also, is it possible to buy a new plug for it on it's own that I can replace the knackered one with? It's broken right at the plug end so I can't just reattach the wire...
A:
Nope, that's not your problem.
It'll be a problem once it gets cold though! You can buy terminals to fit in the plugs from VW, with a length of (yellow) wire ready-attached. All you do it slide a wee screwdriver under the existing terminal, pull it out, and push the new one in.
Chances are the parts monket won't have a clue what you are talking about, so ask if you can go into the workshop and speak to the mechanics. They're normally happy to give you a handful of them free of charge - then just connect it up to the broken end of the wire.
A:
That's awesome, thanks dude. Say hi to your dad!
A:
We are one and the same........
A:
Well, ISV is now clean - tbh, it wasn't very dirty. Luckily I didn't kill it in the process, so it's still buzzing away like a good'un.
Not confident in setting the idle myself, so I might take it into a garage to have that set. If that doesn't cure it what's the next culprit? Faulty sender? ISV control module?
If I can get this car idling right and stop it stalling, it'll be an absolute peach - starts first time every time, pulls strongly, really tidy motor...
A:
OK slight update...
It's off to get tuned properly on saturday, so I'm kind of hoping this might help.
What happens, is that sometimes (increasingly often) the revs drop like a stone, which you don't notice on changing up because the clutch isn't down that long, but when I change down say from 3rd to 2nd it's got enough time to drop down past the idling point and kill the engine.
It's really getting on my tits. I'm looking for a replacement control box (it's somewhere behind the dash I believe?) as this apparently controls the ISV and the overrun cutoff valve, but if this makes no difference, what's the next culprit?
A:
OK here's an update, mainly in case anyone is searching the forum for solutions to this kind of problem, like I was!
Turns out it WAS the broken connector to the cold start valve (fifth injector). Whether it was mucking with the mixture or what I don't know, but my mechanic repaired it today, and it's solved;
* smell of petrol from rear after a long run
* stalling at junctions
* kangarooing when cruising with foot off throttle
* hunting/poor idle
The car now runs literally like a new one - and it's got 167k on the clock!
I suppose the moral is - don't overlook the simple stuff. I taped the wire back on, and proceded to swap out VDO boxes, buy spare ISVs and clean them, clean my throttle body (which needed doing anyway tbh). I should have fixed that first, but that's the benefit of hindsight.
End result, me and my valver are in love again. The end.
A:
know what u mean!
here's my thread on getting mine fixed. good old 16v idle probs!!!
i still get a smell of petrol from the car though - what causes that?
A:
Fun and games! The joy of owning a classic!
A:
know what u mean!
here's my thread on getting mine fixed. good old 16v idle probs!!!
i still get a smell of petrol from the car though - what causes that?
Mine smells of petrol too, mainly when i put my foot down, after fiddling around with the engine running one day, i knocked an injector pipe and heard sucking, turns out the injector seal has seen better days, might be worth checking on that?
A:
I had a smell of petrol and it turns out the fuel lines were leaking due to rust/cracking. Might be worth giving them a quick check if you are not using braided lines already.
A:
all of the above symtoms im experencing.
smells of fuel, ,
hunting for idle,
sounds like im pumping to much fuel when i put my foot down,
but all of this stops when its warmed up, { except for the smell}
but ive changed the isv valve,module,temp senders,wur{ all second hand} termo time switch,cold start valve, but still the same, some times in morning it starts fine but over the day some times it hard to start, ie good 10seconds on the igtition before it fire up and i can catch it, then its sounds horrible, but if i rev it up it flushes out the lumpy feeling and settles. I havnt had the CO adjusted when i fitted the wur, so im hoping its running rich and that can be adjusted. All new plugs ,rotor arm,dizzy cap,coil,gonna change the fuel metering head and injectors and fuel lines, c if this solves this mystery. Fun