Dee33223

My Impreza 99 classic face-lift turbo is having bad problems. While i'm driving it just cuts out. I have to stop wait a bit and it will start again.
This has happened 3 times now since yesterday. Had to travel home today 60 miles in the snow so was bricking it. I kept the car under 3000rpm and went very easy on it after it had cut out twice before that and it seemed ok.

When i was pushing it a bit it was like the maf was malfunctioning. The car felt a bit throttled when at load. I was backing off wondering whats up when it cut out. Wipers lights etc all were going fine at the time and stayed like that when engine was out.

When it first cut out yesterday i was going pretty quick over very bumpy roads for a good while. Then it just died. I checked all leads etc to see if anything had come loose I waited and it started it again. Then today more problems. So obviously something has happened.

Any help very much appreciated. Don't know where to start looking for faults.

Splitpin

Check Engine light come on at all? If so scroll down or search the forum (use the term "black plugs", inc the inverted commas) and the ECU will hopefully tell you what's wrong.

Also can you tell us what type of car it is (presumably an Impreza Turbo 2000 AWD but always better to know than assume), and what its state of tune/modifications are.

Also, when you say it just cuts out, what happens if you try and start it up again immediately? Does it turn over on the starter, sound like it's going to fire up, but die again? Does it turn over on the starter ad infinitum with no evidence of firing, or...?

Dee33223

Sorry mate, was in a rush and did not give much to go on. Really appreciate your help. OK... Car is a Uk turbo ej20 my99. Has ecutek map maybe 270bhpish, full exhaust, decat,panel filter,bov,downpipe,sti ic, that's about it.
No check light at all, before or after the problem. Once it cuts out i try to start it as the car is rolling and no joy. But once stopped i left it for a minute or so then it started fine. The first time it happened. I tried to start it straight away once stopped and it would not fire up. Once i left it a while it started.
Not sure what you mean "ad infinitum", but when it wont start it sounds fine starter wise(like it does not sound weak) just does not go, no engine noise at all.

Does this help?. Tick me off if i'm still being a spaz.BIG ta for your help.

Splitpin

All those mods on the car when it was mapped? Probably not significant to your problem but worth knowing. Has it still got the OE fuel pump?

If you're sure about that the list of potential problems narrows down quickly. It'd be worth doing the black plugs thing at this juncture just to see what (if anything) is in there.

Takes us in the right direction yep. If you haven't seen the CEL than that means whatever's caused the problem is something the ECU doesn't monitor. On the basis of what you've described I would be looking carefully at the coilpack or the connections to it, or, probably more likely, the fuel supply system - the pump itself, and the cabling/connections and relay energising it.

Question: Those times when you tried to restart the car immediately after it died, did you turn the ignition fully off and then on again, and if so are you aware of hearing the fuel pump in the boot prime back up for a couple of seconds like it normally does? Or, is it possible that the pump didn't prime?

Also when it did eventually restart, did it sound totally normal the instant it caught and fired or was there any variation/spluttering that immediately cleared?

You might, unfortunately, have to wait for the problem to recur to check those out - but tell us what you can and hopefully that'll narrow things down further.

Eprom

If no cel is shown as split pin said the ecu does not know about it, I had a similar problem, car holding back, cutting out, and would restart like yours only for the problem to recur. Pinned it down to the fuel pump in the end, when it would not start at all, can you here the fuel pump prime, if you were to just turn on the ignition after it stalls.
If you suspect the pump, measure the volts to the pump, because there may be another problem with the electrical feed to the pump, but will have to take you through that offline.

Dee33223

Guys that's superb advice. Nice one!!. Im not too top diy wise. So i have booked it in a local trusted garage tomorrow. I'm thinking it is the fuel pump or electrical problems close to it. Least i can mention that to them.
Ill see if i can make it die again tonight and see if i hear the pump prime. I think i heard like a ticking noise when it was not starting coming from under the boot. I thought it may have been wet on the exhaust maybe pump problem??.

When the car did start there was no problems, click/bang like normal.

The fuel pump is the oe one and all that modding work was done 4 odd years ago. I have never changed it(pump) and car is close to 100k now. That's really good advice about the ecu not monitoring certain things. Helps to narrow it down. Great stuff. Ill keep you posted on how i get on. Million thanks for your time.

s c o o b y

excellent advice my mate had a similar problem with is mapped 99 turbo it turned out to be the fuel pump not working , so he wired it up to a switch on the dash and its been fine ever since, he thought it was something to do with the imobiliser . who nows but its fine now .

Dee33223

update on this..

Ok took car to a local place who replaced the maf and i got my timing belt done which i needed anyway. Car seemed cool maybe still a tad jerky and has been ok the few times i've driven it since. But today it's doing it again. Cut out twice and feels again throttled a little,jerky and stalled when accelerating. When it cut out i started it twice while still rolling. Both times i was pushing it pretty hard. Now i'm sure i can take it back to the place to sort it. But it took ages last time and its an **** ache to get to and leave it.

Im thinking of changing the fuel filter myself. Is this a do-able job for me, im only decent at basic stuff. How ard is it?

Thanks again so far.

Splitpin

Ooof, blimey. Of course everything is a question of degree, but in general, "pushing it pretty hard" when you have a suspect fuel pump (or related fuel supply) issue isn't the best thing to do. If the pressure in the rail is being affected somehow, your engine will run lean. Running lean when being "pushed" equals an unpredictable, probably lean, mixture and that in turn opens the potential for det, even assuming that the engine is otherwise running 100% correctly.

Anyway, changing the fuel filter is a pretty easy job as things go, but as the fuel filter is most unlikely to be causing your problem all you're likely to be doing is prolonging the pain for your engine.

If, as you say, the problem is most likely to occur when you're shoeing the car, this points the finger more at the fuel pump being the cause, although this is still just an educated guess.

Changing the pump is something you can probably do yourself, doesn't need anything in the way of specialist tools. There might be a walk-through in the FAQ thread, but if not, have a dig through Slipstream_UK's manuals thread and you should be able to find something that'll get you through it.

Dee33223

Ah poo bags, I meant to write fuel PUMP. My bad. That's what im going to do then. He he yes running the car when prob lean is way stupid. I was not sure if it was running bad or not until it was "working" If the engine goes bang then its game over and hello sad old banger till i get saving.
Or can of petrol and best convincing "hello my car has been stolen" phone call.

f4la k

iTrader: (1)

I cant believe you wrote that. Thats fraud. Its people like you that cost the rest of us money on higher premiums. Remember there is some decent police officers on this forum.

Splitpin

As above, if you didn't intend that in a tongue in cheek manner it's insurance fraud for which the rest of us will all be indirectly paying.

You may or may not have been joking, but in the absence of any obvious evidence one way or the other, this will be my final contribution to this thread.

Dee33223

Whoops i forgot the smiley as it was a quick reply. Ok guys calm. It was a joke i give you my word. "Insurance fraud"..yes thats pretty damn obvious.
I would not really do that, I'm 32 and been playing it proper for years. If the thing dies id take it like a man. I'm sure the insurance would scam me anyway.
Peace

Dee33223

Update:

Turns out it was knackered fuel relays. Changed both and it's going great guns. I ordered a Walbro fuel pump before i knew this, but ill fit it to top it all off anyway just in case.
Added this update in case it helps someone with similar probs.
Hope no offence taken with my misguided humour : /