Help needed!!!

[thomson]

I seem to have bought a shite gti6! Lol. Twice this has happened now and it's rather annoying, the other day I was driving to work about 2 miles down the road it decided not to give me any throttle, when I dipped the clutch it cut out straight away, i pulled over and tried to start it with no luck I left it for about an hour whilst going to get fuel for it as the fuel gauge was above the light, when I came back put fuel in it started fine so went straight to a garage and filled up. It has just happened again on a slight uphill about 3 miles from my house no throttle just died, the fuel light is not on but it is just above the red again I'm going to the garage again to get fuel to see if it will sort it (will post results). The problem being is obviously the fuel light is not on so it shouldn't be out of petrol I've replaced the fuel pump, filter and only use vpower. Any ideas?

[Craigus]

Put a little sticker on the dash saying 'fill up before the red!' hahah

[thomson]

Lol. this is just recent though before it could be on the light for at least 30 miles and there's no indication of it running out of fuel no hesitation or slight misfire before or anything

[thomson]

Ok fuel sorted it so I'm running out of fuel before the fuel light comes on?

[underground375]

Looks like it, maybe a faulty fuel level sender? or a sticky fuel gauge

[Niall]

Sounds to me like the float arm is sticking when you start to run low on fuel. The sender/pump unit has to be fitted with two arrows lining up otherwise the float will hit part of the tank and not drop all the way down.
I suggest take it out, check it moves freely throughout its travel (there should be some resistance. It shouldn't just drop instantly. This is what stops the needle going up and down when you go round corners like my old 106 used to lol), maybe clean up the contacts and fit it back in making sure the two arrows align. Just be careful when you remove it as it will be full of fuel so you need to lift it out level then empty it into a bucket otherwise you'll have petrol everywhere. Oh and the supply hose will try and syphon its self back so block that up lol.

[thomson]

Kl will check it tomorrow thanks Niall, I only fitted a new pump and sender a couple of months ago but will check it later, I think maybe the little bag may have fell off so it's not reaching the bottom of the tank so when the fuel runs low the pump can't pick it up as it is below the bottom of the pump, it didn't feel to great when I put it on the new sender. Also when I removed the fuel cap it hissed like it was under a lot of pressure could this be because I kept trying to start it and created a vacuum or a blocked breather perhaps? Thanks again u little guru lol

[Niall]

There is a tank breather that runs up the side of the filler neck to a box behind the rear quarter. You need to take the arch liner out and look up to see it. Make sure its still connected and isn't blocked up but then if it was, id think you would have issues with filling up and the pump constantly clicking off.

[thomson]

True good point I've also noticed a couple of times it's not starting at all as in turn the key and the starter solenoid isn't even engaging nothing like its immobilised anything related? It hasn't got remote central locking

[Niall]

No even when the immobiliser is armed, the car will still crank. You just won't get a spark or fuel. When you turn the key to the second step (all dash lights on), You should hear the pump under the back seats kick in for a few seconds.
That could be a faulty starter motor!

[mattgreene]

Is it a relay under the steering wheel or in the engine bay, I had this once on a gti6 it took my ages to find what it was, it was doing the same thing as yours, cutting out and also not starting properly.

[thomson]

Well a gave the starter motor a technical tap with the tapometer and it fired so looks like a faulty starter solenoid (got a new inlet manifold on the way so will change the starter when Ive got the inlet off) and I only heard a relay under the dash clicking when trying to start it nothing when cutting out. Does anyone know where I can find a fuse box layout diagram for my car for both engine bay and dash?