Weird Cutting Out Problem

[brian_harker]

dear all

am having a "weird" cutting out problem on my focus. 1.8 TDCi ghia 2002. it is not a stall just a loss of power till you switch ignition off then back on???

had the car several months and absolutely brilliant. needs testing and taxing end September . gave car to mechanically minded friend to test and service.

after he picked up the car he got half a mile and it stalled on him at a roundabout he thought it was just his driving. took car for test and failed on minor things number plate break pads on rear light bulb out etc, nothing major. car cut out on him on return from testing station, coil heater light flashed then cut out. he pulled over but after turning ignition key off then on teh panel lit up as normal and immediately started up with the key. he asked me if i had had any similar problems but i never have, its been sweet as a nut, the mot tester hed even commented on how good the emissions were especially as its done 165,000.

My mate fixed all small problems ( back wheels seemed almost welded on but eventually sorted) and went to take it back to test station, could not get there, car cutting out every few minutes.

got mechanic to come out and check on board computer and some minor errors were logged which he said were not the cause and cleared them.

ran test on car but when stationary the car performs faultlessly will tick over, responds to accelerator etc tried everything for over 15 mins and never cut out once. but as soon as you try to drive it on the road it stutterers then the coil light blinks and after about 3 to 5 seconds the engine dies but again if you turn the ignition off then straight back on the engine runs, doesn't even need to be restarted it just runs again for a few hundred yards then stutters - blinking coil light - and cuts out again.

very particular fault and only when moving. it does seem to be a bit sluggish on the accelerator but that might just be me.

i hope this is particular enough for someone to know what the fault is, as its not a complete stall or total loss of power stearing and breaks etc unlike some of the other threads i was reading, scary stuff.

many many thanks for your time

[jeebowhite]

Check the likes of the filters, before my engine started cutting out I did have a little bit of loss of power as you have, in the end it turned out to be the fuel filter.

Start by giving a basic service, replace oil / fuel / air filters, secondly check all the pipes / tubes under the bonnet make sure none are cracked / damaged. change oil if it hasnt been done in a while, and see how it performs, also a dose of redex will do no harm.

Good luck!

[sizak]

speed sensor on gearbox..