I bet you dont know whats wrong with this ABF...FIXED

[CRASH_IT]

Dont get me wrong I agree with u. He must just check extensively.
That y I said agree to a point as mine had spark and idle motor was going. but spark would come and go as you turning the dizzy and was weak. Mine at a stage even starting sparking while the dizzy wasn't even turning and the idle motor carried on going till I turned it off.

[Smok3X]

Thanks for the help guys... I will check all this when I get home later.

I can hear the idle motor and the fuel pump when I switch the ignition on... And the fuel pressure gauge jumps up to 3bar. So it should be fine.

The only reason I have my doubts about that Dizzy... Is because I had the same problem on the 1.4 motor... But I will check it when I get home. Thanks again, appreciate the help guys.

[Howie-WP]

Is because I had the same problem on the 1.4 motor...

huh?

[Smok3X]

Yip... I had the same problem... intermittant cutting out of ignition while driving! When my car had the 1.4i motor in... I eventually gave up and fitted the ABF. The problem has now returned... So the thinking is that it MIGHT be a problem with that 1.4 ECU of mine, as I am still using the same 1.4 ECU to run the ABF.

I am going to try the Dizzy swap with my friend with the ABF later this evening... We shall see...

[mafosta]

Hi. I once had a similar problem on my mp9'ed Jetta and my engine would just die for no reason. This went on for a while and i suspected the fuel pump. After weeks of frustration i managed to trace the problem to a short circuit, one of the injector wires was brittle and thus ended up creating a short circuit, disabling the computor box momentarily
My advise would be to also check your whole harness to make sure that there are no short circuits.

[Abnormal]

Hi. I once had a similar problem on my mp9'ed Jetta and my engine would just die for no reason. This went on for a while and i suspected the fuel pump. After weeks of frustration i managed to trace the problem to a short circuit, one of the injector wires was brittle and thus ended up creating a short circuit, disabling the computor box momentarily
My advise would be to also check your whole harness to make sure that there are no short circuits.

did an MP9 conversion on a caddy a few years ago. when unravelling the wiring harness we found that a number of wires were almost completely cut through. It could not be seen under the factory insulation.

Wonder what kind of problems the car it came from had.

[CRASH_IT]

any news on your problem

[pluto]

Description and symptoms are pointing towards the cluster/dash controller.

I feel there is something wrong with the cluster or dash control ecu..

The only thing that links the cluster and ECU is the K line to the ECU , also possibly the rev counter signal .

Smoke had an issue some time back with the cluster whereby a short caused something to burn out .

We had a long conversation last nite - seems to be shorting on the -5V DC internal earth bus in the ecu or another test ECU that is .

Let's see what today's trouble shooting sorts ?

[Smok3X]

Update is sadly that I still dont know what the problem is. Friday was my birthday,so I had a busy weekend.

We tried a decoded ECU from a running car... Which I used long ago to start my ABF when it was first fitted... Anyway no luck this time, as that ECU got short circuited somehow and burnt a track on the board! It had to be repaired!

Anyway, today I tried rewiring the injectors up... ie: The ABF Rail to the MP9 Harness... As the wiring looked shoddy. I soldered everything and neatened up nicely... Car started... And died 30seconds later. I tried again and it started... And 10mins later was still running. I bravely took it for its first drive in 5days... And it was flying!!! Perfectly normal again. I took it out again this evening... Started... Died after a minute of idling... Started... Died... Started... And fine again... Went out and got home fine! So WHAT now?

[Smok3X]

Ok final update here... After being stuck for 5 days with a car that wouldnt start or stay on for more than a minute... It has now driven normally for more than 200km's! And only the following was changed...

ABF injectors were re-wired to MP9 injector harness, as the old wiring was covered in oil from a leaking tappet cover. However the car still wouldnt idle for more than a minute after doing this.

And... Of the two main power wires that are connected to the starter motor, 1 wire was lose inside the lug, so you could pull the wire out with a finger! But after fixing this the car stil switched off a few times... And it eventually just stopped switching off... And that is where I am now. A working car that MAY or MAY NOT have a problem!

[ABF]

Check the dizzy & the dizzy oil seal, if theres oil leaking onto the dizzy or the dizzy switch,this could be causing the interference

[Rallye]

Ok final update here... After being stuck for 5 days with a car that wouldnt start or stay on for more than a minute... It has now driven normally for more than 200km's! And only the following was changed...

ABF injectors were re-wired to MP9 injector harness, as the old wiring was covered in oil from a leaking tappet cover. However the car still wouldnt idle for more than a minute after doing this.

And... Of the two main power wires that are connected to the starter motor, 1 wire was lose inside the lug, so you could pull the wire out with a finger! But after fixing this the car stil switched off a few times... And it eventually just stopped switching off... And that is where I am now. A working car that MAY or MAY NOT have a problem!

Hope all is sorted Avi.. Like the saying goes. If it has wheels or breasts, its gonna give you k@k boet!! Keep us updated...this one could be a learning curve for all.

[HASSEN]

Hi Avi
Did you check the two power supply relays under the right hand side of the dash below the cluster area.
Both are 4 pin and get wet from rain entry somehow. Lemme know bro.

[mojo786]

Hi Avi
Did you check the two power supply relays under the right hand side of the dash below the cluster area.
Both are 4 pin and get wet from rain entry somehow. Lemme know bro.

I had same problem,water got into relays and this is what happen....

[Smok3X]

Relays were fine. I tried two working relays from my brothers car and nothing!

The car is still normal... Perfectly normal! Strange! Very strange!

[shannon ekermans]

had exact same problem on my cti, the fuel pump relay had a crack in the electronic board, so small couldnt see it, driving down the road randomly cuts out.

[HendrikCTI]

I also had same problem as shannon ekermans.
Fuel pump relay gave problems. Did you check if the injectors spray when cranking when problem happened in the past?

Sorry if you already mentioned if you did it in previous posts. I read through this whole story last week but can't remember now and don't want to read through everything again.

[Smok3X]

Nope I did not check if the injectors were spraying as its quite a mission yo get the fuel rail out on the ABF motor, you have to take the whole intake manifold out!

I think I will change those relays just for peace of mind... I checked at VW and they want R180 each! Thats R360 for two relays! Is there not another place I can get these relays from?

The car is still perfect BTW...

[SHAUN]

checked at VW and they want R180 each! Thats R360 for two relays! Is there not another place I can get these relays from?

You can use normal 4pin hella relays, they are like R30 each from a spares shop.
Or get from GW.

[HendrikCTI]

The fuel pump relay is a bit expensive as it is a high amp relay. Buy at Goldwagen. The golf had exactly same symptoms as you a couple of months back. It just swings and then when you leave it for 5 to 10 minutes it starts and runs fine. We thought it was the cold start nut thingy that is flooding the car. Eventually the car dropped my wife at the local waterfront. I struggled with it from 14:00 until 19:00 before someone eventually was called to tow me back home. (try to entertain a 2 year old boy while stressing with the damn car). As mentioned, I still thought it was flooding. Car started 100% fine the next morning. I took it to my mechanic (retired VW mechanic who does it now from his home as a hobby). He phoned me and said car did it again in his garage and he didn't get any spray from injectors.
The relay didn't show any fault except a VERY small dry joint on the back soldering. Replaced it and car seems to be fine now.

[Smok3X]

Thank you for that! After reading your symptoms... I will feel much better after changing the relays, because that is exactly the same story as mine!

Another thing I just thought of, is to clean up the relay holder, that unit the relays plug into?! Im sure corrosion or something could build up on the inside of the contacts... I will change them today and keep you guys updated.

Oh and the car is still perfect... Over 500kms of urban driving done safely.

[HendrikCTI]

I payed in the region of R230 for the fuel pump relay at GW.
Had the same thing as you. Car would the one time not start and then it will run for 2 weeks without problems. And then out of the blue it will not start. Until eventually it dropped us at a stupid time and place. Stupid thing is that we opened up the relay and couldn't really see anything wrong on it. There was a VERY small dry joint or corrosion on the back circuitry of the relay and that gave us the suspicion. The only thing I can suggest is to bite the bullet and try the fuel pump relay. It can either be a +-R230 solution or just money in the water.

Isn't it just a pleasure to have a car?

[Smok3X]

Its more than a pleasure... Its a must have for me with my job. I dont mind paying for the part. Im not sure which part now though... My car (new spec dash) has two relays under the dash on the extreme right hand side... They are grey in colour with a big no.53 written on it... And they are both the same 4 pin relays. Are those the relays I need to change? VW want R180 each and GW has them for R40 each. I bought two from GW. But the guy at GW also had another relay, called Fuel Relay and it was R225! It has more than 4 pins... Is that the one I need? And where does it go?

[pluto]

Tip : In a jam if ur fuel pump relay bombs out , you can use the wiper motor relay - That's the two relays you speak off on the rhs under the dash. Carb models will only have one relay under the dash since there was no FI from the factory. You can still use the wiper motor relay in anycase if you have converted to FI

Also, check out any spare shop - I prefer the hella or bosch relays. Take ur VW realy with and match it up .

[Smok3X]

So... guess what... after more than 1500 + kms and 7 weeks or so of every day driving faultlessly...

It happened AGAIN today! Right out of the blue... jerked once or twice... then back to normal.... jerked again... then 2kms later... OFF and didnt start again... I was stuck at the robot at a busy intersection and had to get a friend to come tow me home! I am really sick and tired of having this problem! and not knowing WTF is wrong or how to fix it!!!