VN V6 S1 is stalling at idle

[Pav]

Well, basically, the problem here is that it takes like 30 seconds to start the car, then I have to keep the revs up otherwise it stalls at like 800rpm.
I've been told that IAC valve or timing chain is loose? Is any of those reasonable and how would I go about fixing these? Just replace em?

[Pav]

Oh yeah, also, it apparently has a bigger cam in it. Could this cam be causing the idle to be too low? Cos apparently there is a modified memcal in the ECU but I'm not sure if it is set-up right. So could the cam be the reason why the car doesn't like to idle and is hard to start?

[PaRaDoX]

mate id go with leaking inlet manifold gaskets... seriously these cause no end of problems on the v6's leaks water into a cyc or 2, its ok udner revs as the water gets pushed out quickly but on idle its slower and the water gets in quicker eventually stalling it...

imo its worth the 30 mins to pull the inlet manifold gasket off and replace them... they're all rooted :P

[Pav]

Cheers for that, never thought of that, the engine is pretty old so gaskets may be wearing out etc. I'll give it a shot sometime this week and see if it helps.

[centy]

iac valve is on the back underside of the throttle body and does cause them to stall, i think you need torx bits to undo it from memory. It will be fiddley to get out but easy to clean the crud off. Take the inlt pipe off aswell to clean out the inside of the body to.
IAC's are cheap enough if you are not wanting to use a old one.
Or 70mm throttle body complete on ebay for about $150.
Try pulling you engine fuse and resetting the ecm from cold.
Cold start run at approx 2000rpm for a couple mins.

[Pav]

Ok, new symptoms, I went to start the car today and it fired up first go. Idles perfectly etc., I go for a drive and when I stop the car at a standstill it stalls. Then it is impossible to start it unless I wait like 30 minutes or so. I checked the top radiator hose and it was unpressurized and cold after driving quite hard even. What could this mean? Blocked thermostat?
I plan on doing a full coolant flush and trying the things mentioned above this weekend.
I just need to make sure I'm going in the right direction with this, seeing as the car can start and idle, but after driving a bit the engine light comes on sometimes, then it stalls when revs get too low.

Cheers for your help so far

[jas98]

any error codes?

[immortality]

stalling when hot and not restarting untill cold is classic CAS symptoms. check error codes as mentioned and let us know

how "big" is the cam. a stage 1 or 2 cam should idle fine @ 800rpm..... the s1 engines have a different cam in it. it isn't any bigger, it has a little less duration but a little more lift then the s2 engines. the s1 engines were never the smoothest idling engines to begin with.....they made the same 125kw however, just the s1 engines made more torque lower in the rev range

[89 vn]

I had a prob with my VN where it kept repeatedly stalling but had no probs restarting I had to hold the revs in at about 1-1.5k just to keep the ****er going and it was a real task to go around a roundabout like that (cos I had to drive it home).

Took it to mate and he said something in the pump was gone, replaced that and good to go, yours sounds alot like mine in that way.

When you start it up does it die almost instantly like its being choked and you giving it revs is providing it to stay alive?
Oh yeah any fault codeZ?

[Pav]

Lol, I know what you mean by trying to keep the revs up going around roundabouts, it is quite annoying.

About the CAS suggestion, to start the car (after waiting for it to cool down) I had to disconnect and then reconnect the battery otherwise it wouldn't start. Does that sound like it could be the CAS?

But yeah, about the fault codes, the engine light comes on during driving for a few seconds at a time, can I check fault codes while the car is off? Cos I won't be driving it till I get this sorted.

[centy]

you don't start the car to cheack the codes.
Jump the black and white the turn on the key and watch the light flash and c9ount the groups.

[Pav]

the code is 12, but I have had the engine light come on while driving so whats the deal with that?

P.S I've disconnected the battery many times, does this cause the ECU to reset? And if it resets do all those previous faults get deleted, such as the engine light I had when driving a while ago?

[Bz Kn33z]

i'm pretty sure taking the battery leads off the car will reset the computer and will leave no error codes, next time the engine light comes on pull over turn the car off get a paperclip into the plug and check the computer dont turn the car on just to acc and the engine fan will come on to and then count the flashes, code 12 means nothing is wrong with it i cant remember what CAS i know 22 is TB Sensor damn it lol

[Pav]

I'm gonna replace the CAS now anyway, can I use CAS from series 2 v6 (VNSII to VR) or does it have to be specially for a series 1 v6?

[14secvp]

fixed this problem before do you get a big cloud of black smoke when you start it when warm my mates car did the same thing plugged laptop in and it said the coolant temp was at 30 degrees when it was hot and temp would fluctuate up and by heaps. changed sensor still the same. in the end the ecu had died perhaps from welding the exhaust or from jump starting put new ecu in went fine again do you know anyone with another ecu you can try.it also started like normal when cold.

[jas98]

I'm gonna replace the CAS now anyway, can I use CAS from series 2 v6 (VNSII to VR) or does it have to be specially for a series 1 v6?

pretty sure you need one from a series 1 as teh series 2 are different as teh harmonic balancers are different.....but im not 100% sure

good luck

[Pav]

Ok, bit of an update, the car is still being a prick and it likes to stall at idle after a 10min drive. So far I've done, CAS and Coil-pack.
I also finally got an error code, saying code 13 (oxygen sensor), so what do you guys suggest at this stage to diagnose this cheaply, replace 02 Sensor? (I don't really wanna keep buying parts till it works) BTW This car has no balls at all, my mum's VT could flog it, I dunno if that helps, but yer, cheers

[Pav]

UPDATE again, now the car doesn't want to run at all, I can start pretty much first go, but it idles really rough and doesn't rev nicely and then stalls immediately, doesn't even gimme time to check anything cos it stalls. It even stalled when I revved it to like 3000rpm and just cut off straight away, before it would usually lower the revs and sputter at idle till it died.

So, I'm thinking it may be fuel related? If it isn't, are there any suggestions which sensors would be most likely related to this problem? cheers

[Steery]

sounds like taking it to a decent mechanic and paying him to diagnose the problem could be the way to go. then when its diagnosed fix it yourself as you seem pretty handy with a spanner.

[DavoVP]

Coil pack, CAS, Rip the entire TB off clean it all includeing the IAC, Throw it back together, if that fails, its time for a mechanic. Could also be injecters, FPR etc. But my moneys on a CAS or coil pack.

[vn calais manual]

fuel pump?

[Pav]

Yeah, bought a fuel pump today, gonna try that 2moro, will post up soon how it goes, cheers everyone. If it doesn't work I'll try oxy sensor

[Bz Kn33z]

if you do replace the CAS, just make sure its s1 for s1 motor cause the H/B is different and also the timing cover is different in the S2 the mounting for the CAS bracket has an indentation in it and if the S1 CAS bracked does on it will crack it, found that out cause the wreckers gave me a VP Timing cover damn them, also replace the fuel filter if u do the pump at the same time it helps its proberbly blocked