VT just suddenly died

[Steven M]

Hi all, the missus vt just suddenly died tonight while doing 100 on the highway. wouldn't restart but left it for a short while and it would restart but run very rough then eventually die again. I pulled the maf out of my vt calais and swapped it but it did nothing so I did a search on the forums and narrowed it down to the fuel pump or Crank angle sensor, although you can hear the pump everytime I turn the key. What do you think?

Also when i pulled the maf out of my car, the car still ran perfectly even when givin it the gas, that doesn't seem right to me. I can drive without it.

Cheers

Stevo

[ACEMonkey]

Did your computer log any errors? Was there any warning lights or indication on your dash (also check if any of your indication lamps are blown too).

Hazard a guess, it doesn't sound like your fuel pump or CAS. It sounds like one of your gaskets or seal is gone. Check your radiator and oil level - is it losng water and/or oil and also if theres lots of brown muck floating around your radiator cap?

Car doesn't need MAF to run. The MAF helps with fuel efficiency as it inputs into the PCM which then calculates how much fuel to put through your injectors. Without the MAF, the PCM would just squeeze as much fuel as it can to keep your car idling above 750/800RPM so you'll see your car will start drinking fuel without the MAF.

[Ozzie]

could be a blocked fuel line if its not the pump, its rare but it happens because not alot of people change the fuel filter.

also check the leads arent crossing over or shorting on the engine... i had the same problem couple of weeks ago, turned out to be the leads

[Steven M]

Yes it is logging code 15, coolant temp sensor voltage high. I wouldn't think this would kill it, would it? I cleared codes and it reappeared, all dash lights are working. I will have to check the rest as I couldn't see last night. Bout to go back and have another play with it. I will check what you suggested and get back to ya. Cheers for the help.

[Steven M]

Still haven't got it goin. No water in oil or oil in water. I have swapped over the TPS, CAS, Cam sensor, maf, coil pack out of my other working vt and reset the computer, hasn't logged any codes but still hasn't made a change. I have been able to get it to start and idle very roughly with the maf disconnected but once you put your foot down hard it just dies in the ass but if you gradually do it, the revs will pick up. I also pulled the hose from the fuel filter and gogo juice flow but does anyone know the flow rate. I started removing the plenum chamber and seeing if fuel squirts from each injector which it does only without accelerating but when foot down, no fuel squirts at all. Would this be a fuel pressure problem? I AM GETTING F***IN FRUSTRATED NOW.

Thanks in advance.

[ACEMonkey]

Sounds like problem with fuel getting past the throttle body. Its possible theres a mechanical failure there or possibly a blockage.

[Steven M]

no blockage in the fuel line. so far i have replaced all sensors except the crank angle sensor, but no codes log anyway. I have replaced the coil packs and module, spark plugs and leads, fuel filter, swapped over the fuel press req and injectors, also check the fuel lines fuel looks clean and pours out and still will not run properly. Tried other key, wiggle all the connections going through the firewall. Also checked all fuses and swapped relays. I can get it to start and idle fairly smoothly now by adjusting the TPS but once you put your foot down hard it just coughs and farts but when at idle it sounds as though there is a vac leak on the intake manifold. Cos this be a cause for my problem, perhaps the plastic gasket is shagged.

[Steven M]

by the way i also did a compression test and that came up good.

[south21]

My commodore did exactly the same thing it turned out to be the fuel pump, even though I could here it spin up it wasn't putting out enough pressure, replaced it no problem since a bitch of a job 2 tips get a fuel line removal tool either repco or supercheap and the electrical connector in the top of the pump is tricky pull out the 2 locking pins then put a small screwdriver down where the red locking pin came from to lever the locking tab over to remove connector. hope this helps.

keith

[Steven M]

yeah well i just had a look, i don't have a fuel pressure tester but it does flow at just under 1litre per minute. Does anyone else know the flow rate that the fuel pump should pump out.

[Steven M]

FYI,

It ended up being the fuel pump, was working put not pumping out enough fuel, don't ring holden dealer because the local one here said that they only sell the pump and sender in a complete unit for $370 and you cannot purchase the pump seperately yet if you call repco they sell the pump only for $130.

[jakebell]

FYI,

It ended up being the fuel pump, was working put not pumping out enough fuel, don't ring holden dealer because the local one here said that they only sell the pump and sender in a complete unit for $370 and you cannot purchase the pump seperately yet if you call repco they sell the pump only for $130.

just a little note gmh do sell the sender unit with cables for around $70 and a good pump should set you back around the same money from a good parts shop easy job to do yourself if you havent already done so...jake

[snappy05]

hey dunno if im too late to render any assistance but by the sounds of your problem it sounds like ur TPS(Throttle Position Sensor) might be cactus. My VS did a TPS and had the same symptoms as you're describing. Don't bother going out and getting another TPS for it like I did because it needs to be set by a specialist but u should be able to get a complete throttlebody from a wrecker for about $45(thats how much I paid) and you should be all sweet. That is if thats your problem but it does sound like it. Good luck with it anyhow

[fasamr]

please any one can help in my ride vt v6 after cranking after the engine is started after 2 sec. i hear some noise from the engine dont kno wat is it second thing while travelling suddenly engine stops and dosent starts then after about half hour it starts normally keeps on doing this when engine stops while cranking i tried pluging out the plug lead from the coils one from each no spark while cranking any solutions i live in uae very very few mechinics to understand so please do help me

[235rwkw]

far out don't start replacing everything. this sort of prob is always the throttle position sensor or the fuel pump on these, almost always! Common problem surprised no one has mentioned it yet.

if the car dies and starts again when cooled, it will be the crank angle sensor. the first thing you check, not the last. hard to start sometimes, cuts out while driving but goes again, bit like a miss, crank angle sensor starting to go.

you usually get some warning with the sensor starting to go, with cutting out hot etc, then gets worse and worse.

Get a new one, need to pull the harmonic balancer off to fit it...

the earlier ones pre VT were a PIA to fit, you needed an alignment tool or they got chewed up. the later ones don't need that tool.

when you find out i'm right you can send a donation to me

[danja]

Don't bother going out and getting another TPS for it like I did because it needs to be set by a specialist but u should be able to get a complete throttlebody from a wrecker for about $45

Unless the throttle body changed a hell of a lot between the VS and the VT there's two screws holding the TPS onto the throttle body, it's a case of plug and play - nothing more.

[fitz_vt]

what compressions are you getting....
if you know, but i am pretty sure that the throttle body and TPS need adjustment and also check if she is running to rich or lean......
how often do you change your air filter??

[tony11]

i am getting the same problem with my series 1 vt l67 but i have done everything replaced leads plugs cam/crank angle sensor o2 sensors fuel filter, aif filter only thing i can think of at the moment is that one of my cats is rooted because i have only replaced one with a magnaflow high flow but the other cat is hollow can that affect my cars performance under heavy load or is there something else i am missing out on im really stumped i have also tightened up the little 7 millimeter bolt on the dfi module underneath my coil packs and now my car starts and runs fine just now under heavy load as i said b4 my car kind of stutters is that because its not flowing right or is it bad fuel or is my pump letting go ??????? help anyone ?????//

[Steven M]

Fuel pump, but you should test it first b4 you replace it. I started this thread so see what happened to me. But it ended up being the fuel pump, just pulled the hose off that go's to the fuel rail and bridged the relay so the pump would continuosly run. Measured how long it took to fill up a 1 litre bottle. In my case it took something like 45 secs to fill 1 litre. A good working pump should be able to do around 3litres in 1min. ACDELCO website has the exact flow rate for fuel pump for vt.
[URL="http://www.acdelco.com.au/PDFs/Catalogue_ACDelco_FuelPumps.pdf"]

[Zeussy]

like 235rwkw mentioned, i always knew that problem to be the crank angle sensor, and in the rare occaision that it wasnt, it turned out to be the coil packs breaking down when they got hot, id definately be looking at the C/A sensor first...

[roxy84]

I noticed you were talking about whether the comp logs and prob codes how do you check this?