[Brett_Stuart]

159 3.2 Q4 jts, Loss of power and no engine light, fuel pump issue?

I'm on a long trip (1300kms), 250kms in I felt a loss of power, not going over 3500 rpm.
It intermittently does two things, sometimes if I floor it the RPM stays constant at 3000 - 3500 (no engine light), then other times when I try accelerate it starts
jerking and spluttering, sounds like its flooding or starving, like a cylinder is going out or an injector is blocked, quite rough...

The one time I tried putting the clutch in and REV IT but, it just spluttered and the RPM drops to like 1000.
Almost like it was going to die.

When this happens the engine light flashes for about 15 seconds then turn off.
If I stop turn it off for for a little and drive again it runs sweet for about 20 kms then it starts again.
Also about 200kms ago I could get it to 3500rpm now it wont go over 2500 rpm and splutters and jerks anything above that.
I'm in the middle of nowhere the closest little town is 200kms away and I doubt they will have anyone with a diagnostics equipment for the car.
In two minds of getting a low bed to take it home or try do the next 900km's as is.

I know with out the OBD codes it difficult to know but there's no permanent engine light on so would there be any faults found?
Could there be something simple to look at?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Brett_Stuart]

Just made it to my destination,
I think it could possibly be fuel pump related, car ran fine for about 400km then it started loosing power again with NO engine light.
Feels like its running out of fuel.
I once had a VW microbus give the exact same symptoms, it was caused by a faulty fuel pump, I had to spray water on it to cool it down, then it worked for a while again, also this only happened when it was hot outside close to 30C.

This morning was cool on the trip until midday and when the outside temp reached 29C and then the the car lost power. Almost exactly the same as the microbus. Don't know if it's related though.

After it started doing it the first time today it seemed to get worse, only way to keep going was to stop, switch off, wait 5-10 min and then she ran fine for another 50-100km's.

Anybody else experience something like this.
I'm taking it in tomorrow, to check if there's any error codes, even though I'm leaning towards the fuel pump being the problem and not a sensor issue or something worse.

Will keep updating, but any thoughts would be appreciated, I don't want weeks of diagnosis at the mechanic, so I'm open to any ideas.
Thanks all

 

[swq4]

Dodgy SA fuel and clogged fuel filter?
Seen a few tales from SA with similar story lines.

 

[Brett_Stuart]

Thanks SWQ4,
also just read a few of those threads. Coincidently it started happening about 20km after I filled up.
If it is dodgy fuel, does this mean I need a new fuel pump? I read that the filter and pump are one unit(low pressure, tank pump).
could I drain the fuel and rins the pump and filter?
Also read in the elearn that the tank needs to be cleaned, do I have to remove it to do this?
if I could look at it myself it would save time.
Thanks

 

[Brett_Stuart]

Low pressure full pump, replace fixed the problem

 

[Speenvark]

Yes just wanted to add that.

Hope you didn't go through the hell of taking the tank out. You could just clean it in situ with a towel.

Where did you get your pump from?

 

[Brett_Stuart]

Hi Speenvark.
Got it from Arnold Chatz Hyde Park, luckily they had in stock. They did the whole job for me.
Now I've got that knocking noise from the left rear when I accelerate hard at low RPM, sounds like a prop-shaft issue from what I've read on the forums, I tested another Q4 in JHB and it did the same, so not sure now. but that's for another thread.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[Speenvark]

Brett there is a plate bracket between the prop and the exhaust at the rear section of the car. Mine was also making a racket and I just removed it. Could not see any obvious benefit. If you lie under the car just shake the exhaust a bit you will see which bracket I am referring to.

Interesting that they now stock the unit though! Glad you sorted the issue!

What year model is your car and what is the mileage? My 2006 Brera's pump went on 127k km