Car losing power?

janninew

Any ideas?

My car has started juddering when its first started and then it cuts out and the battery light comes on. If you start it again straight after its fine! This morning the engine light came on, and the car seems to be very sluggish when I accelerate. It was in the garage a month ago, had a full service, and the fuel pump was replaced. I've already spent £400 in the last month and don't fancy spending much more?

Any ideas what this could be?

Thanks.

JokerDurden

Sounds like a similiar problem I had with my car and all it turned out to be was air trapped in the fuel system.

Take it back to the garage explain it recently had a fuel pump fitted by them and see if that is the problem.

Hopefully it is that and nothing more serious.

12bdebt3

My girlfriend has the same problem. It seems like it's her carburetor. A carburetor must provide the proper fuel and air mixture otherwise it can fail to start properly if the car has been left there for a number of hours unused. You will notice once the engine heats up and you get going that the car should run fine.

12bdebt3

arrontdep wrote: »

My girlfriend has the same problem. It seems like it's her carburetor. A carburetor must provide the proper fuel and air mixture otherwise it can fail to start properly if the car has been left there for a number of hours unused. You will notice once the engine heats up and you get going that the car should run fine.

The garage will probably charge you for that, unless you're female with cleavage...

Anyway you can let the air out yourself, there should be a little pipe near the engine with a cap on top of it, twist the cap and you should hear the trapped air come out.

If this happens then your carb has got trapped air. It could be a one off but if it keeps happening then you might need a new carb fitted. Which is like £200.

12bdebt3

http://www.malaysiaminilover.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/labeled-diagram-of-car-engine.jpg

I found this diagram. Obviously all car engines are different, but if you look at where the carburetor is near the top of the diagram you can see a little cap on top of it, that's what you twist to let the air out.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Most cars these days are fuel injection - ie, don't have a carburettor.

johnnyroper

It would help if we knew the age and model of car and also what engine it has.

Carbs were done away with around 1993 k plate.

Also the air in fuel suggestion only really applies to diesels

janninew

johnnyroper wrote: »

It would help if we knew the age and model of car and also what engine it has.

Carbs were done away with around 1993 k plate.

Also the air in fuel suggestion only really applies to diesels

Its a 53 reg peugeot 206 sw, petrol 1.4 engine.

foofi22

Sounds similar to a problem I had with my Peugeot 106.

The engine would stutter and sometimes cut out when first switched on. Acceleration was very poor, but sometimes it would just suddently kick back in again for a second or so.

After driving for a couple of miles, if the engine was switched off and on again the problem was gone. The problem was worse on cold days.

Turns out the problem was the coil pack needed replacing, it was causing the engine to misfire hence the lack of acceleration and at extremes cutting out.

The mechanic (GF uncle) had one look under the bonnet, replaced the part and the problem went straight away.

JokerDurden

johnnyroper wrote: »

It would help if we knew the age and model of car and also what engine it has.

Carbs were done away with around 1993 k plate.

Also the air in fuel suggestion only really applies to diesels

Not trying to question this but it did happen to an old Ford Orion I used to own (petrol), was a quick ten minute job to release the air and off it went.

12bdebt3

johnnyroper wrote: »

It would help if we knew the age and model of car and also what engine it has.

Carbs were done away with around 1993 k plate.

Also the air in fuel suggestion only really applies to diesels

My girlfriends car is a 98 VW Polo and that has a carb...