Help needed: Engine Stalling

[Tea3]

Yes, I agree with you. Instead of taking the "I am the professional, leave the job to me" attitude, I think they should communicate with the customers and adopt "let me educate you" attitude. However, we must also remember that these technicians may be very busy & educating takes the least priority. So this means the customers have to find other ways of obtaining knowledge about their cars. Those who don't bother just drive the car until it gives up & then, change new car. Just my two cents worth....

 

[Sky8807]

Friends who more knowlegable in cars than yours truly have driven my car to help figure out why my car is problematic. Some have noticed a flickering of lights & dimming of dashboard lights, headlights & radio. I too have observed that since driving it last year.

 

Flickering and dimming of light does not mean it probably must be alternator problem.

Only way is to test the charging voltage. At idle shd be around 14 volts DC if you measure the battery voltage using a multi meter.

If you alternator is below performance, then the mechanic should informed you what is the actual specification and why yours is below spec rather than say 5 out of 10 ??

Normal DIY kind of check are the voltage at the battery during engine running at idle and rpm above 3000 to see what kind of voltage the alternator churned. Anyway,the check done by battery shop are only general and superficial kind.

 

For me, I go to agent and ask them check to see alternator is good or bad. I don't mind paying for the checking and if confirmed bad, then I change it at servo of elsewhere if the difference in cost is too far apart. IMO the agent know the exact original specification of the unit and can confirm positively if it is out of specification.

 

As for the skoda agent, in my view, only disadvantage is the price is rather high especially labour charges, in fact most of the authorised agent are exp, another is the downtime of your ride, it take a longer time than the outside workshop.

On the other hand, you have accountability for the job done and also responbility not only to you but also to skoda as a whole because their reputation as the only authorised agent for the make is at stake should there be complain on poor workmanship and quality work.

My View

[Tea3]

The problem is, Philip at Servo checked it & didn't tell me the exact value & I being a new car owner at the time of check didn't know what to ask. I reckon they will know how to check the status of the alternator properly. Will ask Dennis to check it the next time I bring it for servicing.

 

Flickering and dimming of light does not mean it probably must be alternator problem.

So, what other possible factors could contribute to that sign apart from alternator?

 

Only way is to test the charging voltage. At idle shd be around 14 volts DC if you measure the battery voltage using a multi meter.

If I drive a car for 5 minutes & then stop, will the voltage come back to 14 volts DC? If I start the engine in the morning without revving the car, will the voltage be 14 volts DC too? Sorry for all the questions, I am not very knowlegable when it comes to all these technical aspects of a car but would like to learn.

 

Normal DIY kind of check are the voltage at the battery during engine running at idle and rpm above 3000 to see what kind of voltage the alternator churned.

 

So I reckon I need a voltmeter to DIY check & know where to connect to obtain a correct value, huh?

 

another is the downtime of your ride, it take a longer time than the outside workshop.

 

Oh yeah, I had to wait 2 days to get a used skoda hub cap.

 

Thanks for sharing your views.

 

 

[Lordgt]

hey Tea3,

 

How is your problem? Solved already? Sorry, did not have the eye sight and time to follow all the posts.

[Tea3]

Hello! Gong Xi Fa Cai! No worries. I understand - we are all busy people here.

 

I am still monitoring the situation. Car threatened to stall again on CNY eve after changing the clutch. RadX took my car for a spin & told me it may be the idle valve. Pumped VPower to clean the engine. So, keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[RadX]

".....clutch. RadX took my car for a spin...."

 

Spin?? I swear i NO spin...

 

 

 

DRIFT maybe... but SPIN...Noooooooooooooo

[Sky8807]

Flickering and dimming of light does not mean it probably must be alternator problem.

So, what other possible factors could contribute to that sign apart from alternator?

A couple of them, loose connections, battery, sensor, relays etc. A test analyser to check whether any fault codes appear would help. This will check the health of the car from the engine to all sensor and electical devices that the manufacturer deem important.

 

If I drive a car for 5 minutes & then stop, will the voltage come back to 14 volts DC? If I start the engine in the morning without revving the car, will the voltage be 14 volts DC too? Sorry for all the questions, I am not very knowlegable when it comes to all these technical aspects of a car but would like to learn.

No worries. The voltage shd be about the same when the engine are started whether cold or hot. BTW 14 VDC is only a guide.

So I reckon I need a voltmeter to DIY check & know where to connect to obtain a correct value, huh?

Yes, a simple voltmeter will do, just contact the two battery terminals to get the readings. Not all car got the same reading, but should be between 13.5 to 14.5 Volt. Anything below 13 need attention anything below 12.5 smell danger. Bottom line shd be higher than 12 volts

 

Oh yeah, I had to wait 2 days to get a used skoda hub cap.

If you need any more hub cap, let me know.

 

 

Cheers

[Lordgt]

ok.. from what you mentioned on your first post, it could likely be the fuel pump.

 

deductions... gas it, no response. RPM drops and shudders. It could be a dead rat in your air filter too.

[Karen]

Hi, would like to know if anyone has experienced this before. Lately, my Fabia's engine has been stalling or threatening to stall spontaneously, regardless of whether I am driving (on the expressway) or engine is in idle. I recently sent it to Servo/Dennis & had my whole clutch system changed, which cost me a big bomb. He attributed the stalling to my worn out clutch. Now that it has been changed, I shouldn't face that problem by right. However, yesterday, I had just reversed my car into the parking lot & was gear was in neutral. Suddenly, the engine threatened to stall again. I stepped on the accelerator but nothing happened - engine didn't rev at all. It felt as if no petrol was being pumped into the engine. Can someone help...maybe enlighten me on the mechanics of the system that makes the car move from the stepping of the accelerator to the workings of the engine? I am trying to figure out what may be wrong & what may be the contributing factors. Thanks!

 

Hi Tea (er... not high tea...okay)

 

It's has been some time since we last chat, how's life? I'm sorry to know that you car is giving problem again.

 

For a start, I must mention that I do not work for CA nor do I get a cut from them if any 1 sent their car to CA for any service or repair. The only thing I have to do with them is that I am a owner of a hand me down skoda from my dad, and I service the car eith CA.

 

IMHO I think you should sent your car back to agent to check it out, what is the harm? when you had done with the clutch replacement? I do not really know much about cars but for 1 thing, I think any car should not stall because of a worn out clutch...

 

I do not wish to say any thing bad about any 1, but I did ever sent my ride to Dennis and gang for something not 1, 3 but more that 5 times to try to get a problem solve (not mentioning paying for all the parts replaced for that 5 visit and not solveing problem)At last the problem is not solve by them but CA. to be fair, I have my fair share of ups and down with all the players namely JTA, Dennis and gang, and CA. at current I always sent my car to CA for all repair and service, but I keep servo as a back up plan, for your case I think you should do the other way round keep servo for service, and "try" CA for back up plan.

 

Please take care I wish you luck in getting the stalling problem solved.

 

Cheers

 

karen

[Tea3]

Yeah, drift & hit the red line

[Tea3]

Wah, so many possible causes for flickering lights. Ok, will ask Servo to help check all these. Well, with this information, I can at least specify what I want checked. Wah, the list very long...

 

 

Hmmm, I wonder where I can get my hands of a voltmeter?

 

 

Thanks but just changed my rims. No need skoda hub cap anymore.

[Tea3]

Air filter? Just changed it to Green.

 

Fuel pump? Some people also suggested fuel filter.

[Tea3]

Hi Karen,

 

Good to hear from you again. Yeah, it's been some time since we corresponded. Thank you for sharing your opinion with me. Sky too has shared his experience with CA.

 

I changed the clutch on 3 January. Since then, the engine threatened to stall once. Then, RadX took my car for a ride (not spin) & so far, so good. Other than the flickering of all the lights in & outside my car, driving is fine. I am keeping my fingers crossed & praying hard everyday that no more problems will arise because my wallet cannot take it .

 

As for Servo vs. CA, I shan't comment too much. Whenever I mention names here or organizations, I am not slandering anyone. I mean what I write. Just telling the truth & describing the situation as I encountered it.

[Sky8807]

Tea3,

 

Hope you can get the bug removed asap and enjoy your ride.

 

U can get those cheap multimeter from most DIY store at cheap price, think between $10 to $20. Quite useful for checking batteries (A,AA,AAA)at home also for conditions.

 

Cheers

[Karen]

Dear tea,

 

I do agree with you and sky on how you look at both the workshop mentioned. but at the end of the day we need to get the vehicle service or repair fixed. as for salndering, I think we are very safe as we did not say any "unkind" things about anyone in order to sell anything to anyone, let the one "selling" worry about how to cover up the mess, and not us.

 

I more concern for your safety than those's who said they care about you but at the end of the day is the cash in your wallet they "care" about. from your post I understand that your car stall even on highway while driving, this is something I think you must get it solved ASAP, (touch wood) as if the car stalled while you are on the highway and every 1 is going at the speed of 90-100km how long you think it will take the driver on your tail to realised that your car had stalled and hit the brakes to stop his or her car in time?

 

To each for it own.... others have their reason for going to dennis and gang... and I had mine for going for CA, but the point here is not "who is cheaper, wins all or who can be little CA takes all" but it's your safety I am more concern about..... please hear me out if the car still stall for nothing, please sent your car to another workshop for another opinion be it CA or not.

 

be safe and happy

 

 

cheers

 

karen

Edited January 27, 2004 by Karen

[Yeobh]

I don't encourage you to DIY unless you have some knowledge of auto technology. You did mentioned that you replaced the battery with new unit - may I ask, did your battery man back-up the "keep-alive memory" chip with a spare battery?. Very simple way to check - once the new battery is in place, did you need to reset your car radio and clock setting ? If you need then the battery man did not do a back-up.

If no back-up is carried out then the "keep-alive memory" will loose its default setting. Lose of default setting can cause throttle opening voltage problem resulting in engine speed hesistation and slow pick up speed.

 

My suggestion is ( like your friend Karen said)go back to the car agent, they have the OEM fault code reader ( independent car workshops seldom have excess to OEM scanners - what they have is aftermarket type which may give only diluted informations) OEM scanner should be able to read for any fault code stored in the on-board car computer and reset the default setting.

 

Be safe than sorry.

[Tea3]

Yes, I hope so too.

[Tea3]

Thank you for the concern. Yes, ultimately, safety is the utmost important issue when driving. I will monitor the situation. Like I mentioned earlier, RadX helped take the care for a good ride & the whole situation has stabilized. Yes, if it still stalls, I will definitely bring it for a check up again. Once again, thanks for your concern.