lesleyh Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hi, can anyone shed any light on the problem I'm having with my beloved T4 campervan? I've had it since 2002 and it's done over 100,000 miles with very few problems, but now once the engine (petrol) has warmed up and I'm cruising on the motorway it keeps momentarily losing power. It's always picked up and kept going but has got steadily worse so I've handed it over to the mechanic. He has changed the ECU, the fuel pump and the amplifier (hope that's the right word) and he confesses to being stumped. Has anyone else had this, and if so, how did you solve it? thanks Lesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hi Can you give me the model details Code No and engine size. Your exhaust may be blocking up. Give a little more details and we will be able to help. Are all Vacuum hoses in good condition? Are you sure the ECU is the right match for the engine. Has the van been laid up for some time? etc' Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Sounds like temporay fuel starvation. Have you changed the fuel filter as well as the pump? You could always ask here. http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesleyh Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 Thanks Brendan The van is a J reg (1992) Transporter 62 P SWB engine size 1968 cc petrol. I'm as sure as I can be that the ECU is the right one. The van has never been laid up since we bought it in 2002 with 17,000 miles on the clock - I use it all year round, most days and have done nearly 100,000. The problem started a few months ago and has got steadily worse. Any thoughts? Lesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesleyh Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 Thanks Mike. Yes the filter has been changed along with the pump. Thanks for the link to the forum, I'll give it a try. Lesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonaldson Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Bosch injection is it, what type is it ?? K jetronic etc !!! Don't know why they changed ECU or fuel pump thats clearly not the problem of lossing power. This is a sensor/meter fault. As to fuel filter becoming blocked you would notice that going up hills where you would start slowing down, like you say. Air mass meter on inlet do give this problem as they deteriorate. Map sensor yes same. Manifold air leak yes. Gives a injection type and I'll check known faults. Nice head scratcher surprised its not been remedied. Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Try a set of ignition leads, they age and start to break down. Logically one would not expect recovery but its worth a go as non original replacements are relativly cheap. I fitted a new cam belt on my Focus last week and afterwards it started and ran perfectly at tickover and low speed but missed under load. A new set of £16 leads put it right . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Hi, Do you lose power going up hills on the motorway and then gain power when going down. I have come on a blocked exhaust causing the above ( listen do you here a rattle in the exhaust) but yes check ign' leads and all Vac' pipes carefully. Check the inlet manifold for cracks and air in leakage. Also check inlet piping before the air filter. Keep us posted, Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Hi Will you please PM me with the code on the side of the ECU. The ECU should have been the last thing to be replaced. Also if you have a readout of any faults that may have been generated by some of the sensors. Has your temp' guage been acting up lately? Have you had the timing belt changed latley and has the trouble been after that? etc. Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesleyh Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 Hi Thanks for all your thoughts In reply to recent questions: Injection is Bosch but not K Jetronic Not a problem with air mass or airflow meter The map sensor is inside the ECU hence the change of ECU the individual components being nearly as expensive as complete unit. No recent change of cam belt. Ignition leads have been replaced. Temp gauge / fuel gauge has never worked properly, we have managed without, so not a new problem. vacuum hoses are OK as are air inlet hoses We have a new symptom: If the throttle is floored when the engine shows the slightest sign of a problem (even after just a couple of miles) then the engine virtually dies. It will idle OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuwsmith Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Probably of no help but may be worth mentioning. I had a similar problem on my 60 year old M/cycle. It started and idled fine but as soon as the throttle was opened the engine died. The problem was due to a faulty ignition system (magneto in my case) whereby the increased pressure within the combustion chamber due to opening the throttle "blew out" the weak spark. I suppose it is just possible that relating this to a modern VW engine the ignition system might be suspect? Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonaldson Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Now the other fault that plagues quite a few vehicles is at the plug/s. In other words plug to mass/map/idle control/etc./etc.. Here the terminals can be loose or corrosion has set in especially when dirt/water/moisture can get to them. Don't forget that a component that tests out ok on bench can go bananas when you add heat,ie,in this case heat from engine or resistance in the volts. Like the Jaguars of yore where electronics failed and the owner paid money for new when the only fault was the sweated joins on the boards. So I bet your T4 is alright till it heats up then looses power.yes !!! Interesting...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Hi. Great advice from Gorden and the wire blocks need to be checked. Pull apart a few times and spray them with "Aero Kleen 50" or some other good electronic cleaning solvent. It will clean the contacts. Disconnect the exhaust at the engine outlet and let it warm up Then floor the throttle and see will she not pick up. If it does then you have to look at replacing the blocked exhaust section (Cat) Hope this helps and guides you to solving your problem. Keep us posted, Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesleyh Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 thanks so much for the most recent suggestions - they will all be checked out and I'll let you know what happens when I know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hi How did you get on with your power loss on VW transporter. :-( Keep us posted, Regards, Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesleyh Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply to this. The mechanic kept plodding away trying different things, doing endless test drives and eventually he changed the throttle potentiometer and that did the trick. He had the van from May to September and spent hours on it and only charged 200 quid for labour - there are some good guys out there. It is such a relief to have it back on the road, we use it all winter as a picnic van. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterrosey Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 First things first, go to a VW main dealer and get the vehicle plugged into their diagnostic machine. Then get the error codes cleared from the system. Drive the vehicle until the fault reoccurs then go back to the VW dealer. Now read the fresh error code. You're just shooting in the dark if you don't do it this way. I'd suspect the air mass meter (which commonly fail) and possibly the turbo - VW seem to have a batch of poor turbos doing the rounds currently. But it's guess work without knowing the error codes. Equally it could be something minor like a temperature sender. Hope this helps, Peter R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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