arghh..cutting out... (possibly not stepper motor)

[mcgon1979]

hey all, I have had no idle problems ever, but changed the battery today as it was not holding a charge anymore. put in a new battery (car was without juice for at least 10 or 15 mins) and now when I pull up to junctions the revs drop to 500rpm and it cuts out... grand while driving, just when coming to lights or junction drops down and cuts out... I am convinced this is something to do with the battery change. I have never seen this before and only happened immediately after the battery change. is it possible the ECU is doing something? I checked that I did not bump into or move anything in around the cable or Throttle potentiometer or stepper motor etc. everything is identical as before I did the battery change.

[Dragonheart]

Stupid question but was the battery charged fully before putting it in?

[Bernard]

Others have had similar problems, there's a recent thread somewhere on it.

I changed my battery the other day, no problems (touch wood) yet though.

[mcgon1979]

yeah its a brand new battery and full of life. My old battery was basically not holding a charge and it was turning over the engine very slowly when I started car. The voltmeter showed 14v when engine running, and only 10v when ignition on but not running. Changed the battery and this started happening...

One more thing too, I have read all of the posts about the stepper motor, but none of the links for the cleaning guide work anyymore, and funkies site is no longer free. anyone know how to clean it? any guide to what to use and how to do it... I'll see how the car goes tomorrow, because after a one hour drive it seemed to be cutting out less. basically when you come to a stop the revs drop to 500 and cut out, but near the end of my drive they were dropping to 500 but slowly recovering to level off at 900 as expected... I know it seems exactly like stepper motor symptoms but I feel the battery change is something to do with it 100%... argh...

[Bernard]

This one's still working:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050209085739/funky-fto.co.uk/idling.html

[mcgon1979]

thanks Bernard... I'll drive it to work tomorrow and see how it goes... If its still dropping out in the evening I might give this cleaning trick a go...

[Bernard]

Maybe all it needs is a long drive... Limerick for example

[mcgon1979]

haha.... yeah possibly. I actually am hoping though its just the ECU re-adjusting all its tolerances or something... one can hope...
not sure I can make Limerick as I have long standing plans this weekend as its mhy last weekend here before a long deserved holiday at Lake Garda...

[Bernard]

Very nice, that's my kind of holiday.

[mcgon1979]

UPDATE!!!

Ok, not a problem this morning. Started it from cold, and idled nicely high as you'd expect for 3 or 5 minutes... 1200rpm etc, then when it was warmed up after 30 minutes driving it was fine. I dumped the clutch while driving and it idled nicely at 900 as expected. I cam up to lights and stopped in gear, ideled nicely. I coasted to a stop at junction, ideled nicely. didn't cut out once, or drop to 500 or 600 like all yesterday evening.

The fact that this behaviour NEVER happened before, even when I pulled up into garage to change battery, and then started happening immediately after the battery chane, I really think its ECU related not mechanical. When I started the car after the new battery went in (after 15 mins being out) the car started fine but kept cutting out as I hit juncitons..As I continued the drive home last night it seemed to get less worse and struggled to maintain 500rpm but didn't cut out. And now this morning it seems perfect. I changed nothing else. Is it even possible that some voltmeter in the ECU is adjusting after dealing with anew battery with full current after suffering a 10volt low current one for a week or two?

I'm very happy after the drive in this morning, but I'll see how it goes during the week and won't count my chickens just yet.

[Muad_dib77]

How many miles have you put on your car since changing the battery? And ahve you done much stopping starting?

[Sebastian]

ok
had the exact same problem last year

i bought a brand new bigger battery and happened the same

after stoping a few times , checking all conn and cables , reving , stopping reving again and do all possible triks even chatting with Paul Nolan still was doing the same.... i was afraid it wouldnt start if i the revs went down at some traffic lights (btw my revs went lower then 5-6oo)


i had the same idle problem for about 100km (2-3 hours driving).

arrived home and let tha car for aprox 20 mins to chill , started and problems were gone . it was like never happened.

no problem since then!


must be something to do with the ECU ??

[mcgon1979]

Seb!!! This is EXACTLY! what has been happening to me. Revs were dropping lower than 500 and cutting out at every junction or time I stopped... after a bit of driving they seemed to drop to about 400/500 and only cut out half of the time, then today it didn't do anything like this. I have done about 1.5 hours driving since the battery change (about 100km) and its not happening now. I've probably only done about 20 or 30 start stops in that time though because I was so wary of it and mostly did motorway driving. Maybe it takes 20 or 30 start stops for the ECU to get used to the power draw required to keep the revs up at 900 or something bizarre like that. I'm very positive now after hearing Sebs story cause thats exactly what its like. I just hope its nothign else, cause I cannot afford 200 or 300 euro on parts this month. I dropped 70euro on the battery last night.

[Dean]

Its not the battery!

Turn the little idle screw higher. Its what fixed mine.
It used to take about 20 mins after a battery disconnect to become reliable. Now it never drops.

[mcgon1979]

Just an update....

I did NOT adjust anything at all and the problem is completely gone now. I am 100% convinced that changing the battery from an almost dead one to a brand new high amp one will give you some fluctuations like this caused by the ECU dealing with the change.
I'm glad I didn't start adjusting things or cleaning or replacing things straight away. If you change a battery and notice your idle dropping too low while coming to a stop, give it a day or two before adjusting things. As this has now happened to Seb and also myself and it was not a mechanical issue.

[gfalls]

I always thought a FTO could repair itself. T'is witchcraft I tell ye, the spawn of Satin, and don't you just love it?

[Dean]

I am willing to bet if you disconnect the battery it will happen again.

[mcgon1979]

I am willing to bet if you disconnect the battery it will happen again.

I would do that only Im too lazy to program back in all my radio stations again

[Sebastian]

I am willing to bet if you disconnect the battery it will happen again.

Game on

It wont. I tried back then

[mcgon1979]

I am willing to bet if you disconnect the battery it will happen again.

Game on

It wont. I tried back then

yeah it probably won't unless you put in a weaker battery or a stronger battery. If you remove the battery for an hour and put back ni the same battery, the ECU has nothing new to adjust to or learn...
good point Seb. Right the bet is on. €350 euro it is.

[iwannafto]

Ok I have just experienced the exact same problem. Changed the battery on Saturday and was driving to Blackrock, first set of lights, revs drop and engine cuts out. Happened at every stop thereafter - so I'm assuming there was no reoccurrence of the problem for those who had the same problem?

[CJ]

Some advice for anyone changing the battery or disconnecting it for a period of time - let the car idle for 15 minutes after the battery is reconnected. Leave the aircon on for a 5 minute period during this time. The ECU takes time to re-learn idle characteristics, using this process will reduce cut outs when coming to a stop in the interim. Prolonged issues with cut outs (+ 20 miles) may be indicative of a stepper motor or throttle position sensor thats on its way out.

CJ

[iwannafto]

Some advice for anyone changing the battery or disconnecting it for a period of time - let the car idle for 15 minutes after the battery is reconnected.

CJ

CJ just to clarify, if the engine keeps cutting out at idle, are you suggesting to restart continually?

[CJ]

CJ just to clarify, if the engine keeps cutting out at idle, are you suggesting to restart continually?

I'm not suggesting that, no, but I guess if its cutting out while you're driving, you will need to restart continually!

CJ

[mcgon1979]

The problem never occurred again since. It took about 100km of driving and it was perfect from then on. It's just the ECU learning the new battery and whats required to find the correct idle. It should pass in a day or two and be 100% perfect again.