Stalled while driving and won't restart

[Jetta Fan]

I had just left the office and was shifting from 2nd to 3rd and there was a "buck", sort of like a bad shift, and I noticed the car had stalled. I'm guessing what happened was it stalled as I was shifting and the "buck" I felt was letting the clutch out in 3rd with the engine not turning.

Any way, tried to restart it and nothing. Cranks over fine...sounds good. I checked and all belts are in place, including the timing belt. I tried to let it roll down the hill and catch it on the clutch but nothing.

Any suggestions?

[jtanguay]

fuel related.   stop solenoid maybe?

[Jetta Fan]

I wondered that. The lines don't appear to have bubbles.

I unplugged the solenoind and plugged it back in but it didn't help. And of course, I'm in dress pants/shirt and no tools. And 45 miles from home.

[addautomotive]

With the ignition ON, try connecting the fuel solenoid. Is it clicking? You should hear it.

I've had the wire break inside the sheathing, and had to run a jump lead from the battery to the solenoid before. I actually ran the 12V from a headlight socket so I could turn the car on/off without popping the hood

[Jetta Fan]

Just to make sure I'm checkig the right wire, can someone tell me which wire it is? I unplugged a couple around there, but it's easier if you know for sure what you're doing.

And good tip Jake. Thanks.

[addautomotive]

wish I had a picture on hand...

right above where the 4 fuel lines screw into teh pump, there is a round solenoid with a single 12v lead.

It's called "magnetic valve" on this diagram:



In this picture, you can see the little pink wire going to the solenoid valve:

[g-spec]

Have you checked the crank pulley yet? Could have something to do with that.....happened on my sisters golf....belt never came off.....engine just stalled.
Does it crank over good?

[Jetta Fan]

Thanks for the diagram and pic Jake. I was checking the right wire.

G-spec, the crank pulley is fine...thought of that along with the timing belt, but it turns over fine.

While waiting for the tow truck I tried the wire on the stop solenoid again and when I tried cranking it over, I noticed the glow plug light didn't come on. Turned the key off and back on again and no light. I waited and did not hear any glow plug relay click. I remember reading somewhere that the two are connected, but not sure how.

[addautomotive]

Thanks for the diagram and pic Jake. I was checking the right wire.

G-spec, the crank pulley is fine...thought of that along with the timing belt, but it turns over fine.

While waiting for the tow truck I tried the wire on the stop solenoid again and when I tried cranking it over, I noticed the glow plug light didn't come on. Turned the key off and back on again and no light. I waited and did not hear any glow plug relay click. I remember reading somewhere that the two are connected, but not sure how.

Hmmm

But if when the car was running and stalled, you should have been able to restart EASILY without the glow plugs working

[Jetta Fan]

Yes, but he car was cold later in the afternoon when I tried it and realized there was no click from the glow plug relay.

Anyone know if these (stop solenoid power and glow plugs) are on the same fuse?  :?

[Jetta Fan]

OK, confirmed no 12v at the stop solenoid. Wire looks OK, but by passed it by running a wire to a switch on the dash then to the solenoid. Problem solved.

Next problem is the glow plugs.....they don't work. I pulled the relay (I can't believe the dealer wants almost $400 for one of those) and did some checking. I have 12v at the proper terminal all the time, and 12v at the terminal that energizes the relay when the key is turned on. Proiblem is, I should have continuity to ground at another terminal and I don't. Not sure what happend. Flipping the fuse panel around, I have no idea what wire is supposed to be the ground wire for the replay and the diagram in my Chilton's manual doesn't show the ground wire. Any one know?? As far as I know, the relay is good.

I took some 10 and 12 gauge wire, tinned the ends with solder and flattened them out and stuck them in the fuse panel where the two large lugs on the relay go (one is battery power, the other goes to the glow plugs through a 50A fuse) and ran it through a push button switch I had on a previous vehicle (used it as a start button when the ignition buggered up). I can get the car to go, but obviously would like to fix it right and I'm not sure about the loose wires in the fuse panel.

[addautomotive]

that's a lot of juice to have running through a switch!

On my samurai, I have a pushbutton switch for the GPs that triggers a $15 ford solenoid on the firewall. You could always go that route.

Where you're having issues with both the GPs and the fuel cutoff, I wonder if it's an ignition switch issue?

[Jetta Fan]

The bushbutton switch is a heavy duty switch that was used as a starter switch on my S10 (ran wire direct from the positive at the starter to the switch and back to the solenoid on the starter and there's a lot of juice in that circuit so I'm hoping it will work). But I like the way you rigged yours up. I might look at that. I was just trying to utilize the 50A fuse and as much of the factory wiring as possible.

Yes, both issues arose at the same time, but when I turn the key on, I have the 12v at the right terminal on the relay.....just no ground to complete the circuit to energize the relay. So I'm thinking the ignition is OK.

[addautomotive]

The bushbutton switch is a heavy duty switch that was used as a starter switch on my S10 (ran wire direct from the positive at the starter to the switch and back to the solenoid on the starter and there's a lot of juice in that circuit so I'm hoping it will work).

Keep in mind you were only powering the SOLENOID before, and that's like 10amps... GPs are 35-40.

[Jetta Fan]

Good point. I tried it a couple of times last night and the switch didn't seem to heat up, but I will look into changing it to a solenoid under the hood (if I can't get the ground wire found and fixed).

Did you just run a new wire from the solenoid to where they join the bar at the #4 glow plug now? How did you fuse it?