I've recently rebuilt my cars engine (EA113 BWA) and surprisingly, everything went pretty well. Once it was all back together it started, ran and after getting it checked out by my mechanic, it was certifiably running smoothly. All was well until after less than 10km of driving it cut out and wouldn't start. So here's the story so far:
- Car cut out, wouldn't restart, replaced battery but didn't fix, towed to mechanic
- Sat for a few days, car ran normally for mechanic, they assumed fuel line just had air bubble, took it home
- Cut out on drive home (after approx. 5km), wouldn't start but got code P2293
- Had cracked N276 + the code so replaced HPFP and it started
- Ran for longer (10km or so) but cut out again on drive home
- P2293 code gone but new code P310B, so replaced G410 sensor, car started and ran
- Got even further this time (about 20km) but cut out once again
- P310B came back so replaced fuel tank pump and fuel pump control module
- This time didn't run. P310B is gone but still wont start.
- Previously it had occasionally started properly for 3-4 seconds and then died, but this now rarely happens (still sometimes though).
- When it starts it runs perfectly, so I doubt any timing issues.
Known good parts:
- Fuel Tank Pump - Replaced (tested at 6.something bar with pressure gauge so fuel filter also fine)
- Fuel Pump Control Module - Replaced
- G410 Low Pressure Fuel Sensor - Replaced
- High Pressure Fuel Pump (inc. N276 valve) - Replaced
- HPFP Cam Follower - Replaced (looked fine before replacing)
- Battery - Replaced (and voltage tested good)
- Spark Plugs - Replaced
- Coil Packs - Replaced
Only other reported code was something about the PCV system/purge valve but I can't remember, I didn't write it down as I assumed it was just due to messing around with the PCV hoses when testing things. Could be a clue but I'm very unsure about it. Could a vacuum leak cause an issue like this?
I'm pretty much at the end of my diagnostic ability, the car is sitting on the side of the road 30min away from my house so I'll probably have to get it towed soon. If anyone has an idea for other things I should test/replace before that happens then please let me know, I'm not strapped for cash by any means but the time and money I've spent on this is really starting to get to me. Any help is very appreciated.
Don't forget the ignition switch, diagnostics won't tell you if it's intermittent. It's best to fault find when the engine is in the no-starting situation. Replacing parts without evidence they are actually faulty (diagnostics can be misleading) is expensive and doesn't always solve a problem
Pack away diagnostics and do these simple checks first:
Does the engine crank at normal speed on the starter? If yes the battery is good.
Remove a spark plug, is there a spark when the car cranks? If yes ignition system is good with a caveat the spark may not be at the right time if the crank sensor is bad or intermittent. If there is no spark, look for ECU or crankshaft sensor problems.
HPFP delivery: This is a tricky one to test physically and most will rely on reading pressure with diagnostics? You need to take special care. Working around Efi engines needs care working with their fuel injection due potentially dangerous pressures and gasolene. With a good fully charged battery and the engine top cover removed, get somebody to crank the engine then partially crack open each fuel injector union in turn, expect some fuel to leak and remove it. This may only be 1/4 turn or less on the injector union nut. If no fuel comes out either the HPFP is faulty or there are airlocks in fuel lines coming from a bad fuel line connection somewhere? Now you can get your diagnostics out. V.W compatible diagnostics can measure the HPFP output pressure even during cranking. The important thing is the pressure is usually maintained and falls back slowly after cranking stops. Diagnostics says nothing about fuel line air locks but there's an important procedure in them to purge injector fuel lines of air after reconnecting fuel lines. With key on and engine stopped, decent diagnostics can cycle the electric HPFP and open fuel injectors for around 30 seconds.
Once you are in the fuel injector area you will find Youtube videos, albeit with warnings and risks, checking there's fuel flow from an injector nozzle sprayed into a plastic drinks bottle.
You can check there's output from a crankshaft sensor with a multimeter, but this may be a bit too far for you and if there are ignition sparks it's probably ok? Air supply or emissions controls probably aren't something that would stop an engine dead.
I re -read what you had done and your trouble codes which at first seemed to point to lack of pressure from the HPFP. Decent diagnostics is your friend to measure fuel rail pressure. I already warned you about Efi engines, expect 60 bar output pressure - that's a dangerous 870psi! Fuel rail pressure should be held constant by the fuel rail regulator. You said N276 was cracked? That immediately sends a red flag to me because Bosch Efi is manufactured to be strong. It has to be otherwise you could have a serious fire under the hood. So why should a fuel pressure regulator crack? I would suspect fuel pressure on the rail was way over the normal operating limit? Fault codes can be given for both low and excessive high pressure outside normal range and a fault code alone will not tell you how high the rail pressure may have got.
I think you are making the mistake of replacing the wrong parts with no hard evidence from measurements or testing they are faulty. From what little I've read, the fuel rail pressure is maintained constant by the ECU using a pressure sensor and pulsing N276. You can assume the HPFP is capable of producing (Much?) more than 60 Bar and if excess fuel pressure isn't bled off, it might expensively self destruct and could even be damaged now?
Diagnostics measures fuel rail pressure using the cars own sensors. You could be unlucky and the HP sensor is faulty? In an Efi engine workshop they would fit their own calibrated gauge on the HP output side to check the reading was consistent with that measured by diagnostics ie the car sensors.
You need to make diagnostics measurements specifically looking at the fuel rail pressure and ascertain the regulator is holding fuel pressure constant at or around 60 Bar and not try fixing your problem looking at trouble codes. I found this set of posts which may be very relevant to your problem, but don't go replacing the ECU unless you have hard evidence it's not controlling the electronic fuel regulator.
2007 Golf 1.6 FSI BLF Engine P2296 fault code Hi Got a 2007 Golf 1.6 FSI with BLF engine in my bodyshop Car belongs to a friend of mine and has run poorly for a while finally got him to bring it over to sort it out The other issues have been solved like service items missed & the Motion...
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