T25 Automatic Stalling and Losing Power

[norfolkbcs]

Hi all - I wonder if anyone can give me any pointers. We got our T25 automatic last weekend and on Monday I found it losing power/stalling when I went out locally - it didn't do this on the day we brought it 150 miles home! I took it to our local mechanic and he did the following and it appeared to run OK that afternoon.

Clean carburettor jets
Adjust automatic choke
Check timing
Emissions high - adjusted
Replace alternator belt
Replace air filter
Replace plugs

However, we have used it today and found the following:

- about 15/20 minutes into the drive it felt like it was losing power slightly and then it kicked back in - but it still kept feeling like it wasn't changing up gear properly and I had to keep my foot firmly on the accelerator.
- after 30 minutes we pulled into a car park and as we slowed right down to turn in it stalled. It then took a lot of restarting to pull into a park space I couldn't get the revs to stay high enough to pull away
- we started it again after about 30 mins and did another 45 minutes in it and it ran absolutely perfectly - idling with no problem at junctions and running really smoothly with no loss of power, despite driving through winding country roads for some of the journey
- it was then parked for about 3 hours and started fine - but after about 10 minutes started to act how it had on our first journey out
- This continued for about 30 minutes - we finally decided to stop for 10 minutes to see what happened.
- After 10 minutes we started and it ran absolutely perfectly again all the way home

Neither me or hubby are any way mechanically minded but it seems that on a first run out from cold something isn't working properly. But once the engine is warm and been allowed to rest for a short time then it runs perfectly. Could something be locking open or closed when the engine is cold and then a rest and warm start sorts it out? Or could it be something to do with the automatic choke and/or clutch? It reminds me of having a manual clutch and choke when the choke is pushed in too soon and the engine cuts out.

We will take this back to our mechanic but I would love to be able to give him some pointers if anyone on here has any ideas. I am intending to go off to Melton Mowbray in it this Friday on my own and I am a bit worried for obvious reasons.

Thanks - Donna

[norfolkbcs]

One other thing - how do I know if it is water or air cooled?

[skippy1089]

Hi

I'm no expert, and hopefully someone with more expertise will be along but have you checked the transmission oil, think there's something in the Wiki about how to do it. Afraid all I know is dip stick and fill bit is left hand side of engine and engine needs to be warm to test/fill.

I had very similar problem a few weeks ago and it was low, running great now.

[norfolkbcs]

Just looking through the Wiki - does anyone think it could be something to do with this:

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Pe ... burg_Choke" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe the choke is not opening properly and therefore flooding the engine. Then when I stop for a short time the choke manages to open itself and the flooding has subsided - meaning everything runs fine?

Donna

[norfolkbcs]

Hi

I'm no expert, and hopefully someone with more expertise will be along but have you checked the transmission oil, think there's something in the Wiki about how to do it. Afraid all I know is dip stick and fill bit is left hand side of engine and engine needs to be warm to test/fill.

I had very similar problem a few weeks ago and it was low, running great now.

If you mean the gearbox oil - then yes, this was checked by the mechanic last week.

[ajsimmo]

Well, could be quite a number of things, but my first checks would be for a fuel blockage. Symptoms are typical of something in the tank getting sucked up against the fuel outlet (like a big flake of rust, or a foreign object - I've seen this happen with a milk bottle top and a bit of paper towel!). Then when you stop the engine the fuel isn't being sucked any more and the blockage drops away back to the bottom of the tank. Then it runs fine for anything from 1 minute to 1 month, can be very random, very annoying and very hard to find!

ps if you've got a bottom grille on the front of your van, and a water bottle behind the rear number plate flap it's water cooled....

[norfolkbcs]

OK - I think we have sussed out what is going on. Tonight, before driving away, we let the engine run for 10 minutes. After this time the engine was still running high - as if the choke was still full on. We revved the engine a couple of times and the revs dropped right down to a sensible idling level. The drive was then fine from the outset.

So, my (novice) theory is that the choke is not automatically switching off when it should thereby flooding the engine, causing the loss of power and stalling. The 'rest time' when this happens allows the fuel to drain back from the engine. When we revved the engine we somehow made the choke disengage - maybe it is getting stuck closed and needs a bit of a kick to stop it running at full?

Please could the mechanically minded of you out there tell me if you think my theory could be correct, given what has happened? And also what they think might be the cure?

At least I can use it confidently now though and know the 'work around'.

Donna

[badbod777]

i also have a 2.1i auto (watercooled) i have a problem with stalling when the van is in gear, but stationary, and you turn the steering (i have power steering)the van then stalls.
i have been told that i need to clean out the idle air control valve with carburetor cleaner .
im going to be doing this job tomorrow night to see if this cures it, so hope this cures your problem ,if not tell me what you find out to cure yours as im driving to france in 2 weeks and it would be very helpfull to get this problem sorted .

(CAN ANYONE SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS FOR US ) LOL

[norfolkbcs]

I think ours is air-cooled and doesn't have power steering. Also, no effect on the engine when steering is turned so I think we might have a different problem - but I will still post if I discover anything more.

Donna

[ajsimmo]

badbod, it's your power steering causing revs to drop when turning wheel (coz the pump is using power from engine). Sounds like idle stabiliser unit could be disconnected (this problem is why it's there).
Check left hand side of engine bay, next to coil, a small box with two connector plugs pointing downwards, one male one female. They can be disconnected from the box and connectors pushed together bypassing the unit (this is done when setting timing or other diagnostic stuff). If bypassed, pull plugs apart and reconnect to box.
Failing that, pick up your tickover slightly by screwing out the big airscrew just under throttle spindle a 1/4 turn.

[ajsimmo]

OK - I think we have sussed out what is going on. Tonight, before driving away, we let the engine run for 10 minutes. After this time the engine was still running high - as if the choke was still full on. We revved the engine a couple of times and the revs dropped right down to a sensible idling level. The drive was then fine from the outset.

This is exactly what should happen, all OK there then.

So, my (novice) theory is that the choke is not automatically switching off when it should thereby flooding the engine, causing the loss of power and stalling. The 'rest time' when this happens allows the fuel to drain back from the engine. When we revved the engine we somehow made the choke disengage - maybe it is getting stuck closed and needs a bit of a kick to stop it running at full?

No. Choke is working as it should. It cannot come off until you rev it, as the fast idle screw is sitting on a stepped cam. When you rev it you lift the screw allowing the cam and the choke flap to move under spring load to it's new position (fully open when warm).

Please could the mechanically minded of you out there tell me if you think my theory could be correct, given what has happened? And also what they think might be the cure?

At least I can use it confidently now though and know the 'work around'.

Donna

Sorry to kill your confidence, but no your theory isn't correct, and there's probably something in your tank.
It wasn't a work around, just coincidence that it ran ok that time.

[norfolkbcs]

OK - I think we have sussed out what is going on. Tonight, before driving away, we let the engine run for 10 minutes. After this time the engine was still running high - as if the choke was still full on. We revved the engine a couple of times and the revs dropped right down to a sensible idling level. The drive was then fine from the outset.

This is exactly what should happen, all OK there then.

So, my (novice) theory is that the choke is not automatically switching off when it should thereby flooding the engine, causing the loss of power and stalling. The 'rest time' when this happens allows the fuel to drain back from the engine. When we revved the engine we somehow made the choke disengage - maybe it is getting stuck closed and needs a bit of a kick to stop it running at full?

No. Choke is working as it should. It cannot come off until you rev it, as the fast idle screw is sitting on a stepped cam. When you rev it you lift the screw allowing the cam and the choke flap to move under spring load to it's new position (fully open when warm).

Please could the mechanically minded of you out there tell me if you think my theory could be correct, given what has happened? And also what they think might be the cure?

At least I can use it confidently now though and know the 'work around'.

Donna

Sorry to kill your confidence, but no your theory isn't correct, and there's probably something in your tank.
It wasn't a work around, just coincidence that it ran ok that time.

But it doesn't come off when I am driving - I have tried driving for up to half an hour but the problem continues. I keep losing power and then when I slow down it stalls. And it won't start again for 5-10 minutes. The choke only goes off on revs when I have started the van and let it stand stationary, not when driving. So that can't be right can it?

And the same happens every time - if I drive straight off I get the loss of power and stalling, if I let it idle until the choke will goes off then it is OK when I first drive. So it can't be a coincidence if it happens every time.

What are you suggesting could be in my tank and how could that be sorted?

Donna