My loved Rivage is cutting out when you are accelerating

Hello,

I have a 1992 rivage. The problem that I am getting is that when I drive the car a little hard, it tends to cut out and break down.  Having the AA and also a garage try to solve the same problem still exists and I'm getting quite frustrated with it.

Ok according to the AA and the mechanic it has something to do with the fuel pump sensor relay that plugs into the fusebox. So the mechanic replaced the relay and still the car broke down. When I say broke down I mean that the engine just cuts out and when I try to start it the engine just turns over but there is no spark.  I broke down again last night and whist waiting for the AA I felt under the fuse box and felt the fuel pump sensor and it was very hot to touch, also directly under the fuel pump sensor there is also another type of relay or something which was also quite hot. I fiddled with them both and tried to start again and it started.  So I managed to get my car home and now wondering what to do.  I have been advised that the possible cause could be either the fuse box or a faulty fuel pump, my question is to the experts out there, do you agree or do you have any other suggestions that I should be aware of.

Thanks for your time.

sounds like fuel pumps.. intank and under the car.

remove rear seat and disconnet the power to intank pump and twist out.. have a look see if tank full of rust.debris.. that makes filter and pump block. the pumps are cheap 20£ from classic vw, hertitage, and crazy quiffs, the other pump is under the car and overheats and breaks when the lift intank pump fails, and cost about £60.  to be honest sounds like pumps failing, and due to nature of the cars chec k fuel filler pipe. for rot. change that and clean tank.

Was there a loud whine from the drivers side rear wheel arch prior to this occurring? Or Previous to this starting.

That is a sign that the main fuel pump is overworking….because the pump is failing, or the intank pump has failed and or the interconnect hose is holed internally or broken.

To inspect the fuel pump intank you need 3/4 or less of fuel in the tank.

1984.5-1993 mk1 How to change your in-tank fuel pump | Volkswagen Owners Club Forum

Now fuel pump relays can over heat and get cold solder joints…These will cool in about 20 minutes reconnect, and you can start the car until it over heats melts the solder off the connection, ,,,,rinse-Repeat.  Until you either clean the connections and resolder them or replace the relay.  

The 92 relay is readably available over here and isn't as prone to the cold solder issues but it still can happen.

There isn't as much of an issue as the CIS with getting the wrong internals for it.  

Then of course your Battery to frame and frame to engine grounds have they been replaced?

Did the AA ask where the diagnostic port was?   Does sound like a faulty/failing fuel pump as others have said, check the fuel filler neck, take the fuel cap off and shine a torch down there and look for any rust holes inside the metal filler neck.

If you do need a fuel filler neck it’s different from tin top cars so you need the cabriolet version, don’t believe eBay etc that you can cut the pipe shorter or bend it to fit I tried and it does not work, I had to cut a section out and re weld the end on the get the right angle to fit.

Have you still got the original fuel pump relay? aftermarket ones are usually rubbish and fail/fall apart in no time.

fuel pump relay struggles as pointed out debris in the tank. This strains both pumps and they draw more current hence the fuse blows or the fuel pump relay cooks the plastic around the fusebox pins. You need the 5 pin relay for the late car.

Any more info on this yet, or is the car still poorly in a garage?

 

I had the same sort of problem last summer. I changed the main pump and still did it so I took the lift pump out to change that and noticed the small bit of pipe on the lift pump and disintegrated. Replaced the pipe and pump and problem solved.


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