hijet 1.3 wont idle, cutting out. any advice?

Hi,

My Daihatsu hijet 1.3 petrol EFI van doesn’t idle when warm. It will run fine stood still cold for around 4-5 mins but when the auto choke opens it will start dipping in revs up and down then completely cut out. It starts again when key is turned but you have to keep your foot on the throttle to stop it cutting out. Will drive fine on the motorway and on roads until you need to stop at junctions dip the clutch and it will cut out. Have increased the idle speed screw but does the same just with the engine working harder before it cuts out. could this be the vsv? Or fuel pump? Or ECU? At a loss as to where to go now. Any advice appreciated.

hi,

just to add to the above post, does anyone know if i can jam/fix the auto choke in the closed position for the next few days to get to work and back untill i can properly sort the problem? only have 1 month mot left and would like to get some use out of it after the £310 depsit for the first month of insurance!!

It could be anything have you checked the air filter/intake try just lifting the top and air filter off and run without them or it could be the fuel filter or even clogged injecters which a fuel cleaner may fix.

hi Rich,

have tryed letting it run with the air filter hose unconected from the filterbox but the same happens, so am thinking its not restricted or to much air flow (tryed covering aswell). will try cleaning/changing the fuel filter tomorow, as soon as i can find it (have had it a week and still finding my way arround!) if its a bloked idle jet will i not have to unblock it to cure the problem or will it clear itself with a fresh petrol filter? beginning to think i have been sold a shitter. do you know if i could keep the choke closed for the last month of the mot before we will most probbibly part.

cheers

Hi the van is fuel injected so there is only a injector and the ecu controling it to test if its the filter you can take the filter off the pick up hose on the bottom of the fuel pump which is in the tank but if you go to a cars spares place and get a little bottle of fuel system / injector cleaner (about a tenner) you add it to the fuel and then run it and the stuff should desolve any build up of crud in the system from the tank to the cylinder and in the process will make the van smoke like mad

hi Rich,

awesome, will try that tomorow.... thanks for the replys will let you know the outcome.

regards
ian

Hi Rich,

have put the fuel system cleaner in the tank, also sprayed aload of carb cleaner down the throat but still running the same (cutting out when choke opens). as you said tho it did give off some smoke when i first put it in. where do i go next? is it worth buying an ECU reader? and where can i get one?

Regards

On the 1.0L EFI, the manual mentions the adjuster screw for adjusting the exhaust emissions.
Turning it in or out will adjust the amount of fuel the engine gets...

I would presume the 1.3 would have one as well.

It runs on choke?...I wouldn't have thought it had a choke being an EFI :S...

Most injection engines have a cold start system which injects extra fuel into the engine which is an injection version of an Enricher (a choke is a plate which limits airflow to the engine, an enricher squirts extra fuel in).

It doesn't really matter what the setup is.
Your engine simply isnt getting enough fuel....

Disconnect the airhoses so the intake is unfiltered (its only a quick test, dont drive it anywhere though)
When the engine is running, and idling, and it starts to stutter, and go to stall, spray some carb cleaner/WD40/etc (even easystart if you really cant use anything else) down the intake for a second or 2 and see if the engine smooths out. If it does, its definitely not getting enough fuel.

Which would point to the emissions adjuster screw (it adjusts the amount of CO in the exhaust at lower RPM, where the MOT test is done).
It should have one, most injection engines do.

Good luck...

Hi Rich,

oh.... didnt realise they dint have chokes have alot to learn on EFI!!! was just an idea i had that if i could keep it running on the cold start setting it would drive fine, but probbibly wouldnt be to ecconomical. I have just tryed the test a few times, let it run on the drvie for a min or two then the engine started staggering so sprayed some carb cleaner down the throat and it cut out, have tryed it a few times always the same responce. what would this point to? does this mean it is getting enough fuel? do you know where the exhaust emmisions screw would likely to be? near the exhaust or buy the carb?

cheers for all your help, hopefully we will find the answer soon.... wanna go camping!!

Regards

Hi the last post was difflock not me but what was said is god if you are cutting out on his test you may have to much fuel which can cause similar effects try winding the screw adjuster the other way to reduce the amount of fuel going in basically when you drive there is more air sucked in but at idle the throttle butterfly isn't letting emnough air in to match the fuel that the ecu is spraying in as a bodge you could try adjusting the idle out of the throttle cable so when you stop it keeps the engine running a bit fast should see you through a weekwend camping

Carb cleaner can be a bit iffy...
Some burns, some dont....

I normally use a small syringe with 10ml of petrol in it and squirt it straight into the intake....

2 checks to see how its running.
Firstly, what colour are the sparkplugs? If they are black and sooty, then its too much fuel. If they are white and perhaps got white powder on them, its lean.
The other is are you getting smoke out of the exhaust? If its getting way too much fuel then it will probably have black smoke coming out of the exhaust.

The adjuster screw is usually on the throttle body itself.

It does sound to me though, that its fine for the first minute or two from starting that its not getting enough fuel at idle.
Basically its fine when its on the cold start system, as its getting plenty of fuel...

I will have a read on the 1.3 manual, to see if I can see about an adjuster screw...

I agree and was going to add to check the plugs as didn't say earlier but was at work and rushed to get the post done.

hi,

just an update still havent got to the bottom of it, have tryed turning the throttle body screw right up so the engine is running realy fast but still cuts out after arround a miniute and wont idle

spraying petrol in as it is dyeing also doent seem to help.

have just got it back from the local garage who said they could do an diagnostic test but couldnt. they said it may need a new earth clamp on the gearbox to the chassis ( did this earlyer but no joy. ) or they said it must be the fuel sender. they said it may be the same fuel tank as in a mertro? any one know if this is true?

also i cant find the inline fuel filter can anyone send a photo of where it is? or give me directions to it?

cheers guys

hi as far as I know there is only a fuel filter in the tank its self and I haven't found a inline one on my van as to what the garage mean by fuel sender is they don't have a clue a fuel sender only tells the gauge how much to show at the dash its the pump that actually sends the fuel forward to the injecter rail and the fuel pressure sensor on the 1lt is on the front of the rail and it tells the pump when to stop pumping if there is enough pressure to maintain the flow. Does your van make a whine noise if you just switch the ignition on if so this is the pump pressureising the system now if the fuel pressure sensor is playing up it would explain the probs if you can find it check the wireing conections, what you could try is to put in a clear section of fuel line so you can see if the fuel is moving also you could take the sensor off and check there is no crap stuck to it.

still tinkering!! does anyone know where i can get a 'engine temperature sensor' ? going to try changing it to see if this could be the problem as its fine when i first start it, and along the motorway. also where is the engine temperature sensor located? parts and well anything for these seem to be like rocking horse sh*t.

you could try auto components in chingford 0208 527 4680 I walked in to there there today and picked up a oil filter and thermostat off the shelf they are mainly ford nuts in there but it is a general car spares shop and from the old school loads of shelves crammed with bits for old cars waiting for the right person If you ring them say Rich from hagons put you onto them.

Hagons?

The shock firm?

thats right and wheels which is me and the other bloke only, we're the upstairs, the forgotton second hand department

Haha, fair enough

Never actually bought anything from Hagons

Just see the shocks and wheels etc everywhere

Sorry for hijacking the thread OP....

Hi,

An update got major problems now, stopped dead yesterday and heard a pop from the engine, after looking the coil on left is broken and the ht lead under it to the spark plug has been burnt up, the plug is missing allot of metal and enamel, so don’t know what damage this has done to the valves ect. Just wandering if these two problems are connected or if the cutting out was down to this problem manifesting? Think someone up there doesn’t want me to go camping!! So after a coil and plug and someone who is able to helicoil so I can see what damage is done!!

most helicoils need the head off to do properly where abouts in the country are

bristol, south. any chance you could do it? do you think the cutting out and this are directly conected? or should i just cut me losses n get another van. it was only £300 after all.

I'm a bit to far from you as I'm in essex If the rest of the van is good then I would get the head sorted I look at it like this if I fix it then I know its fixed if I throw it away and get another it might break in the same way and I would still not be a happy bunny.

Hiya! Have posted on another thread about getting my EFI diagnosed cos it's doing much the same as the one on here except it'll run ok for a couple of miles then cut out when slowing down eg approaching traffic lights. Initially it would start again straight away but now it's not playing. Hope it doesn't blow up like the other post. Nothing identified on the diagnostic, not done fuel filter yet. Also cuts out on motorway at regular speed then seems to run fine when engine light comes on! Anyone any ideas why?? Thanks