Vauxhall Astra G Petrol (1998 - 2004) - 04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying

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Mon 2 Jun 2008 10:52
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - nyg-fan
Hi there, I am a newbie here and hope someone can help me or point me in the right direction.
I have an astra 1.6 club 2004 which has 17,000 miles and thought I was buying hassle free motoring for a while... well up untill last week that was the car has been fine but now after doing more than about 45 minutes of driving the car now starts to do a real fine impression of a kangaroo. This was after a combination of round town and motorway driving at about the 45 minute mark there seemed to be what I thought was a lack of fuel as I couldnt keep the car running and the revs just dropped, I just about managed to pull over and the car just died.
It wouldn't start and there were no lights displaying on the dash board.
After about an hour of scratching my head and kicking the tyres I tried to start it and it started just fine as though there was nothing wrong. I decided to carry on with my journey and again after about 40 minutes my car had a personality change and was again a kangaroo. I eventually limped the car home stopping every 30 minutes for a break.
My wife drives the car daily and never had this problem I think mainly because she only ever goes on short trips of about 10 mins.
I have read the thread on 28 march by torribaz and although my case is similar my car does the kangaroo hop after about 45 minutes whether its around town driving or motorway - its not fussy.
I have been advised to book it into a vauxhall dealer but they have told me if the car is not being a kangaroo when I take it into them they probably won't be able to find the fault but will still have to charge me.
Can anyone give me any ideas on what it could be or how to cure it.
Any help will be appreciated.
Andy.
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Mon 2 Jun 2008 13:58
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - Screwloose
Andy

"Wouldn't start.... No lights displaying..." None at all; or just no unusual ones?

Do you get a sucking sound when removing the fuel filler cap?
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Mon 2 Jun 2008 14:25
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - nyg-fan
All usual lights come on dash when trying to start - but no unusual ones. Car started perfectly again this morning, but if I drive it about for about 40 mins , guaranteed it will jump about ,stop and then only restart after about 30 mins.(and will run perfectly again for another 30 mins or so)
But no sucking sound when remiving the cap.

Andy
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Mon 2 Jun 2008 14:38
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - Screwloose
Andy

In that case, I'd wonder about things like crank sensors or fuel pumps. It'd be easy to find with a scanner connected when it wouldn't start.
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Mon 2 Jun 2008 15:34
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - nyg-fan
Do you think that if I take it to the vauxhall garage that if it is NOT jumping about when it gets there that they won't be able to find the fault or would the fault be registered on the engine management system from the times that it did jump around.

Also is there a way for me to check if the fuel pump is the cause.
Thanks

Andy
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Mon 2 Jun 2008 15:48
04 1.6 kangarooing and engine dying - Screwloose
Andy

I sometimes despair of Vauxhall ECU's inability to log codes, so it's unlikely that there will be anything useful if it's running when tested.

You should be able to hear the fuel running through the fuel-rail for a couple of seconds at key-on. Note it when it's working and see if it's there when it isn't.
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