Hi guys,

I posted an issue a while back saying that it feels like the AC pump is engaging while I drive but a bit harsher.

It does not happen often, but it turns out that the engine turns off for a moment and starts again.
I understood this to happen because 2 things happened:
1. This momentary switch off happened in 1st gear and it was obvious
2. It was idling and it just turned off. Revs didn't drop etc, it was as if the key was turned off. When driving I guess the rpm get it started immediately after it turns off, but at idle it obviously didn't start again.

Any ideas what this could be?

Does it happen at idle and under load?
Does it happen when the engine is cold, operating temperature or both?
At what revs does it normally occur?

1. It has happened about 10-15 times under varying load conditions but never WOT (though I am not often at WOT). Once it was at idle
2. All times were when the engine was hot. In fact it seems to happen more frequently during/after extended driving. It went away for a while but returned today
3. Happened at idle, happened as I was taking off from the lights (1,500rpm roughly) and most frequently happens in the 2,000rpm range (this is the revrange the car is in most of the time so may not mean anything)

Voltage regulator maybe. I have experienced the car shutting off because of this.

Mike

Sounds like a misfire - most common at hot + low engine speed + high engine load, eg accelerating from traffic lights.

Plugs, plug leads, distributor cap, rotor arm need looking at.
Could be other things, worth checking error codes.

Mike, any way to test the regulator?

Max, car has new distributor cap, rotor, leads, and plugs

Mike, any way to test the regulator?

Max, car has new distributor cap, rotor, leads, and plugs

In that case check error codes.

I've been having similar problems. Car now seems ok (touch wood) after:

- Cleaning battery to chassis ground point (a white powder had developed between contact surfaces)
- Cleaning ground point next to windscreen washer reservoir (as above)
- Cleaning (+) alternator connection (was covered in oil from front rocker cover leak)