Hi,

Got a Magna TP which is playing up at the moment. It started about 4 weeks ago on the highway. On waiting a while I turned the engine over and I'll be off again. Given that I had run the tank very low a few times in the weeks prior, I assumed that I clogged up the petrol filter. Two weeks went by without any issues and I thought that the problem was solved. Before I knew the same problem had reappeared.

This time round, I noticed that when I konk out and sitting on the side of the road with the ignition on, I would hear the pump prime up around 5 minutes after the engine cut out. Is this normal for the pump to do this before start up because I have never noticed this before? Anway this got worse until the engine just wouldn't kick over after leaving it until the next day.

Took it to get service, they service centre replaced a corroded connection running to the distributor cap. I took off and moments from home the engine just cut out again, tried to start but no luck. Again after waiting awhile it start again only to konk out seconds later.

The ECI unit has also being make strange buzzing sounds when the car dies.

Just not sure what's wrong....any suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers,
TA-man

if the ecu is making wired noises maybee ure computer is stuffed,
on a carby car i had very similar problems, with me it ended up being fuel filter stuffed, and carbon canister stuffed, good luck

im having simlar problems its only done it twice and its very werid its only done it when it was extreamly cold i would go to put my foot down and all i would hear is the air being sucked but it hasnt stalled unlike yours but when i pulled over and put it in netural it reved fine it was only when i would take my foot off of the cluch it would rev up and down and wouldnt go any where.. and weridly enough if i turn the car off wait few mins start it shes fine no probs at all
but i too have ran it dry WAY to many times and by the looks of the filter looks like its the factory one lol so i will replace that one day
but the second time it did it i thought id open the bonnet and check thing everything seemed ok cept the pins?? in the dizzy cap where dirty so i cleaned them off and it hasnt done it since
also i remember the ecu or the other relay there making a buzzing noise the first time it did it

but does yours rev when in netural then when u put it in 1st or drive does it die then??
but i have been told fuel pumps can play up when cold and die then work again so if it does it again to me i think ill be checking the fuel pump and maybe get a spare from the wreckers

Just as an FYI - it is evil to run a electric fuel pump out of fuel - they use fuel to cool and lubricate themselves.

There are a number of things that can cause these problems:
1) sensors
2) dirty connections somewhere
3) dodgy fuel pressure regulator
4) fuel pump/filter

Honestly, try to do a self-diagnosis of the ECU and see if that revelas anything, that will rule 1) out :)

Got a Magna TP which is playing up at the moment. It started about 4 weeks ago on the highway. On waiting a while I turned the engine over and I'll be off again. Given that I had run the tank very low a few times in the weeks prior, I assumed that I clogged up the petrol filter. Two weeks went by without any issues and I thought that the problem was solved. Before I knew the same problem had reappeared.

Changing the fuel filter would be cheap insurance.
Filter would collect water & grit from your fuel.

Should be done regularly anyway, especially on an EFI car.


Took it to get service, they service centre replaced a corroded connection running to the distributor cap. I took off and moments from home the engine just cut out again, tried to start but no luck. Again after waiting awhile it start again only to konk out seconds later.

That would be the engine rotation sensor, without its signal engine won't fuel/fire.

Make sure the contacts are clean etc etc. Soak it with WD40.


Not quite related to the fuel filter or running low on gas, but hey.

I had a similar problem only just 2 days ago. At first I assumed it was fuel as the car (Ford XE) would start fine, continue running if I revved, but would cut out if I stopped revving.

Got my old man out and we discovered that it was losing spark as it cut out. So we narrowed it down to a fault with that little black control module in the distributor.

The symptoms started awhile ago, it would cut out maybe 2 or 3 times a day but would run fine. Then, 2 days ago it was at the state that it could not move anywhere

Just as an FYI - it is evil to run a electric fuel pump out of fuel - they use fuel to cool and lubricate themselves.

yer i knew that but meh its also bad for your injectors but i do it like everymonth and for the pass 2 years still puffing fine :badgrin: :bowrofl:

yer i knew that but meh its also bad for your injectors but i do it like everymonth and for the pass 2 years still puffing fine :badgrin: :bowrofl:

Hehehe, you are lucky, a mate ran his TP out for like the 15th or so time the other day, put fuel in it and wouldnt go - $259 fuel pump from Ringwood. Interesting thing is I was told some Commodore in-tank pumps may fit into the tank of the Magna, wasnt game enough to try :)

Just as an FYI - it is evil to run a electric fuel pump out of fuel - they use fuel to cool and lubricate themselves.

There are a number of things that can cause these problems:
1) sensors
2) dirty connections somewhere
3) dodgy fuel pressure regulator
4) fuel pump/filter

Honestly, try to do a self-diagnosis of the ECU and see if that revelas anything, that will rule 1) out :)
I'll agree with that. I burned out my fuel pump that way...
I'd replace the fuel filter first and foremost, and hope you haven't killed the pump. That's a ***** of a jobbie!

I'll agree with that. I burned out my fuel pump that way...
I'd replace the fuel filter first and foremost, and hope you haven't killed the pump. That's a ***** of a jobbie!

Especially if you have one that bolts to the bottom of the tank as well and forget to undo the bolt LOL