97 1.4CL Problems With engine cutting out and ignitionswitch

[fridgist]

Hi, this is my first post and I have some serious car troubles!

I've had my 1997 1.4cl polo now almost 5 years and over the last year or so it has developed an intermittent engine problem wherby when I depress the clutch the engine revs drop past the idling point and the car cuts out. The dash is still illuminated but I lose all power, steering, brakes, etc. This can occur at anytime, hot or cold.

More recently, when trying to start the car, I have had intermitent problems with it not turning over at all. Sometimes I can put the key in, turn it, hear a slight click from under the bonnet and then nothing else happens but if I leave the key turned over and jiggle it, the car will spring into life(sometimes). Over the past couple of weeks the car has been reliably starting less and less often, and now I can't get it to turn over at all, I'm forced to bump-start it.

Any ideas and suggestions on either problem would be gratefully recieved!

[alexperkins]

Recommend moving this to the MK4 section - you posted in the wrong one

[fridgist]

MKIV? I thought 1994-2000 was MKIII? I know I'm new here....but I'm pretty sure wikipedia isn't lying.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Polo_Mk_III

[alexperkins]

Trust me Wikipedia isnt overly accurate. It can be considered a mk3 or mk4, but on this forum, its classified as a mk4

[mk4polo97]

mate with the engine cutting out i had the same problem, when approaching any place where you have to put ya clutch down. lol, i had my dad clean the throttle body and now it a minta lol hope this helps.

cheers

[Hardcore]

isnt this the mk4 forum though:S:S:S::S

[bstardchild]

isnt this the mk4 forum though:S:S:S::S

It's been moved

[bstardchild]

First - Welcome

Second - Two different problems IMO

Hi, this is my first post and I have some serious car troubles!

I've had my 1997 1.4cl polo now almost 5 years and over the last year or so it has developed an intermittent engine problem wherby when I depress the clutch the engine revs drop past the idling point and the car cuts out. The dash is still illuminated but I lose all power, steering, brakes, etc. This can occur at anytime, hot or cold.!

I would say Idle control valve needs cleaning along with the throttle body

More recently, when trying to start the car, I have had intermitent problems with it not turning over at all. Sometimes I can put the key in, turn it, hear a slight click from under the bonnet and then nothing else happens but if I leave the key turned over and jiggle it, the car will spring into life(sometimes). Over the past couple of weeks the car has been reliably starting less and less often, and now I can't get it to turn over at all, I'm forced to bump-start it.

Any ideas and suggestions on either problem would be gratefully recieved!

This could be three things

Either the ign switch contacts or the battery or the starter motor

I'd get you local parts factor to check the battery out - they normally do it for free

If it passes an amp load test - Great tick that one of the list

I'd then look at the ign switch contacts (cheap option)

Then if that didn't fix it I'd look at the starter motor (reconditioned is fine but make sure you replace the bearing in the bell housing)

[NOZ]

got the same problem mate. Rarely cuts out totally these days but keeps droping idle everytime go to a with the clutch down. I've triued everything like throttle etc and nothing ever works. Took it to Big Boys Toys who did a diagnostics and it showed a few things which after changing still didn't work.

Let me know if resolve the issue cos i've spent alot changing lots of parts without any change. I'll let you know if I sort mine out, which isn't likely tho