MK1 Astra GTE won't idle

rossiosinc · Astra Newbie Joined: 07 Mar 2015 Posts: 6

Hello this is my first post so apologies if I have posted it in the wrong section frown

My step dad always wanted a MK1 GTE, as he had them back in the day, and around 6 months ago he stumbled across a fully restored one, 1984 I think, with 300 or so miles.

Everything on the car is brand new, there is not one part untouched and the car is absolutely immaculate, the person who restored it even went to the effort of getting the original tyres that came on them.

Intro out of the way, it was stored in a dry garage for 4 months, and started every fortnight or so with no trouble or problems. The car was then taken out of the garage and parked on the driveway for 4 days. After the 4 days, we tried to start the car, to put it back in the garage, it turned over roughly, idled for 3 seconds or so, spluttered and died frown

.

We changed spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, drained the fuel completey, bump starting it etc, but no luck. When the car is started with the throttle opened, it will happily sit at 4000 revs with no spultter, but when the throttle is let off, it idles for 3 seconds and dies again. Sometimes though, when the car is started and the throttle isn't touch, it will idle, but when the throttle is touched the smallest bit, it will spultter and die.

The plugs are black and wet, and we have checked the head gasket, and throttle bodies etc. He has given up on the car and we have literally tried everything I can think off and now the car is under a car port battling the weather and I don't want to see a GTE die, he's very impatient and doesn't bother about the car and something in such good condition can't be left to rot frown

. If anyone could give me any suggestions about how to get the car running again I would be more than happy, thanks!

84gte18e · Astra Craftsman Joined: 07 Nov 2014 Posts: 65

May be a split in the afm ruber pipe?

Eck · Astra Veteran Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 1421

Fuel Pressure Regulator could be sticking open (I had this happen on one of my old GTE's and had similar sounding symptoms)

Throttle position sensor.

Vacuum Advance from Distributor.

LEFT TO ROT? SELL ME THE CAR. mad

tuffty · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:42 pm Post subject:

Sounds like the track on the AFM could be worn or the spring has gone soft causing it to run extra rich
Have you adjusted the Allen screw on the top of it at all ?

DeadEye · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:54 pm Post subject:

The flap in the air box could be jammed open a bit - I had this once years ago after driving in mega heavy rain.

Squirted WD40 up the inlet pipe fixed it.

rossiosinc · Astra Newbie Joined: 07 Mar 2015 Posts: 6

rossiosinc · Astra Newbie Joined: 07 Mar 2015 Posts: 6

Thanks for everyone's replies, I'll see what I can do tomorrow or the weekend and ill let you know how I get on smile

Ash · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:32 pm Post subject:

Disconnect your AFM and see if it still happens.

rossiosinc · Astra Newbie Joined: 07 Mar 2015 Posts: 6

Hello sorry for digging up old posts but we finally found out what was wrong with the car smile

, it was sent to a specialist a few months ago to stripped the car and couldn't find what was causing the problem, it turns out it was the ECU that was filled with water, probably being because before the restoration the car was used as a rally car. A new brain was sourced and everything was built back up and the car runs perfectly now. Thanks for everyone's help now the car is being put up for sale once the better weather comes around and hopefully we can find someone that will enjoy it!

astra123 · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:06 pm Post subject:

Any pics of the car or the sale price

rossiosinc · Astra Newbie Joined: 07 Mar 2015 Posts: 6

He says he's going to put the car up for sale in a month but doesn't know what price range to put it up for, I said around 10k-15k seeing as the condition it's in an considering it only has 30k~ miles on the clock? It got featured in the total vauxhal mag aswell a number of years ago I can post photos of that if needed

DeadEye · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 4:48 pm Post subject:

They do look good in black.

mk1melton · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 9:43 am Post subject:

Stunning!!

DeadEye · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:11 am Post subject:

Quick, someone nick his tow-eye cover.

tuffty · Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:25 am Post subject: