[SOLVED] Holden VS V8 5.0L – Surging and Stalling

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Yes, every forum has one of these threads, but when it started happening to me I couldn’t find anyone with exact same issues and a solution. So i’ll start one here and when I finally get it fixed, I’ll post the solution, not just disappear into the ether.

Car: VS Senator 5-spd 196,000km

The saga: First signs mid 2013 – I had a major service done to the car. The next day I wanted to drive bit over a hour down the highway (Darwin to Litchfield). Got about 15 mins down the highway and lost power – the car was still coughing and surging but I was slowing down. I pulled over and the car would stall once I stopped. Start the car up and it would be good for a couple of mins and then repeat. I limped back to the mechanics.

A couple of hours later the mechanic said he replaced the fuel filter and the car was good – Um, wouldn’t fuel filter be part of a major service? Anyways…

The next day I tried again. Got 99% the way there, about hour down the highway, and the car started coughing and surging again. Since I was so close to my destination I limped it into the car park.

Tried to enjoy myself in the beautful Buley Rock Pools at Litchfield National Park, but wondered if we would get home…

Drove about 3 quarters the way home (45mins driving) and it started again. Luckily was pretty close to the Noonamah hotel (yeah ‘where the hell is Noonamah’), so limped it into the car park. Got a feed and a beer or two. Drove home with no drama.

From the above, doubt it’s got anything to do with the fuel filter….

As I lived and worked in the CBD, I didn’t drive much (a tank would last 3 months), and I didn’t drive down the highway much, this mostly went away. So short drives around Darwin (<30mins) would never have any issues.

At the end of 2013 I moved to Brisbane, so the car started getting a bit more use and it came back – I drove Brisbane to Bundaberg and got almost to Bundaberg where it started again, but didn’t stall when I pulled over and came good after that.

Now this intermittent issue has started coming back more often. Last weekend it started after a 15 minute drive, not even on a highway, which has never happened before.

The potential cuprits:

– Ignition Module: This is what my mechanic reckons

– Hall Effect Sensor in Distributor: Mechanic reckons these distributors are bullet proof

– Ignition Coil

– Ignition Leads

– Oxygen Sensor

– Temp Sensor(s)

– MAP Sensor – vacuum hose maybe

– anything else?

I’ve ordered a new Ignition Module, so this will be my first step. I will update the post with results.

Any advice much appreciated.

 

• This topic was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by  SSEN8R VS #1081.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[VH308Participant MelbourneVH Vacationer, Wrapped VT/X Wagon, Triton work truck View build HERE Member since: March 11, 2015 Posts: 32]

Sounds like when my ignition module was letting go, however also sounds like when brothers 5lt had a dodgy dizzy cap and the contact the rotor button get spark from was loose and making it run like an utter pig randomly so I suppose climb up on the motor and have a look at your dizzy cap and rotor and if you’ve never done them then they’re probably due for a change

Cheers

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Had the car for 8 years and never touched the dizzy, so I reckon it’ll be worth changing to. Did think about just replacing everything (plugs, leads, dizzy, dizzy cap, dizzy rotor button, coil, module) but rather find out what is actually wrong… but you know what chasing the gremlins are like – I just may never actually find out.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[NickVRParticipant AdelaideVR V8 Exec, VR SS, VF Redline Reserve View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 264]

I had a similar problem with mine but it was consistent. Mine was hard to start (needed throttle), idled roughly, fouled plugs all the time and would stall when coming to a stop. I changed my injectors and it was fine. I had everything ignition related changed prior to putting the engine in except dizzy (did cap and rotor) and ignition module.

[VH308Participant MelbourneVH Vacationer, Wrapped VT/X Wagon, Triton work truck View build HERE Member since: March 11, 2015 Posts: 32]

If you do cap and rotor I reckon it’ll fix the problem but while your there leads and plugs may as well be swapped out cos if your there you might as well

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

I’ve got the new ignition module installed – will go for a long drive tomorrow hopefully and see if I have any dramas…

Thinking I should change the dizzy, leads and coil aswell due to the age of the car. Anyone got any recommendations?

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[KroozerParticipant Forbes, NSW91 VN SS View build HERE Member since: February 19, 2015 Posts: 336]

Don’t know about dizzy but I done Bosch Coil, Bosch supersport leads and NGK Iridium plugs not long ago

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

Rusted out fuel tank for a idea to look at

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Cheers manta. I wondered that myself but since I have changed the fuel filter recently, i’ve never let the tank go below a quarter and I still got it coughing and spluttering since then. The car had three quarter full tank too.

I wondered if I could get the tank cleaned out by someone – anyone know who does it in Brisbane?

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

Iv seen rusty tank before

It happens when the stars align and your tanks empty and your just the unlucky one it happens to, and sitting the fuel doesn’t slosh around and it starts on the top of tank

Hency why my car is constently full, because it does a lot of sitting I fill it every time I come home even if it’s only 5 litres

It’s not fixable, it’s a throw away job I think

Seen a vs v6 that was retarted some times good some times rough, then serge fill it up and sometimes it comes good and then stuffed and sometimes just down on power and stall was all over the shop and took months to figger out it was the tank and cost him heaps at the mechanic shop

It also happened to a mates vp GTS we cleaned it out for days and chucked 20 litres in it and it come good then week later was stuffed again

Been in Darwin I can imagine the rust would thrive on every thing even Chinese stainless

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

It will make your fuel go slightly discoloured

Run it nearly empty

Fill it up

Get home undo fuel line and pump some into glass jar and seal it

Keep goin till it’s spluttering again or leave it a few weeks till it’s down to 1/4 tank

Again pump some out and compare it to original sample to see a colour difference

And also have you changed all your sensors?? Air intake temp, throttle posistion, coolent temp, idel control motor, O2 ??

Any one of these can send stupid signals and not set of a fault code (not so much the last2)

My coolent temp sensor was telling ecu it was -35 degrees in mid coast of QLD and it was doin stupid thing

Sometimes back fire and pop sometimes flatten it through 2nd 3rd then it would just stall and shut down and once I come to a stop it would just start up again like nothing was wrong and other times just loose a bit of power and then all good for a while

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Cheers! i haven’t changed the sensors but I wondered if at almost 200,000km it might be a good idea.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

Nar 20 years old and traveled enough to circled the earth 5 times they should still be good

I could be wrong though lol

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

update – I changed the ignition module a lil over a week ago now. I have done 3 or 4 drives over a hour long and so far, touch wood, the gremlins have not come back. I even went and did the identical drive i did last time it played up. I’m a not willing to claim it as fixed yet but it is starting to look that way. Will give it another couple weeks before claiming it as solved.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Update #2 – so this long weekend I have done a fair bit of driving. Did 2x 45 min highway drives & 2x 45 min suburban drives with some stops on fri. Sat did Brisbane to Redlands Bay and back withoit turning the engine off. Did brisbane to goldy and back today – hour 15 each way. No return of gremlins above.

Sat did get some coughing under full gas in 2nd gear at high revs, It did keep going but wasn’t smooth. Then  when I tried again and it would be fine. No loss of power or stalling, so don’t think it’s related.

I’ve got leads, rotor button and rotor cap to swap over.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Update #3 – I’ve done tons of driving of late and the car hasn’t had any problems since my last update. I think we can call this one SOLVED.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Update #4 – Can’t definitely close this thread now. Have not had any issues at all since the ignition module was swapped out, even did a track day!

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Good to hear mate, threads like this are good for future reference too

[Manta HSVParticipant SydneyHolden Commodore VS V8 HSV Manta View build HERE Member since: September 1, 2016 Posts: 12]

Hi mate.

I know its been a while but I just wanted to ask if you could tell me where you bought the ignition module. The only option ive noticed so far is on ebay. Thanks

 

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Yes, from ebay. Company called “nuclearpoweredmodules” and I got the “Holden Commodore Ignition Module V8 5.0 RACING,EXCHANGE + 3YR WARRANTY” version for $225.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Holden-Commodore-Ignition-Module-V8-5-0-RACING-EXCHANGE-3YR-WARRANTY-/131908616317

• This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by  SSEN8R VS #1081.

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

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