Engine suddenly cuts out while driving: CAS problem?

[GijsBert]

After a few weeks enjoying my Elan, I need your technical expertise on a strange problem.

After picking up the car by the previous owner, the timing belt, water pump and auxiliary belts are changed by a specialist. When I picked up the car over there, that day the car had some starting issues. I changed the spark plugs and added Wynns injector cleaner to the fuel. After that, the engine started perfectly.

But when driving, suddenly the engine cuts out. Without any warning lights or other symptoms. I can restart the engine immediately, and after that it runs perfectly again. I had this issue now three times, within a few trips, within 300 km.

Has someone any idea? Maybe the notorious cam angle sensor?

[Tuga2112]

check for codes using the paperclip
the wiki has a page about it.

then report back.

[GijsBert]

Thank you for the tip. I just checked for fault codes and the good news is: there aren't any. Only '12' keeps blinking.

But... what could be the problem else?

[Tuga2112]

I Would expect a "broken" CAS would show symptoms when you idle as well, the sensor wont be affected much by the difference in RPM (its a electro/magnetic sensor)

the error codes would store the "overboost" code if that was what happened.

theres a few questions i can think of that although answers dont help diagnose something in concrete, they would help define the parameters of the problem

does it happen when the car is cold ? or only warm ?
does it happen after pushing the engine or also when just cruising ?
when the engine cuts out. were you in gear ? did it restart by itself or you had to change the key position to off and back on to get it running again ?

do you have elanscan ? a graph from there showing when things go wrong may be helpful as well... if possible

[GijsBert]

The point is that there seems not to be any common thread in the occurring of the issue. The first time it happened I was driving 60 km/h with a warm enigine, the second time the warm engine was running idle, the third time I was accelerating to 80 km/h with a half warm engine. So it looks like the engine cut off happens at different circumstances.

When running idle, cold or warm, the engine runs well. Starting it, cold or warm, also no problem at all.

Unfortunately I have no ElanScan, but I'm thinking of assembling one.

[Tuga2112]

do you have an imobilzer installed ?

[RonR]

Many years ago I had a similar problem on a VW which turned out to be the Ignition switch contacts.
A new switch solved it, but not until I'd tried everything else first!

[GijsBert]

My car has no immobilizer, so that will not cause any problems. Checking the ignition switch is a good one, I will move and touch the inserted key while the engine is running and see if anything happens.

[JethroGreenfinger]

I'm no expert and it's a long shot, but if the car has been stood for some time, all sorts of bits of crap build up in the fuel line. I have rescued cars that showed similar symptoms, on one it was a flake of paint (yes they painted the inside of the fuel tank on Avengers!!) that worked like a cut off flap, just before the carb. Ideally flush the fuel system, but short term, running more injector cleaner through with full tanks, might help to break stuff up.