***UPDATE***
1. FPR - have not checked that
That was a long shot and based on latest info probably irrelevant
Thank you Sean!
2. Plenum area where ECU housing, A/C bits other? stuff is located
was full of water. I pumped it out with an oil sucking pump thing that i use to add transmission fluid to my A6.(
any tips on how to clean that now as I don't want it rusting - oven at very low temp?) Took 12 pumps to get most of the water out. Looks like the rite of passage that is 'Botang's hole' is in my future.
This is the plenum drains - the main culprit being under the AC housing, plus one in either wheel well.
3. Removed the ECU housing cover to check for moisture / water ingress.
It seemed completely dry to me.
4. Checked for moisture among the relays in the passenger footwell area. None found. Checked each relay for operation by cycling ignition switch and feeling each relay for a 'click'.
Each relay responded with a click.
Not Botang's then, although its still worth doing
5. As the car was parked on a slight hill last night, facing up the hill, I spent 10 minutes or so soaking up the water in the rear passenger's floor carpet with a chamois -
both sides.
Always park down hill if poss - it helps reduce water ingress if there is any
6. Tried to get the S8 mobile - car starts fine but misfires badly and will stall if I step on the pedal with anything other than a feather touch. If I do use a light touch then I am able to get the car to rev at approx. 3600rpm according to the tachometer.
Could not get the car to move without stalling. CAT light is on, ASR light comes on and off. Petrol gauge showing somewhere
over half full.
Still sounds like lack of fuel
Thank you Michaela for nudging me in this direction.
7. Went and got 10 litres of petrol and added to tank. Car behaves a
little better and was able to gingerly drive it back to my place.
As MJ opined - suggests fuel starvation?? (i did not replace any of the o-rings when I replaced the fuel pump)
I wonder if you have the same problem I have with Big Red in that 99% of the time everything is fine, but now and then it has trouble going to low fuel level. I'm not entirely sure what this is tbh - whether its a pump problem or a sender problem.
Still to do because it continues to rain heavily here: go to petrol station and fill car up, noting how much fuel it will accept. I am now wondering if there is a problem with the fuel sender or gauge.
Back story: on Thursday night, after going to a shop about 1km form here, I started the car up and was greeted with the low fuel beep and light. Thought no more of it, although was a bit surprised as I did not think that it was that low in fuel. Next day the petrol level seemed fine.
I can hook up my cheap diagnostic cable now as I am near power. Is there anything that I should be looking for, or any particular channel that I should scan, or any tests that I can perform in order to troubleshoot/diagnose a potential fuel issue?
Sorry for the long read to those that made it this far!
