Driving like a Piglet problem poss NOT overfueling...

[Missdgear]

Ok symptoms are...

* Black soot out of the back
* Stuttering not dependant on rev range or temprature, intermittant
* Stuttering kicked in when I was travelling on motorway and she had been running at 80mph for 3-4 hours constantly - it also sometimes kicks in when shes cold - there is no rhyme or reason for it
* When stuttering you need to drop a gear and rev the tits off her to get her to go anywhere
* When cold it idled at about a grand (normal) when warm it idled at 2 grand (Not normal)
* MOT emission results were fine - this was done just prior to the problem escalating
* MPG down to 26!!!!!


So far we have changed

Lamda Probe (when we took it out there was no black afro it was a clean grey colour)
O2 sensor under air fiter
Coolant Temp Sensor
Changed all vac pipes
Sparks are showing normal grey/brown deposit not covered in oil as one would expect if its running rich.
Just had ECU checked and its fine (not just codes but on an overnight simulation to see how she acts)
All wiring has been checked and the new sensors have been checked to make sure they are working

Going to do a compression test on Friday

How do we check the injectors?

Need to get this bottomed or Dave won't let me take her to France for the ITJ run

Please please please help

[Nozzle]

Buzz out the loom, I recon you have a broken wire, that is intermittently making. This means the ECU sees a step-change on one of the inputs and sends it "kooky". Buzz out the wiring loom and give the whole length of the cable a wiggle. While the cables are all bunched together, the loom is strong - but towards the ends where there is only a single connector they're fragile indeed -you can have hidden damage behind sheath that otherwise looks good, as to copper breaks under a shearing action but the sheath holds strong.

I had nasty SPi type problems and decided getting the injector sonically cleaned was a grasping-at-staws last resorts type thing to do - but paid my money and sent it off. Came back with some before and after results with very little change. The problem being there was no problem, I sent them a perfectly good injector - the guy at the place did say it would be a bit of a waste of cash as he never sees any problems with that type of TBi injector (they don't suffer the heat quite like a Multipoint injector does). I can dig up the info if you still think it's worth it. Just bear in mind the object of the excercise would be no more than to positively, once-and-for-all rule out the injector as a problem.

As above, my money on a broken or damaged connection. It could be the loom or crud on a spade within a connector. Label all the connectors up with tape to the sensor/actuator they go to/from and examine it throughly. Something else you could try is to borrow someone elses ECU! There's no need to fuss about with the immobilizer, as that is handled by a separate unit that is burried behinf the dash.

Nozzle

[Missdgear]

Cheers Noz, only prob is Dave said hes done that and taken all the loom out when he was checking the sensor. He now says he will recheck the sensors this weekend

Its doing our heads in

[Nozzle]

Cheers Noz, only prob is Dave said hes done that and taken all the loom out when he was checking the sensor. He now says he will recheck the sensors this weekend

Its doing our heads in

I guess it can be testing in two ways too, perhaps worth trying both, for the sake of diversity!
a) by simply checking continuity from one end of the conductor at the multiplug to the other end (with the sensor and ECU not plugged in)
b) by checking with the sensor plugged in and measuring resistance from the signal wire right the way back to the earth. This is okay for things like ATS, CTS, TPS, but not for CAS, OS etc

Make your life very easy by using a Digital multimeter (the issue is the internal impedance of the meter rather than the way it displays readings). Also, a few inches back in the loom from the ECU connector, you'll find all the screens (braided) and some of the sensor returns (pink + black I think) join together - it might be worth checking these joints are good, not a "dry joint" or corroded.

Nozzle

p.s. do you know if the throtle plate stop screw has been altered?

[Missdgear]

Zippy, Noz,

Thanks so much for all of your help, the problem has finally been bottomed with help from Icklemini

Then problem for future reference was a blockage on the inlet manifold meaning not a lot of water was getting to the coolant temp sensor and so car was overfueling to overcompensate. Since flushing her through she has driven fantastically and temp needle buries itself into half way after only 10 of so minutes stutter-free driving

Thanks again for all of your help

Bx

[Zippyrude]

Brill news, well done bex
enjoy the spi now !