This car is beginning to PI$$ me off! : (

[C H E W I T T]

Sooo as the title suggests my car is being a right ba$tard!

I'm hoping one of you knowledgeable peoples can shed some light on this.

So my car has been spluttering from start every time i go out in it then after 10 minutes or so it stops spluttering and is OK, not great, but just OK. When i stop for a light the idle is a little rough and when i start off from the lights a little pop comes from the exhaust. This has been happening for a few weeks, but yesterday something strange happened.

I go to start my car after work and nothing happens. I hear a click from the passenger foot well and nothing! I get out and lock the door and 3 beeps sound, then i get back in and she starts up after a few seconds of keeping the key turned. I set off home and she's in a right old mood, spluttering like never before! Again after 10 minutes she's OK, not great, but just OK.

Then this morning i get up to go to work and it took at least 6 seconds to fire up! Its definitely getting worse! I recently changed the spark plugs (NGK PFR6E-10) so i know they aren't at fault....any ideas guys?

I know its a lengthy post but i figured the more information you guys have the better it might be to diagnose.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[The Fatty]

Sooo as the title suggests my car is being a right ba$tard!

I'm hoping one of you knowledgeable peoples can shed some light on this.

So my car has been spluttering from start every time i go out in it then after 10 minutes or so it stops spluttering and is OK, not great, but just OK. When i stop for a light the idle is a little rough and when i start off from the lights a little pop comes from the exhaust. This has been happening for a few weeks, but yesterday something strange happened.

that's normal on the standard cold map. It will pop if you have a decat. Map it with fastchips RSTuner for better cold behaviour + increased performance.

I go to start my car after work and nothing happens. I hear a click from the passenger foot well and nothing! I get out and lock the door and 3 beeps sound, then i get back in and she starts up after a few seconds of keeping the key turned. I set off home and she's in a right old mood, spluttering like never before! Again after 10 minutes she's OK, not great, but just OK.


Then this morning i get up to go to work and it took at least 6 seconds to fire up! Its definitely getting worse! I recently changed the spark plugs (NGK PFR6E-10) so i know they aren't at fault....any ideas guys?

I know its a lengthy post but i figured the more information you guys have the better it might be to diagnose.

Cheers,
Matt

Could be the HT leads/coilpack. Also try giving the throttle body a clean with some carb cleaner (on the inside, not the outside!). The three beeps thing is more related to the alarm. If you turn the ignition on/off/on/off without starting the car, it will disable the alarm on the next lock and beep at you a number of times when you lock it.

 

[Simon_16v]

Do you get an engine light coming up on the dash?

 

[GrahamS]

is it like in my post. I'm looking for a solution as well. I have 98 map

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?700199-Flashing-EML-light-occasional-misfire-suggestions-needed!!

Mine has had the TB cleaned.

 

[C H E W I T T]

The car is completely standard, and it's only started doing it in the last month or so. It's definitely getting worse, and I know there is definitely a little drop in performance. There is no EML light either, it only pops when starting from stationary or when I'm pressing the accel from 1500 or so. It also pops changing into 2nd. I went out in it earlier and floored it in first gear and it popped 3 or 4 times through……strange!

 

[Cookson]

Pre-cat lambda could be opn the way out

 

[The Fatty]

The car is completely standard, and it's only started doing it in the last month or so. It's definitely getting worse, and I know there is definitely a little drop in performance. There is no EML light either, it only pops when starting from stationary or when I'm pressing the accel from 1500 or so. It also pops changing into 2nd. I went out in it earlier and floored it in first gear and it popped 3 or 4 times through……strange!

if its poping and its completely standard, then you are damaging your cat so you will want to get it sorted asap. It could be that the cat has already been damaged, disintegrated, and now you effectively have a decat.

 

[Edges]

Sounds like its over fuelling!! Could be needing a new lambda sensor.. About £80

 

[C H E W I T T]

Cheers for the advice guys! Yeah i had a feeling it could be either a faulty injector or a lambda sensor. I should be taking it to get on the diagnostics machine on Friday, would this typically pick this sort of stuff up? How difficult is it to change a lambda sensor myself? Any guides you guys know of?

 

[C H E W I T T]

Ignore the Guide request part.... just found one on here. Should have looked before asking really. Duh!

 

[The Fatty]

Cheers for the advice guys! Yeah i had a feeling it could be either a faulty injector or a lambda sensor. I should be taking it to get on the diagnostics machine on Friday, would this typically pick this sort of stuff up? How difficult is it to change a lambda sensor myself? Any guides you guys know of?

very easy, you just need a large adjustable wrench or a really big spanner of the right size. Unplug the connector, then unscrew from the exhaust. Screw new on in place and connect up. Do you know anyone with an RSTuner? because that would be able to tell you on the live data if the sensor is faulty. I would offer to check it on mine for you, but Swansea is a bit far away by road! (pretty close as the crow fly's though!! lol)

 

[Tony Hunter]

Pre-cat lambda could be opn the way out

This, mine was the same until I changed it. I've just said this in another thread as well.

 

[C H E W I T T]

Ha Ha! Yeah no worries dude. Unfortunately i don't know anyone with an RSTuner, in fact i don't know anyone around here with a Sport.

Most ideas of diagnosis point towards it being a faulty lambda. If this sounds similar to the problems you were having Tony, backed up by several people saying it could be the sensor then i guess its most probably that. With all this said, as I've mentioned earlier, it should be going in for a diagnostics scan on Friday, i guess this was just for peace of mind and an idea of the cost for repair. Just depends if my local garage can fit me in, shouldn't take long though so i cant see why not!

 

[The Fatty]

have you go the model with 2 sensors (front and back of cat)? If so, just try swapping them over.

 

[C H E W I T T]

Now that i do not know! Its a good idea though. Im guessing after you said that they're practically the same. Would the pre-cat lambda only make my car how it is? Or could the other too?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Only the pre cat one.

 

[scotty10]

Silly question why did some models have 1 sensor