major mechanical issues - help please!!

[talkingfish]

0425 is currently not very healthy - I will list the problems -

1) Very lumpy idle.
2) Misfire from about 4,500 rpm.
3) Sometimes the car idles and runs so poorly that it is virtually impossible to drive
4) Faint sucking or whining noise under acceleration
5) Appears to be running hot

Any ideas? Lamda? ISCV? Dirty fuel? ECU? Clogged injectors? There are no warning lights showing....

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Wobba]

Headgasket?

Could be an air leak...

[BRUN]

when was the dizzi, rotor arm, and plugs last changed ?

id stick some fuel treatment through it aswell just to try and help matters

[white16valver]

To cure the running hot issue it could be worth getting the rad out and flushing it properly, then refilling the system with clean coolant.

[talkingfish]

dizzy, rotor and ht leads were changed last year - only covered about 2k miles with this set....

I will sort a coolant flush....

Bit worrying if you think it's a head gasket - no milky oil yet though...... it's not loosing coolant or boiling over either.... just running between a third and two thirds on the temperature gauge.

[talkingfish]

Also, have been running it on super unleaded and put a load of normal unleaded through - would this make a difference???

[busterhymes]

dont really think fuel will have to great a bearing on your prob as higher grade fuels usually burn hotter so a few of unleaded should show no issues think the earlier comments re the cooling side more relevant
as for poor running is it all the time or when cold or hot just had prob from cold starts fine then lumpy not wanting to rev then clears as it warms so thoroughly cleaned out iscv with carb cleaner until all residue gone and cleaner was clear even bunged up one outlet then filled it up and left to soak thoroughly dried it then a squirt or two of wd40 and was a lot better another issue could be coolant temp sensor it could be a fault there not providing correct data to ecu for fuelling from cold
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[Wobba]

I was just saying headgasket as thats an easy thing to check for and causes lots of problems like yours!

It may be that the car is in need of a good servicing and TLC...

[white16valver]

just running between a third and two thirds on the temperature gauge.
I'm sure that's normal!

Could perhaps be worth a thermostat change though. If it's not opening properly then it'll be struggling to circulate to the rad! But they usually get stuck open it seems so I may well be wrong lol

[spikey-ben]

just running between a third and two thirds on the temperature gauge.
I'm sure that's normal!

Could perhaps be worth a thermostat change though. If it's not opening properly then it'll be struggling to circulate to the rad! But they usually get stuck open it seems so I may well be wrong lol

Defintetly normal running temp for these engine. To me it sounds like a sensor problem. Ive expierenced these sort of issues on a modern 16v engine before. Ended up changing crank and cam sensor and it still ran ropey so put on a different ecu and it cured it. Took new cam sensor of and put old one on and it ran bad again. Wierd but be prepared for a head ache. I almost forgot to say i put it on a fault code reader and i came up with no faults even though it was running awful.
Hope this is of any help :)
good luck :wink: Ben

[talkingfish]

Thanks for your help guys - plenty to go at there - I'll keep you informed of progress.....

[talkingfish]

now appears sorted after a £500 garge bill!!!! Twas the injector leads not being scured properly that was causing the misfire. The car has had a mojor overhaul and is running sweet as now!!!!

[katbloke]

sucking noise no.4 could be inlet manifold gasket