Struggling To Fix Misfire 1.9 Gti

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Hi Guys

 

I bought my car about 2 months ago its a 90 on a H 205 1.9GTI and it has always had a niggling misfire. I have changed the dizzy cap, leads, rotor arm, air filter, fuel filter, and today the air flow meter....still no luck. I took the car into a local garage to do a diagnostic on it and they believed that it was the air flow meter. The car smokes a lot but still goes like a train. I am wandering if all of the smoke is actually causing the misfire. The car always hunts up and down when starting it from cold between 500rpm and 1500rpm, for about 10 seconds and then finds its level. The misfire is only at constant speeds as in if you hold it at 30, 40 ,50 but does not occur on acceleration. Also noticed that all the cars lights tend to dim and flicker but never go off. I have recently done a 100 mile round trip and the battery never ran flat. Is it possible that the alternator is knackered or has a bad earth that may also be causing my misfire at constant speeds?. The garage said that once i had fitted the new airflow meter that it would need to be set up again....i don't wanna throw more money at them when i have changed the air flow meter and it still has exactly the same problem. I believe the smoke to be valve stem seals but if the head is in that bad a condition will it keep missing no matter what i do....already killed 2k on this car.....still love it though.....thoughts please?

[1 FAT PUG 39]

tried a new coil.?

[stufarri 98 3 Cars]

Or a new ingintion amplifier? These can often cause misfires under load - I speak from experience with my 1.9 here.

[kyepan 291]

firstly - when they say setting up, they mean twiddling the idle knob, there is a guide on here on how to set the idle. The AFM itself is self setting to a greater extent.

 

What load does it occur under (lots of throttle or cruising)... as it might be an air leak if it's occurring under very low throttle applications.

 

Because above 5krpm at WOT the afm is in open circuit and makes no difference, nor will air leaks! but as load drops, they will affect the mixture more.

 

Have you also looked at the plugs to see if it is running rich or lean

[S@m 156]

Haven't changed the plugs yet?

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

i had similar symptoms once after a jetwash and after a lot of changing almost everything electrical and lots of swearing at it, it turned out to be water inside the plug turrets so have a look to see it they are dry inside

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Hi guys forgot to mention have had the plugs changed too. I took it to Peugeot for a full service so all parts changed are genuine i imagine. I did do the leads and rotor arm and dizzy cap from another supplier as Peugeot quoted about 1000 different dizzy caps even when i gave them the chasis no and the actual part no off the dizzy cap and then said "sorry we don't stock them". They also wanted £80 for a set of leads. The car seems to be worse as it gets warmer and always tries to kangaroo at low revs and low speeds but never misfires under acceleration. I also took it to a car show the other day and noticed that the throttle body plug had come off but is this crucial to the running of it as, once again, it made no difference when i put it back on.. I have also changed the breather pipe from the AFM to the throttle body as one of the other breathers coming off it was spinning and not sealed properly. Still no difference. I am a gimp on cars so i have only done the simple stuff. The hunting is a massive problem when it starts up virtually cutting out until you hold the throttle down for 15 secs or so. Do we agree that the smoking is unlikely to be the problem and that the constant flickering of all my electrics is in no way causing the misfire?

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Also forgot to mention that the garage said that it was running a little lean and they made the appropriate adjustments. Also i have not yet changed the coil or the amplifier. Weird i just thought that you take it into a garage and they put wires on and bingo.....but obviously not the case. Does anyone know of anyone in my area that may have the correct knowledge for my Pug ?

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

throttle switch is more than likely a big issue here especially as its kangarooing when you take your foot off the accelerator, cant see smoke causing a drastic misfire if it was it would be causing smoke fog behind you, as for the idle thing from cold i think they are all the same bloody annoying i cant believe peugeot got the idle control so wrong on such a great little pocket rocket, seen a few mention the ignition amp is a good source of misfire problems

[Carbs4me 45]

Mine does it under 2k not massively but its noticeable when your trying to drive along in 5th at 30Mph.

 

It may be an air leak, id check all the breather pipes and make sure its not drawing air in. One of mine broke the other day and was causing the ideal to sound like it was missing, driving it was ok abit jumpy tho at 30 40 50 like you say!

 

If you can get upto chorley this weekend, i can have a little look at it, and have a good load of parts to exchange with yours that i know are good working parts. Sure i have a Breather hose set somewhere too! unsure of the condition on them tho!

[stufarri 98 3 Cars]

I reckon either air leak or AFM issue if it is doing it under light load - my 1.6 CTI is doing the same at the minute and I think it is the AFM. It ran differently when I fitted a new fuel pump relay and ran very rich so I am trying to lean it off. I think I will have to bite the bullet and get it tuned professionally though. It only cost £30 or so - not the end of the world.

 

The hunting can be lessened by removing the idle screw and cleaning the chamber with a blast of carb cleaner and then rest the idle - I find that after local driving my 1.6 CTI will hunt - a big trip and/or a blast will clear it up a bit.

Edited May 31, 2012 by stufarri

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Thanks for all the feedback peeps. As i say i am a rank amateur and this again may sound stupid but if i take the idol screw completely out and clean the area, is it mickey mouse to set it back up again or do i count the amount of turns to take it out or does it screw home fully and then just unscrew a bit and play by ear to get it right ? as this is still my daily runner. It usually ticks over at 1500 when cold then drops to 1000 at normal running temp...after it has settled of course.

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Mine does it under 2k not massively but its noticeable when your trying to drive along in 5th at 30Mph.

 

It may be an air leak, id check all the breather pipes and make sure its not drawing air in. One of mine broke the other day and was causing the ideal to sound like it was missing, driving it was ok abit jumpy tho at 30 40 50 like you say!

 

If you can get upto chorley this weekend, i can have a little look at it, and have a good load of parts to exchange with yours that i know are good working parts. Sure i have a Breather hose set somewhere too! unsure of the condition on them tho!

 

Thanks for the offer but Chorley is a bit of a treck and i wouldn't want the satelites to see the smoke trail all the way from the Midlands

[Carbs4me 45]

You can try to clean the ideal screw, just do what you said

 

screw home fully and then just unscrew a bit and play by ear to get it right ?

 

Normally though once you think you set it right, you will drive off and it will change again! hence having to play with it again... just rev it inbetween playing with the ideal screw, to give you a better idea what the engine is doing.

[Carbs4me 45]

Tbh i think its an air leak! just take your breather pipes off and wrap them in duck tape! and refit! lol dodgy but cheap problem finder!

 

Also inspect the hoses for cracks its normaly those little cracks that cause the problems.

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

_{I have taken the idle screw out and give it a clean, but tbh it wasn't that bad. Also squirted a load of carb cleaner down the hole etc. Took it out for a run and its the same. I have ordered an amplifier to see if it helps but i don't hold my breath. I agree it may be more of an air thing as it is still hunting all the time. Some of the pipes do look a little bit perished and one has a tiny split but no of these have gone through. Could it be anything to do with the fuel pump maybe not working properly at low revs....but i suppose that when i boot it that it would be worse, and it isn't.Also noticed that the grill at the front is blocked off at the side where the main air intake is. Is this normal not like it has the wrong one on from a different model where the main air intake is in a different place ? Clutching at straws a bit me thinks.}

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

i have the flickering lights thing on my car as well and its cos i have a cheap crap reconditioned alternator so swap it to cure that, id definately suspect the throttle switch have you changed it yet or had a multimeter on it? the air screw has a BIG affect on idle speed and smooth/rough balance and to some degree will help a lot with the hunting, the idle screw is a seperate thing

Edited May 31, 2012 by Slo

[Carbs4me 45]

If the pipe has a tear init... although it may not look as if its has gone though chances are it is causing a problem, even the smallest hole can cause what your are suggesting. I also have afew Thottle postion sensors... if you give me the part number of yours i will check it over with what i have.

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

i have the flickering lights thing on my car as well and its cos i have a cheap crap reconditioned alternator so swap it to cure that, id definately suspect the throttle switch have you changed it yet or had a multimeter on it? the air screw has a BIG affect on idle speed and smooth/rough balance and to some degree will help a lot with the hunting, the idle screw is a seperate thing

 

I have just had an alternator delivered today. I will fit it over the weekend and see if it sorts the problem of the flicking lights. Also had an amplifier too as people have suggested this may be the problem. Not changed or checked the throttle switch yet. I have a multimeter but its covered in dust and brand new if you know what i mean. How and what should i be checking for ? Remember amateur, amateur, amateur....he he

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

If the pipe has a tear init... although it may not look as if its has gone though chances are it is causing a problem, even the smallest hole can cause what your are suggesting. I also have afew Thottle postion sensors... if you give me the part number of yours i will check it over with what i have.

 

The part no is Bosch 0 280 120 327. Is it just a case of straight unscrew on and off. I think i have read in another thread that it has to be "sealed". As for the pipes it is a nightmare trying to get hold of them. When i first had the car the oil filler cap had no mesh in it and one of the plastic bits that comes off the top of the filter had been completely snapped off. I hope that the lack of filter in the cap hasn't let loads of s*it into the system. Hopefully it was just taken out cause it was full of gunge. Any ideas where i can get the smaller hoses ? as i think that another one of them has been forced from the oil filler cap to the throttle body as it has a tiny split at the end. I think its the wrong size as it has been tie wrapped on.

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

So i have changed the amplifier and no difference. Went to change the alternator today and had the wrong one sent to me but had some advice that the hunting problem may be the SAD pipe or the SAD itself. Will keep replacing bits on the whole car until its sorted although it is pointing to an air problem....maybe.

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

it will be the air screw on the throttle body have you swapped/checked the throttle switch yet?

 

 

EDIT: when you say its the wrong alternator does it mount and the connections are just different type or size or has it got a completely different mount?

Edited June 4, 2012 by Slo

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

it will be the air screw on the throttle body have you swapped/checked the throttle switch yet?

 

 

EDIT: when you say its the wrong alternator does it mount and the connections are just different type or size or has it got a completely different mount?

 

Not changed the throttle switch yet.....and completely the wrong alternator was sent....maybe off a Citroen diesel or something but all will be sorted this week.

[bondyshambles 23 1 Cars]

Ok just to finish a bit of this thread off, i still have the hunting problem but my misfire is now gone !!! I changed the alternator for a recon one and my problem seems to have gone. Like i said before the misfire was slight and niggling. The alternator has cured my light flickering and general electric problems. I don't know that much about cars and i can't believe that the alternator has actually cured the problem but it has had the desired effect. Maybe running better quality fuel and cleaning out the throttle body have eventually helped too as i did this a week before...who knows. Anyway just the hunting to sort out now.