Can't Get The Engine Running Properly!

[Dom9 2]

Right

 

Left the Sorrento parked up for 2 odd months while I went back to Houston... My mate took it out a couple of times while I was gone and it was fine, although that was early on its hibernation! Then the battery died, so he didn't bother again!

 

Needs to be MOT'd and put back on the road as work are not too happy about it being perpetually left in the car park now I'm back, although that isn't a great problem!

 

Jumped it off my Dad's car and it rumbled into life but it felt like it was on 2 or 3 cylinders, so I whipped over to Halfrauds and got myself new plugs (old ones looked shot), new Bosch leads, new dizzy cap and rotor arm... Swapped the plugs and leads, was about to swap the dizzy cap when I noticed that it was the wrong type, bastards!

 

Anyway, cleaned all the contacts in the dizzy cap and rotor arm and put it all back together. It starts better off the jump but still feels a bit like it is on 3 cylinders, although whipping one plug off at a time didn't seem to show anything up.

 

After a (good) few prods on the throttle it decided to idle at about 1400rpm, so higher than usual. The problem now appears to be that if I floor the throttle it either takes an age to get spinning up (but when it does it seems fine) or it just dies. It is undriveable at the moment, like this, as I wouldn't like to try and feed the clutch in at 4k rpm at every junction!

 

Really want to get it to the garage for it's MOT etc, so need to get this sorted!

 

My thoughts are:

 

1). coil?

2). AFM?

3). ECU? (it seemed pretty damp inside the car after being left out all that time)

 

Anyone got any other ideas? Bored of swapping things that don't seem to be the problem! Bear in mind I have next to no tools these days as the pikey scumbags stole them all and I still haven't unpacked all my stuff from moving!!

[jackherer 543]

After a (good) few prods on the throttle it decided to idle at about 1400rpm, so higher than usual. The problem now appears to be that if I floor the throttle it either takes an age to get spinning up (but when it does it seems fine) or it just dies. It is undriveable at the moment, like this, as I wouldn't like to try and feed the clutch in at 4k rpm at every junction!

 

that sounds like it could be the afm flap sticking to me.

[maxi 36 1 Cars]

The problem is 8v's are s*ite! Seriously though, I dont really know without having a goosey mate. If I were you thrash the living s*it out of it and see if it gets any better.... check theres no moisture in the coil connections too.....

 

Get yourself the right dizzy cap and rotor arm and take off the AFM to make sure the flap moves properly.

 

If you get stuck give me a shout and we will arrange having a goosey!!

 

Maxi

[jackherer 543]

The problem is 8v's are s*ite! Seriously though, I dont really know without having a goosey mate. If I were you thrash the living s*it out of it and see if it gets any better....

 

hehehe, its funny because its true

[Dom9 2]

Well, took your advice Maxi, topped the water off and went and thrashed it! Obviously heated up enough to cook any moisture off and it is now running fine...

 

EXCEPT!

 

After a few miles, the engine STOP light came on and the cabin filled with steam!!! If it's not one thing it's another! Good news it's running though! Weird thing is that the steam doesn't appear to be from the top hose leak we partially fixed or an HGF, in fact, I don't think either would fill the cabin with steam, it was coming through the vents!

 

Ideas? it was out of water and I quickly filled it, so it could have had an airlock, but it seems a bit worse than that!! could be a hose leaking around the heater matrix or something else?

 

No steam from the exhaust and no water in the oil that I can tell, but it's pitch black and I have a s*ite torch! Will look again in the daylight!

 

Maxi, tried to PM you but your box must be full... PM me your number as I have a new phone over here, not the old number, which was a work number!

 

Will see what I can do tomorrow!

 

Thanks chaps... Maybe I will Mi it, Maxi?

[Hilgie 16 2 Cars]

heatermatrix gone, that's what I think

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Does sound like the Matrix if it smells inside and the carpets wet,

The plug to check for iffy running is between the Dizy and Ignition amp, Missed by allot of people.

Sounds like they gave you a 1600 Cap then,

But what can you expect for a car that cost nothing!!

[pug_ham 245 3 Cars]

The problem is 8v's are s*ite!

Its not the 8v's that are s*ite just the management.

 

Steam sounds like heater matrix vote #3.

 

Graham.

[tom_m 0]

yup chalk another one up to the heater matrix, bypass it heat is for wimps

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Does sound like the heater matrix to me, unless the drainholes in the scuttle panel were blocked and there wasa lot of standing water that worked its way into the heater. Though the rapidly reducing coolant points to heater matrix again

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Just thought I'd add it's the heater matrix....should only take a couple of hours to swap.

[Dom9 2]

Thanks Simes!!!

 

Yeah, I drove back to work on Saturday to take a look in the daylight and the drivers side footwell was FULL of water, litres of the stuff! Hadn't bothered to bring a towel, so had to relieve myself of my t-shirt to mop it all up!

 

I think it has to be the heater matrix, I don't see any other way of ALL that water getting into the cabin! The leaky top hose doesn't seem to be leaking and I got a torch and took a look at the water pipes coming off the water pump and they looked tight and secure. There still seemed to be water dripping down the back of the block though!?

 

Better try looking at the heater matrix when there is some more daylight/I have time to do it, probably not 'til Saturday now! May have to invest in some tools, or just tow it to my local garage as it needs a new MOT and that anyway!

 

Free on Saturday/Sunday Adam???