lumpy on idle tickover and acceleration

[cueball1978]

hi there

i'm new to this forum so hello to everyone!!!

was wondering if anybody could help me? i have a 99 ibiza 1.4 sxe and about a week ago was driving to work and it started to miss while driving and then stalled at traffic lights. i started it again (just) but had to rev the hell out of the poor bugger, but half mile down the road it died!!!

next day i got it started ok but it was running lumpy and wasnt right.

i have changed the plugs, leads, the distributor car and rotor arm hoping that it was one of these that was faulty but it how ticks over on idle really lumpy as if the air/fuel mix is wrong??? could it be an air leak, dodgy lambda, carb etc?? money being tight i was hoping that someone could help so i wouldn't have to take it to the garage.

any help would be truly welcomed and appreiciated

thanks in advance

Stacy

 

[suj]

hey have you checked the coil pack? does it feel weak, as if it will stall again? it might be the coil pack? but not 100% sure

 

[cueball1978]

thanks for replying

how would i know if the coil is weak? have been searching sites and believe this is a common fault on Ibiza so think i'll check it out

thanks again.

 

[suj]

well i am new to seats (i've had astra's before this lol)
but on my cupra coil pack there is a short HT lead from the dizzy cap to the coil pack,
take this out of the dizzy cap but make sure is still attached to the coil pack, and rest it on the engine or somewhere safe and make someone turn the car over and see if it sparks properly!

actually before that i suggest you wait until it is dark, make someone turn the car over and look for blue sparks around the coil pack (make sure everything is attached properly, so don't unattach anything!) if you see sparks its the coil pack!

hope this helps

 

[cueball1978]

thanks

i'll give that a go and hope its that

thanks again

 

[robreidmotors]

Good advice above, one other thing what were the plugs you took out like? were they clear or sooted up?

sooted up suggests overfuelling.

Other easy checks after checking the coil, check the air filter, if thats dirty you will get overfuelling, then if it has it check the thick plastic ducting from the filter housing to the throttle body for cracks.

Check all vacuum hoses, air hoses very very closely for cracks, particularly where the clips are. if the car idles then you can spray wd40 along the hoses etc and any leak will cause the revs to change.

Oh yes and lastly after all above cleaning the throttle body out with throttle body spray solves a multitude of sins.

 

[CIarkie]

Check all vacuum hoses, air hoses very very closely for cracks, particularly where the clips are

Here here brother. I snuffed this idea when it was first preached to me but im going to spread the word. Replacing the hoses on a my ibiza cost £10 took 15 minutes and was the greatest thing i have done this year. idles perfect, looks better and make me smile.

 

[cueball1978]

Good advice above, one other thing what were the plugs you took out like? were they clear or sooted up?

sooted up suggests overfuelling.

Other easy checks after checking the coil, check the air filter, if thats dirty you will get overfuelling, then if it has it check the thick plastic ducting from the filter housing to the throttle body for cracks.

Check all vacuum hoses, air hoses very very closely for cracks, particularly where the clips are. if the car idles then you can spray wd40 along the hoses etc and any leak will cause the revs to change.

Oh yes and lastly after all above cleaning the throttle body out with throttle body spray solves a multitude of sins.

yeah the plugs i took out were a sort of nicotine yellow colour all were about the same colour so i thought it might not have been them????? Still gonna try testing the coil, hope i don't electrocute me self lol!!!!

 

[robreidmotors]

yeah the plugs i took out were a sort of nicotine yellow colour all were about the same colour so i thought it might not have been them????? Still gonna try testing the coil, hope i don't electrocute me self lol!!!!

They should be grey-brown according to the champion guide in my haynes, the only yellow one says 'incorrect carburation, excessive idling followed by sharp acceleration'

Id check all the hoses for cracks etc. Good to have an old rag and some wd40 to do this, dry dust can hide cracks.

 

[cueball1978]

i'll give the hoses a check at some point thanks.

i've find something today though, the father in law looked at it and we took off the dizi cap and the middle carbon brush (with a spring that the wire to the coil connects to) had broken off, this cap i have just replaced and haven't really driven the car because its misfiring. I've checked the rota arm and its on properly but this shouldnt be happening surely. Starting to fear the inevitable is going to happen and i'll have to take it to a garage to have it looked at!!!

 

[kareemsafwat]

I have the same problem, but when i turn on the car while it is cold, the car is revving @ 1200 rpm, if i try to increase the rpm, i find my car rattling and shaking & also after the car gets hot enough so i can drive it, it seems like its not going well till 3000 rpm.
checked everything: spark plugs and changed them, etc..........

Note i dont have the MAF sensor connected, bec it always burns the fuse which is located in the fuse box under the steering wheel.
Also didnt have this problem before!!

 

[robreidmotors]

i'll give the hoses a check at some point thanks.

i've find something today though, the father in law looked at it and we took off the dizi cap and the middle carbon brush (with a spring that the wire to the coil connects to) had broken off, this cap i have just replaced and haven't really driven the car because its misfiring. I've checked the rota arm and its on properly but this shouldnt be happening surely. Starting to fear the inevitable is going to happen and i'll have to take it to a garage to have it looked at!!!

Thats your exact problem, i didnt mention it earlier as you mentioned new cap, but thats the most important part of the dizzy cap. Your lucky it runs at all.

 

[cueball1978]

nice one thanks man

 

[cueball1978]

found the problem i didn't fit the new dizzy cap properly thats why the rota arm has smashed up the connections, father in law noticed it. New one fitted now it runs like a dream LoL!!!!

Thanks for all your help everyone

 

[robreidmotors]

Good stuff.

A lot of garages really are rubbish, there are good ones its difficult and expensive finding them.

Also everything on the engine is there for a reason, so if you spot a loose wire, or like above broken rod it always has some importance, dont rule it out because it looks unimportant.

I once had a mini that used up nearly three times as much fuel on a run from london to southport, i checked everything, except the air filter, i thought its a daft thing, only a few quid, cant be that. Then took the filter off to check the carb with the engine running and noticed the engine note change immediately. So ignoring a filter thats about £4 at the time cost me about £40 in fuel!

Also, whenever you fix bad running cleaning the plugs can be a good idea.