Finally got my Cerbera!! But I've already got a problem

Finally got my Cerbera!! But I've already got a problem

Author
Discussion

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

I'm Nils from Belgium.
I've been the proud owner of a 2002 Cerbera 4.5 since past friday!
It's a wonderful car but there's a problem I don't understand.
Under heavy acceleration it pops and bangs...
Kind of like a heavy machine gun fire.
It's had his 24K service 1200 miles ago with James Agger.
So normally they would've check the tappets and such.
I'd like to take the car to Joolz for the short induction.
But he says it's not a mapping problem and it should be sorted before he can map it.

Could it be the throttle pot? (can I check?)
cracked headers?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Nils

scotty_d

6,795 posts

193 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Duff coil pack's /plugs/leads? I would check those first. Could be a number of things I would check the simple things first.

Welcome to the fold smile

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

264 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
NilsP said:
Hi,

I'm Nils from Belgium.
I've been the proud owner of a 2002 Cerbera 4.5 since past friday!
It's a wonderful car but there's a problem I don't understand.
Under heavy acceleration it pops and bangs...
Kind of like a heavy machine gun fire.
It's had his 24K service 1200 miles ago with James Agger.
So normally they would've check the tappets and such.
I'd like to take the car to Joolz for the short induction.
But he says it's not a mapping problem and it should be sorted before he can map it.

Could it be the throttle pot? (can I check?)
cracked headers?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Nils
Nils

When you say it pops and bangs, they all do that specially with sports exhaust and decatted, does it pop and bang when you lift off the pedal or slow down as that is normal

Gary

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Yes I know that's normal.
But it's under full throttle when it pops and bangs.
it's not there under 3/4 of throttle.
and when under full throttle the acceleration is also jerky.

I'll pull the sparks plugs first and look at the colour

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

264 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Why take the spark plugs out, have you the diagnostics programme if not do a search and get one that should show you the promblem

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Do you, by any chance, know where the ECU is located?

steviejasp

1,646 posts

164 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Up in the passenger footwell behind a removable panel covered in carpet

FarmyardPants

4,099 posts

217 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
ECU is in passenger footwell behind the carpeted panel.

Sounds like the ignition is breaking up under load, maybe HT leads or coilpacks.
Or possibly fuel delivery/injector problem.
Lambda sensors are not used with wide throttle openings so you can discount that.

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Just pulled out the ECU.
Will have to get an USB/serial converter in the morning.
Then I can run a diagnostics tomorrow.

Well I was thinking along the lines of fuel delivery as well.
I'll get some injector cleaner in the morning as well.

Thanks for the reactions so far!

Nils

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

264 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Nils

I know what you are saying about spark plugs but you could waste time and money, everyone starts by changing plugs, leads etc, but something is breaking down the AJP engine is a very basic engine and not that hard to trace problems, just do a search for diagnostics for Cerbera and as far as I can remember you can download it on line, then all you need is someone good with computers to buy you the lead to connect your laptop to the ECU and then get a good mechanic to look at the diagnostics and they should be able to see what the problem is

steviejasp

1,646 posts

164 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Mine did similar things and it was the coilpacks.

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
billynobrakes

Thanks I was going to do that in the morning.
I didn't pull the spark plug yet

I've already downloaded the program just have to pop over to the store for the cable.

Rochester TVR

3,313 posts

205 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Nothing to add other than congratulations on your purchase.

Any pictures?

Byker28i

58,868 posts

216 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
First thing I'd do is to reset the adaptive sand take it for a run. What fuel have you put in it?

NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
OF COURSE!!

It is a blast to drive.
Love the sound, the interior, the handling, the steering,...
I just love the car!

It's a 2002 mk2 4.5 in Grigio Titano and portland grey interior with blue carpets.
The pictures don't do it justice because it's a lot nicer in real life.

What's on the to do list:
-Short induction an remap from Joolz.
-Fix the airboxes (the back plates are cracked)
-replace the clutch master cylinder
-if there's any funding left --> performance headers
-Enjoy it as much as possible






NilsP

Original Poster:

389 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Bykeer28i

I only put 98RON in my 'fast' stuff wink

pmessling

2,284 posts

202 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
As others have said and from personal experience I would first change coil packs plugs and leads.

thefrog

341 posts

218 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
Popping and banging would suggest fuel getting to the engine and not being ignited, so likely ignition issues rather than fuel delivery, also if the throttle pots are out of calibration, the ECU won't know how much fuel is going in either. Fuel starvation would likely be loss of acceleration/performance. I wouldn't run it too much with pops and bangs on acceleration, over fuelling can be damaging to engine and catalytic converters if still fitted.

Mad Mark

2,345 posts

231 months

Monday 21st July 2014
quotequote all
You could try this basic method but be careful don't burn yourself....
With the engine stone cold and air boxes removed to give access Start the engine then quickly go round touching each of the manifolds where they exit the heads. They should all be getting warm at the same rate. If any are staying colder longer than the others then that will give you a direction to work from. Plugs-leads-coils etc

Whilst the air boxes are off you can check the plugs and also leads. some makes of lead don't 'click' onto the plug all that well. I have had to cut the rubber on my magnecors just to get them to click to the plugs.

But be careful as they get hot very quick so you might need to do it twice once for each side.
Or ideally get a temperature reader but that would be extra cost.

jamer

1,329 posts

290 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
You're a lucky boy with that car Nil, can't believe it's come up for sale again, but then again Nick does have a good stable of motors already! Drop me a line on sales@jamesagger.com and I'll dig the file out and tell you about the car.

Welcome to the mad house!


James