What's happening to my 145?!?!?

[phil1979]

Yesterday - flat battery. Seems stereo was left on, judging by the way it has progressed through the CD changer. I know I turned it off when I left the car though.

Alarm keeps disabling itself, and unlocks the car.

So, following a bump start yesterday, the car (2.0) runs like shit until it gets warm, like it's running on 2 cylinders (like it's running out of fuel), very choppy accelerator, crappy idle, backfiring noise coming from the engine bay, and a slight smell of electrical burning.

And every so often when I shut the door I get a nasty static shock. Any ideas?

Edited by phil1979 on Wednesday 21st March 14:11

Edited by phil1979 on Wednesday 21st March 14:12

[Wombat Rick]

I would check your battery connections, especially the earth, then have a look at what state the relays are in in the Black Box of Bollox - the black cover just in front of the battery containing all the vital electrics and perfectly placed to catch all the muck and damp coming through the front grill....

[horza]

http://forum.alfa156.net/forum/


Check on here how to reset your ECU. It's probably the same procedure for your 145. I'm sure this will sort it. Do the 'search forum' thingy under, erm, reset ecu

I had a 145 with a flat battery and never experienced this though....fingers crossed!

[wombat rick]

Unfortunately it sounds a bit more than just an ECU reset!!
If you are going to try another forum, I would try
http://forum.alfa145.com/

[phil1979]

Cheers guys. My baby is at the docs today. Diagnostic check picks up no faults, so early thoughts are that the battery/stereo thing was just bad luck, but the engine running rough as arseholes could be down to a knackered Lambda sensor. Will know for sure later this morning. Bugger... I only had that replaced 20k miles ago.

I'm hoping it's just a knackered earth though! Might explain why the alarm keeps disabling.

[phil1979]

Verdict: Contaminated fuel from Total.

[Wombat Rick]

phil1979 said:

Verdict: Contaminated fuel from Total.

Hmmmm.
Be careful. Alfas are very good at having multiple problems at once. This certainly explains the rough running, but it does not explain the electrical issues!

[phil1979]

Wombat Rick said:

phil1979 said:

Verdict: Contaminated fuel from Total.

Hmmmm.
Be careful. Alfas are very good at having multiple problems at once. This certainly explains the rough running, but it does not explain the electrical issues!

Conincidence maybe so, but I'm gonna take Total to the cleaners for that engine! The damage to the plugs is a dead giveaway according to the mechanic.... he's also got a knackered Saab in that filled up at the same gaff.. same signs of dodgy full left on the plugs etc.

[Wombat Rick]

Explains your concerns over the lambda sensor as well.
Good luck with it!