Running badly and bad at starting

[sam_strachan]

Hi all. I've noticed for some time now that my Chimaera has not been running too happily. I first noticed something after Christmas; engine being ever so slightly lumpy and not quite running to full power. But I noticed this after filling up with 95 (rare but sometimes you have no choice). Anyway, it seemed to pass after another tank and I didn't worry about it too much.

Until yesterday... it has started stalling and idling very poorly. Stepper motor perhaps? Except that it was really lumpy again even above 2000 rpm. Then, it wouldn't start... I recently had a new battery and not so long ago a new starter motor, so the engine was turning, hard... just not catching. Eventually I got it started and managed to get back south from Derby; on the motorway sometimes it ran fine and other times the engine just felt a bit unbalanced leaving the car vibrating a tiny bit.

Checked on here last night and having kind of ruled out the stepper motor I decided that the most likely things were: ECU; Rotor arm; Distributor cap (took me a while to work out what dizzy was).

Just went to check her today and noticed (to my shame) that one of the HT leads was completely disconnected from the distributor. Ahhah - problem solved - pushed it back on firmly. Turned her over... still having problems starting... but managed after about 30/45 seconds to get it to catch and went for a quick spin. Although the engine seemed smoother it then almost died twice (on a roundabout which was nice) and then when parking up again.

So - what now? Is it possible that the disconnected plug is now ruined having (possibly if not probably) been doing nothing for 3 months? Is this just the ECU having had a new battery recently? Is it easy to change the plugs on these? (I've only done it once and that was on a mini about 14 years ago)

All help gratefully received - I'm off to peruse the bible again to see if Mr H has any recommendations.

Edited by sam_strachan on Monday 2nd April 17:19

[im]

Just had the same (sort of) problem. Was diagnosed as a coolent temp sensor on the way out.

[Paulathome]

Sorry to hear of your problems. It might be worth changing the spark plug on the lead that was disconnected as it may have had a damn good soaking with petrol as there wouldn't have been a spark to that cylinder so the fuel wouldn't have been burnt.
Check all your other leads both at the dizzy end and the plug end and make sure they are fully pushed on to the plug extender. They do have a habit of falling off if you get an air pressure build up in the HT lead plug cap.
Hope you get it sorted.
Cheers,
Paul

[WazzaL]

From the info I've gleened from here, the ECU should have sorted itself out quickly from a new batt, so unlikely to be that.

Had a problem starting mine the other day. Had just washed it and decided to take it for a spin but would not start. Left it for a bit and it started first time. Obviously something electrical had got wet.. But does not relate to continued problems.

Dizzy is a possibility...Don't really know.

Probably best to change that spark plug and maybe even that HT lead as they don't like getting dirty. Don't tend to find the spark plugs are that hard to get out, though the 2 nearest the cabin can be a bit tricky to get to even with the spark plug removing sockets and it is certainly worth a go at cleaning the plugs.

Good luck.

[sam_strachan]

Thanks all! I'll have a go at cleaning the offending plug first and failing that might just take it in somewhere. I'll report back once it's sorted.

[GreenV8S]

Replace all the plugs, don't muck about trying to clean them or replace them individually.

[sam_strachan]

Good tip - thank you! I know what I'll be doing over the easter weekend... let's hope it pays off or no hooning for me.

[sam_strachan]

Well to finish off the tale, I replaced the spark plugs (which is a fairly fiddly job as it turns out) and it was exactly the same.

Gave up trying to fix it myself and took to my local indie who eventually found that it was the HT leads... specifically the one from the coil to the distributor. Annoying in a way as I now think I should have just given that a go... then again I could have tried all sorts of things and still not fixed it.

Anyway - all fixed now.

Oh and by the way, I took it to Thames Valley Racetech, or Racetech TVR as they are now (since they moved a few miles up the road). I was under the impression that they'd closed down, but no! Just in case anyone in the Reading area wants a local garage. (No I don't have shares in them)