Speed Three

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DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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Hi, I thought I had been through all the woes. Bent pulley shaft to start, then cooling, clutchx2, countless niggles. But now the Cerb is running on only the rear three cylinders. Happened quite suddenly. Local place has checked out spark, fuel, but front three are spitting out fuel-air charge rather than breathing it in greedily. This is on an engine that has covered in the region of 12k since a full rebuild by one of the top two. The local place is going to take the rocker cover off tomorrow. What should I be prepared for, and anything in particular we should check?

Speed 3

4,487 posts

118 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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Jees, thought that was my fault at first biglaugh

Hope it’s not too serious

DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
quotequote all
So how long you been running on 3?!

Edited by DCerebrate on Tuesday 5th December 21:32

Speed 3

4,487 posts

118 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
quotequote all
Since I bought an Aygo to justify having the Tuscan for the weekends thumbup

s6boy

1,613 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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Surely with under 12k since a rebuild you're still under guarantee?

If so don't void it by getting your own garage to open it up.

DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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As invoice for rebuild is over 5 years old, and under a previous owner, is not likely to be under any guarantee, sadly.

s6boy

1,613 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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I thought it was transferable?

That's a shame about the length of time but would have thought it worthwhile contacting the builder to give them a chance to maintain their reputation.

s6boy

1,613 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
quotequote all
I thought it was transferable?

That's a shame about the length of time but would have thought it worthwhile contacting the builder to give them a chance to maintain their reputation.

mk1fan

10,512 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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If it was a Powers rebuild I'd contact them and ask their opinion. In my experience they happily advise on engines put through their workshop irregardless of warranty obligations.

Simple one first though, the HT leads are connected correctly?

gruffalo

7,509 posts

225 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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mk1fan said:
If it was a Powers rebuild I'd contact them and ask their opinion. In my experience they happily advise on engines put through their workshop irregardless of warranty obligations.

Simple one first though, the HT leads are connected correctly?
To be fair either of the "top two" I believe would be happy to have a chat.

Thinking about this a little more it sounds like a collapsed cat rather than mechanical, I blocked exhaust would mean 3 cylinders have to relieve pressure when the inlets are open.

I would check that before taking any part of the engine apart.



Edited by gruffalo on Wednesday 6th December 13:48

mk1fan

10,512 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
quotequote all
I can only relay secondhand warranty experiences of the other 'top two' which, unfortunately, would fall foul of forum rules.

My personal experience of their servicing is very good though.

900T-R

20,404 posts

256 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
quotequote all
gruffalo said:
Thinking about this a little more it sounds like a collapsed cat rather than mechanical,
That was my first thought, too...

DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
quotequote all
HHC have suggested checking / swapping lambdas first. There is a fault logged although it is a question of whether this is cause or effect.
Local guys have had ramp tied up all day so not much progress made. They do report that TB's are operating fine and there is flow from both exhausts, which makes the collapsed cat theory less likely.
A compression test was OK, except that pressures were higher in front three cylinders.
And the spitting back is mainly from TB n.2.

Geoff A

351 posts

205 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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Does your exhaust join anywhere (perhaps at a silencer)? If so, you'll still get flow from both tips even if one cat has collapsed.......

Speed 3

4,487 posts

118 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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Very much doubt the Cat theory, this was one of mine and it was not picked up on engine running or performance, they only discovered it when changing an engine mount:




DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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There was recent work on the car. So, only using time as a diagnostic tool, if anything dropped down a TB, could that cause similar symptoms? There is a suggestion that the engine is picking up (firing better) once above 2.5krevs. Anyway, further investigation will lead to the answer. Thanks for all suggestions so far......

Shock Post-Halloween photo of Cat! Was that on a (relatively) high-mileage car?

Speed 3

4,487 posts

118 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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DCerebrate said:
Shock Post-Halloween photo of Cat! Was that on a (relatively) high-mileage car?
57k-ish at the time (original late 2003 build engine). It even passed the MOT emissions test in that state !

glow worm

5,800 posts

226 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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I had one of those ... on car that had done 7.5k miles


mk1fan

10,512 posts

224 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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Wipping the CATs out for a visual check is pretty easy especially on a lift.

DCerebrate

Original Poster:

339 posts

109 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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News is better than yesterday. Haven't been able to see the car running, busy being a wage slave, but have been told it is running better if not totally smooth, since they discovered that both Lambda connectors were wet. So dried out and repositioned. One HT lead was also loose. Next step - new plugs as some had coked up. Then on to exhaust analysis, and if anything not spot on, they can have a look at the Cats.