Holding back

[NilsP]

So I picked up the car today after an MOT, a 12k service and a starter amongst other things.
The car ran beautifully. Better then ever!
Until I got off the train in Calais...
Started her up and had some trouble idling. she wanted to die but kept going at 4-500rpm.
After 200m the idling was a bit better but then she became really slow under full throttle.
It's better in the lower gears but in forth and fifth, if you put your foot down, nothing happens.
I mean, really nothing, it felt like a very noisy 1.3 Corsa

I was thinking coil packs but there was no popping and banging and it wasn't really jerky under throttle.
the HT leads are all in place and properly connected.

Oh yes, and I disconnected and reconnected the ECU and the idling thing is gone.
But the throttle thing is the same.

I tried to call the specialist again but they were already closed

Any thoughts?

[P S K]

Do you know if you're getting full throttle. Maybe remove both air boxes and check that all the butterflies are opening fully. Check also with the software what the throttle pot readings are.

[NilsP]

I'll run diagnostics in the morning.
Butterflies might be worth a check.
Throttle pots were set at the specialist a few days ago

[gruffalo]

Check the connections to the coil packs, check the Lamda and throttle pots as well.

I would also take a look over the throttle linkage it may have rattled loose on the drive to the ferry.

[wurzlegummage]

Have you run diags yet?

If,as you say, 1,2,3 are better than before but 4,5 are dead, it won't be throttle links. Otherwise it would be the same in all gears.

Sounds ecu related to me. Just in the top gears is very strange.

[wurzlegummage]

Sorry just re read your original post,

YES it could be throttle links. I chose to ignore the sentence before.

[NilsP]

That's a good idea. thanks Gruffalo, i'll check it out.
on the way over here noticed the ring gear is missing a few teeth as well
So a lightweight flywheel is added on the to do-list

[NilsP]

Ok so hooked her up on the MBEtool and throttle pots seemed fine.
when idling around 1100 rpm they were at 15.5-16%
Checked the HT leads, coil packs, throttle linkages and everything is nice and tight.
Went out for a test drive and it's still the same.
Only now i noticed she's holding back in the low gears as well.
only under full throttle but also under 2500 rpm.

I've got the log file here, but I don't really understand it i'm afraid
the log: http://www.filedropper.com/160117170607

The lamba's seems to differ a bit. But enough to cause harm?

[ukkid35]

NilsP said:

So I picked up the car today after an MOT, a 12k service and a starter amongst other things.
The car ran beautifully. Better then ever!
Until I got off the train in Calais...

Something has come adrift, become disconnected, fallen off, or worked it's way loose.

I would check HT leads, throttle links, but ignore lambdas as they do nothing under WOT. Also check temp sensor connections, as that will mess things up. Does the diag temp agree with the gauge?

[CerbWill]

I've formatted your file so it opens correctly in Excel (at least my version of Excel!) and made some graphs. Adaptives are well out, hence the AFR faults. The lambdas do appear to be switching though, so they obviously work but it might be worth checking they're connected the right way around. Its interesting to note that the only period of regular switching seen is on the overrun, otherwise it's lean with a brief switch to rich mix. I think it's wanting to die because its not getting enough fuel at idle because the throttle pots are set too low, hence it's maxed the adaptives and its still not getting enough fuel. 18% is a standard figure for idle, although it depends on how open the thorttles are (therefore how much airflow you're getting).

Edited excel file here. https://www.dropbox.com/s/210xzb856ad5wlt/160117_1...

[NilsP]

ukkid35 said:

Something has come adrift, become disconnected, fallen off, or worked it's way loose.

I would check HT leads, throttle links, but ignore lambdas as they do nothing under WOT. Also check temp sensor connections, as that will mess things up. Does the diag temp agree with the gauge?

I checked the HT leads and throttle links today and everything is thight. Temp sensor works as well and it pretty much agrees de temp gauge ( gauge is a little bit warmer.)

[NilsP]

CerbWill said:

I've formatted your file so it opens correctly in Excel (at least my version of Excel!) and made some graphs. Adaptives are well out, hence the AFR faults. The lambdas do appear to be switching though, so they obviously work but it might be worth checking they're connected the right way around. Its interesting to note that the only period of regular switching seen is on the overrun, otherwise it's lean with a brief switch to rich mix. I think it's wanting to die because its not getting enough fuel at idle because the throttle pots are set too low, hence it's maxed the adaptives and its still not getting enough fuel. 18% is a standard figure for idle, although it depends on how open the thorttles are (therefore how much airflow you're getting).

Edited excel file here. https://www.dropbox.com/s/210xzb856ad5wlt/160117_1...

I'll adjust the throttle pots to 18%.
Hopefully that'll solve it
I doubt the lambda's are switched because she was running really well in the UK but started running like cr*p in France.

It'll be something simple. I'm sure!

[LincsCerb]

I'm with ukkid something more than likely has come loose or has water ingress.
The throttle pots at 15-16% sound about right as you have a slightly high tick over. 4.5 should be 14.5% at idle, 18% is for a 4.2.

[gruffalo]

LincsCerb said:

I'm with ukkid something more than likely has come loose or has water ingress.
The throttle pots at 15-16% sound about right as you have a slightly high tick over. 4.5 should be 14.5% at idle, 18% is for a 4.2.

Correct re the 14 for the 4.5.

Did it get wet and then start playing up, you could be getting a weak spark due to water sitting on a coil pack and shorting things out, I used to get this when one of my coil packs was dodgy if I washed the car or parked it nose up, water settled on the coil packs. I found half an hour with a hair drier blowing warm air got it sorted, it took me at least three years before I,got round to changing them.

[CerbWill]

Didn't realise the TPS starting points were different for the 2 engine sizes, learn something every day! The maxed adaptives still aren't right though.

[wiggycerb]

Hi has the pipe that runs from the rear of the air-box come adrift this give a signal to the ECU that may cause an issue ??

[NilsP]

wiggycerb said:

Hi has the pipe that runs from the rear of the air-box come adrift this give a signal to the ECU that may cause an issue ??

Nope still attached. and if that would come loose, the MIL light should come on
I'm starting to think that one of the connectors on the coil pack has come loose
going to dig a little deeper this evening

[FarmyardPants]

The ecu wouldn't know if that pipe is connected or not, besides it doesn't affect the running of the engine that much. Good luck, hope you find the cause. Are the battery terminals on tight?

[gruffalo]

Just a thought, it doesn't have Magnecore leads on it does it?

[NCE 61]

FarmyardPants said:

The ecu wouldn't know if that pipe is connected or not, besides it doesn't affect the running of the engine that much. Good luck, hope you find the cause. Are the battery terminals on tight?

The log shows the barometric pressure is very low at 800 mbar normally 1014 mbar at sea level, although as you say possibly does not do very much?