Heater not working?! Engine Stuttering! HELP!!!
Discussion
Poxy Bloody Car! 2 Problems this time.
Problem 1.
OK, last week the heater only worked occasionally and it was usually when the car was moving. But last night I couldn't get the heater to work at all and the temp was below freezing, so to demist my window I had to put the blowers on, which was BLOODY COLD!
At first I thought It was an airlock in the cooling system
but after running the engine up and opening the cap slightly, no air came out and the problem is still there! Any suggestions?
I am at a total loss!
Problem 2
I always let my car warm up before driving it properly, a nice gentle pootle out of my town usually does the job very nicely and as soon as I'm in the NSL I can boot it and use the entire range of the engine, and the power band which kicks in at 4000rpm. BUt at the moment, until the car has been driven for over and hour, I can only use up to 3000rpm
As soon as I get above 3000/3500rpm it feels like a stutter, the engine doesn't pull, in effect it feels like it is pushing the car back. Could this be a misfire?
My car has been known to pass oil from the rocker cover to the airbox through the breather pipe, could this be causing it? (I usually clean this with carb and choke cleaner, works a treat!
) It also struggles to start, usually after a 10-15 minute run, then letting it sit for 20 minutes, it doesn't want to start, only flooring the accelerator when turning it over starts it. Perfect timing has to be used or the revs go through the roof!
Any help on this one to please??
Car is a '93 Orion 1.4 CVH with Weber CFi system!
Cheers
Stuart!
DennisTheMenace said: Problem 1 may be the heater control valve , is the heater control stiff (ooer) to turn ??
problem 2 just check ht leads etc you may have one breaking down .
Did you sort your fuse box in the end ?
Cheers Denny!
Heater control is normal, no stiffness there (ahem)
Thought about changing the HT leads and the plugs to see if that makes a difference, I 'lost' 2 leads a few months back (they broke) so have the 'old' ones on the car at the mo.
As for teh Fuse Box, I'm gonna put the car in the garage and get Ian to tell me exactly whats wrong with car, the fuse box isn't playing up at the mo, seems ok. Still debating weather to do it or not! Thanks for that info on e-mail BTW, haven't had a chance to reply yet!
The cold heater problem sounds like a blocked heater matrix to me. Synptoms are that it takes ages to get any or little heat.
Could also be that the diverter valve that shuts off the hot water into the matrix(if its got one!) isnt operating.
Could also be a pinched heater hose.
The starting and running problems sound very much like a sensor fault.
Usual suspects on the cfi system are the coolant temp sensor(not the gauge sensor) and or the air temp sensor located in the throttle body/injector housing.
Also a check on the O2 sensor would be wise.
Air temp sensor resistances as follows.
Located in the throttle body housing.
temp. deg C. | resistance (ohms)
0 |89k to 102k
20 |35k to 40k
40 |15k to 18k
60 |7k to 8.5k
100 |2k to 2.5k
----------------------------
Coolant temp sensor specs.
temp. deg C. | resistance (ohms)
0 |90k to 100k
20 |35k to 40k
40 |15k to 18k
60 |7k to 8k
100 |1.9k to 2.2k
sensor located on intake manifold.
------------------------------------
Locate the O2 sensor wiring and using a voltmeter, probe the wiring as follows.
Ground the negative terminal of the voltmeter on a chassis ground point.
Then probe each of the wires in turn, there can be up to 4 wires on O2 probes colored, white(2) gray and black.
With engine running 12volts should be present on one of the white wires(if still warming up) this is the heater portion of the sensor.
If no 12volts on either of the white wires then check all the fuses/wiring for breakage.
Black wire is O2 sensor ground.
Gray wire is signal output to ecu, voltmeter(digital only) attached to this wire should give the following response: Volts fluctuate continually between 0 and 1 volt, with engine running.
If no reading or voltage not fluctuating, sensor faulty(stuck).
Hope this helps you some, long winded i know!
Could also be that the diverter valve that shuts off the hot water into the matrix(if its got one!) isnt operating.
Could also be a pinched heater hose.
The starting and running problems sound very much like a sensor fault.
Usual suspects on the cfi system are the coolant temp sensor(not the gauge sensor) and or the air temp sensor located in the throttle body/injector housing.
Also a check on the O2 sensor would be wise.
Air temp sensor resistances as follows.
Located in the throttle body housing.
temp. deg C. | resistance (ohms)
0 |89k to 102k
20 |35k to 40k
40 |15k to 18k
60 |7k to 8.5k
100 |2k to 2.5k
----------------------------
Coolant temp sensor specs.
temp. deg C. | resistance (ohms)
0 |90k to 100k
20 |35k to 40k
40 |15k to 18k
60 |7k to 8k
100 |1.9k to 2.2k
sensor located on intake manifold.
------------------------------------
Locate the O2 sensor wiring and using a voltmeter, probe the wiring as follows.
Ground the negative terminal of the voltmeter on a chassis ground point.
Then probe each of the wires in turn, there can be up to 4 wires on O2 probes colored, white(2) gray and black.
With engine running 12volts should be present on one of the white wires(if still warming up) this is the heater portion of the sensor.
If no 12volts on either of the white wires then check all the fuses/wiring for breakage.
Black wire is O2 sensor ground.
Gray wire is signal output to ecu, voltmeter(digital only) attached to this wire should give the following response: Volts fluctuate continually between 0 and 1 volt, with engine running.
If no reading or voltage not fluctuating, sensor faulty(stuck).
Hope this helps you some, long winded i know!
deltaf. Blocked heater matrix, now that sounds like it could be it. Usually I hear water running into it (I know I know, you shouldn't hear water running into it) but haven't heard it since the problem began.
Just one quick question, how do you flush the cooling system and include the heater matrix? Or is that best done seperate?!
I'm off on a journey of discovery
Cheers
Stuart!
Well, just got back from my Journey of Discovery! (went to an Audi dealership and discovered that they don't sell used 90s! 
)
I have more symptoms which are symptomatic of the problem
The Stuttering only occurs at WOT. Over 50mph and when the engine is below 3000rpm, In Second, I can launch the car to 50, and keeping the engine above 3000rpm, can happily belt through the gearbox until 90 in 5th!
I am at even more of a loss now!
I intend to do the following
1. Remove Plugs, and leads, and for now, clean them. (can't afford £30 for a new set of both this week)
2. Clean the carb with carb cleaner, which will hopefully remove any oil which has worked its way in.
any one got any other suggestions which will keep me gratiously burning hydrocarbons?
(who said that orignally? Answers on a post card)
The starting issue seems to have subsided slightly, so no problem there for now!
As for the heater problem, I have a new bottle of antifreeze/coolant and I am about to flush the system through, and I will include the heater matrix this time
) I have more symptoms which are symptomatic of the problem
The Stuttering only occurs at WOT. Over 50mph and when the engine is below 3000rpm, In Second, I can launch the car to 50, and keeping the engine above 3000rpm, can happily belt through the gearbox until 90 in 5th!
I am at even more of a loss now!
I intend to do the following
1. Remove Plugs, and leads, and for now, clean them. (can't afford £30 for a new set of both this week)
2. Clean the carb with carb cleaner, which will hopefully remove any oil which has worked its way in.
any one got any other suggestions which will keep me gratiously burning hydrocarbons?
(who said that orignally? Answers on a post card
) The starting issue seems to have subsided slightly, so no problem there for now!
As for the heater problem, I have a new bottle of antifreeze/coolant and I am about to flush the system through, and I will include the heater matrix this time
Just opened bonnet and took cap off coolant bottle, looked in IT WAS EMPTY 
The bloody garage only checked it a damn fortnight ago, so I am going to go in there and kick some ass on monday! ****ing Arseholes!
So, topped it up with coolant and water and the heater is nice and warm again
As for the engine.
Deltaf, CFi is Central Fuel Injection. Basically it is a weber carb with an injection thing stuck in the middle, has carb airbox and filter etc, but it is injection! Doesn't make sense to me either! Oh, and it's electronic ignition
Anyway, took off the airbox cover, to find copious amounts of oil in the box, the fire trap thing that covers the breather is missing and the oil mist is hitting the inside of the airbox and turning to liquid. All running a bit better now. But I need to sort this airbox thing and then clean the engine up. Nothing worse than the smell of oil in the cabin.
Cheers for all your help guys!
Now, where did I put my size 12.....
>> Edited by tvradict on Saturday 15th February 15:25
IT WAS EMPTY The bloody garage only checked it a damn fortnight ago, so I am going to go in there and kick some ass on monday! ****ing Arseholes!
So, topped it up with coolant and water and the heater is nice and warm again
As for the engine.
Deltaf, CFi is Central Fuel Injection. Basically it is a weber carb with an injection thing stuck in the middle, has carb airbox and filter etc, but it is injection! Doesn't make sense to me either! Oh, and it's electronic ignition
Anyway, took off the airbox cover, to find copious amounts of oil in the box, the fire trap thing that covers the breather is missing and the oil mist is hitting the inside of the airbox and turning to liquid. All running a bit better now. But I need to sort this airbox thing and then clean the engine up. Nothing worse than the smell of oil in the cabin.
Cheers for all your help guys!
Now, where did I put my size 12.....
>> Edited by tvradict on Saturday 15th February 15:25
tvradict said: Just opened bonnet and took cap off coolant bottle, looked in
The bloody garage only checked it a damn fortnight ago, so I am going to go in there and kick some ass on monday! ****ing Arseholes!
Whoa Tiger! Perhaps you have a split hose somewhere as this problem has "developed" since the car went in...
Theres probably bugger all you could say to convince them its their fault anyway after 2 weeks.
The stuttering could well be related to the oil being pushed through the breather. Had a similar problem on a car about 8 years ago where the air flow mass sensor had got slowly covered in oil. It measures the resistance of a thin wire in the main air intake in order to work out the air flow over the wire (flow directly affects heat and hence resistance) as the wire was covered in oil the ECU thought no air was entering the system and was fueling accordingly to get the correct mixture.
Take the air flow mass sensor out and try another (scrap yard job) as once the wires overheat big time they are usually buggered. Alternatively if you have more time than cash on your hands take it out and drop it in a large bucket of white spirit for a few hours.
Take the air flow mass sensor out and try another (scrap yard job) as once the wires overheat big time they are usually buggered. Alternatively if you have more time than cash on your hands take it out and drop it in a large bucket of white spirit for a few hours.
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