Car running like a dog
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DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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The VTS must have heard me talking about getting a new car frown

I went out for a little while tonight up to my grandparents about 3 miles away. The car ran like a dog - misfiring when it wants to - damn near cut out completely when i tried to accelerate up a hill!

I haven't had much else to do tonight so I immediately cleaned my throttle body to see if that would do anything - I'm led to believe it will be an ignition problem though so will check the plugs tomorrow.

When I had my scooter I could check the plugs to get an indication on what is wrong, is this the same with a 4t car?

I had this problem for a few weeks but it only did it when cold, tonight it did it when the engine and oil were upto temp also frown

Cars definitely have feelings!

nsmith1180

3,941 posts

194 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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My AX was the same in reverse!

Absolute money pit until I signed on the line for a White Goods car, then it behaved flawlessly for the month I had to wait for it to be built.

The Daewoo dealer sent it to the block and its still running around Luton. I bought the Kalos in 2004!

petrolsniffer

2,469 posts

190 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Could be the coilpack? check for a weak spark smile

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Apparently the coilpack is ze common fault (amongst many)

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Just cleaned the MAP sensor and the car didn't skip a beat on the test drive - i hope that's a permanent fix!

vrooom

3,763 posts

283 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Running like dog? they go bloody fast....

Rollcage

11,328 posts

208 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Immediate thought was MAP/MAF , then read you'd cleaned it!

Does sound like an induction side problem, hope it is sorted now.

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Well the problem began when I had a big silly K+N filter on with the standard ECU (PH told me not to!)

So perhaps that has gunked it up, and even with me now having the standard airbox on it was still gunked up a bit but seems fine now!

odyssey2200

18,650 posts

225 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Fuel filter?????

Strawman

6,463 posts

223 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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vrooom said:
Running like dog? they go bloody fast....
Greyhound, yes they do, dachshund not so much.

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Still got a slight problem. Tried to get into the plugs just before the sun went away but couldn't get in with my tools, need to buy some more since my old man snapped my old plug tool!

Coilpack seemed in very good condition - will check my receipts to see if its been recent as it looked new

Tallbut Buxomly

12,254 posts

232 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Oddly having a squiffy eye read thread title as " Cat running like a dog" which seemed odd to me.

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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cheered me up slightly that

*Al*

3,830 posts

238 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Misfires generally light up the EML? (If it's a regular misfire on that cylinder)

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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Bit of an update.

The car doesn't want to rev past 2k sometimes when you start the engine for the first <1minute of engine running.

This happens if the car is warm or cold, did it yesterday coming out of tescos whilest the engine was warm.

So there must be something that runs on startup, that either doesn't need to run or is running incorrectly.

My first though was some kind of cold starter? But why would it do it whilest cold if it was running rich :S

Danny

alfa pint

3,856 posts

227 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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DannyVTS said:
Bit of an update.

The car doesn't want to rev past 2k sometimes when you start the engine for the first <1minute of engine running.

This happens if the car is warm or cold, did it yesterday coming out of tescos whilest the engine was warm.

So there must be something that runs on startup, that either doesn't need to run or is running incorrectly.

My first though was some kind of cold starter? But why would it do it whilest cold if it was running rich :S

Danny
Back to the MAF again then I think. I know there's a soft reset you can do on Alfa Romeos to cure this, which involves turning the ignition on without starting the engine so that all the dash lights are on, leaving it like that for a minute and then starting the engine without returning the key backwards. If there's a citroen owners club forum, they might be able to advise.

DannyVTS

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

184 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
alfa pint said:
Back to the MAF again then I think. I know there's a soft reset you can do on Alfa Romeos to cure this, which involves turning the ignition on without starting the engine so that all the dash lights are on, leaving it like that for a minute and then starting the engine without returning the key backwards. If there's a citroen owners club forum, they might be able to advise.
Unfortuantely the only forum I'm on for the Citroens is Saxperience, which as the name would suggest is usually full of mongs hence why I ask on here.

I'm pretty sure there wont be a soft reset, although I disconnected my battery for about 3 days a week or two ago and the problem persists.

odyssey2200

18,650 posts

225 months

Monday 7th February 2011
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bump

odyssey2200 said:
Fuel filter?????