1.2 12v Fabia, won't start

[hutchysrs50]

That's true, never thought of that.

Will be going for a nice easy 50 mile then have a big nut and bolt check, then sorted really.

....well to the style and car care section, it's filthy!

None of that stuff is mine apart from the green box the timing chain came in. I asked the previous owner of he wanted anything out of it and he said no. The door sills are the worst I've ever seen! Also never seen wheel trims like it!

[hutchysrs50]

Took it for a small drive and it still feels under powerd. In first gear it doesn't want to rev past 4,500 really. It's cut out once as well, coming to a stop and dipping the clutch the revs drop to around 500 and has a good shake about before recovering.

Compression check was good though.

Cylinder 1:

Cylinder 2:

Cylinder 3:

Removed the map sensor, was thick of oil and crud really, cleaned it up and it's improved but still something wrong power wise.

[sepulchrave]

Dodgy lambda probe is really the only other thing that can make a big difference.

[hutchysrs50]

I'm replacing the map sensor tomorrow, in my opinion this what it feels like, sort of like a blocked fuel filter, abit juddery but wants to go.

A blocked cat is nigling at the back of my head, I know as part of the kit, it gets replaced with the valve guides.

[hutchysrs50]

Brand new map sensor, still the same.

Went up a steepish hill and 20mph was its max in second gear with foot to the floor.

I'm giving up again...

[Breezy_Pete]

 Oh dear.

 

How about taking the pre-cat oxygen sensor out, dropping the front exhaust pipe off the bottom of the cat and see if you can shine light through the honeycomb?

[hutchysrs50]

I held a rag at the back of the exhaust and got a friend to rev it, it came through quite well so I assume the exhaust to be ok.

Will more than likely remove the top sensor tomorrow and go for a quick drive to see if it's any better.

I'm not sure what els after that. Might try blanking the egr valve off to rule it out also, it looked fine and I cleaned it off when I did all the other work so it's nice and free anyway.

No fault codes or anything. I'm wanting to check the timing again invade it's out slightly but think I'll be wasting my time.

[sepulchrave]

Exhaust will be fine, still think the pre-cat lambda is likely to be really dirty and sooted up, this would make the car run very badly, any signs of pinking?

[hutchysrs50]

Think it's worth giving it a wire brush and soak in part cleaner will help?

I can't really tell any pinking, just no power. In neutral it's fine, revs nice and fast, if I hold on the throttle it will rev to redline, but in gear about 4k max and thsts first gear!

[Breezy_Pete]

My suggestion in post 131 wasn't intended to mean try running it without the pre-cat sensor, nor that the exhaust itself might be blocked.

What it does allow, is a straight-line view through the catalytic converter, to see how much or little it is clogged up with soot. You should be able to see through it, lengthways, upwards or downwards.

 

Judging by the experiment with the rag on the tailpipe though, it must be reasonably OK.

 

Chain-timing check is pretty quick and easy.

Compression check figures suggest that there's nothing 'deeply' bad, I think?

[hutchysrs50]

I think it's a sensor fault, I just don't know which one. It wants to go, you can feel it sort of pull for a second then loose power, then pull again.

I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of it.

[Toxicvrs]

I think it's a sensor fault, I just don't know which one. It wants to go, you can feel it sort of pull for a second then loose power, then pull again.

I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of it.

Screw a blank where second lambda would be, cable tie it in open air and see if that gives it a bit more go.

[hutchysrs50]

I'll make the lambda sensor my first priority tomorrow then, will remove it and clean it first to see if it improves, then try with it out altogether etc and see how things go.

[sepulchrave]

Does it pull alright when it's first started from cold?

[hutchysrs50]

I've never tried flooring it when it's cold yet, will find out shortly.

[hutchysrs50]

First impressions of a cold run - bad!

It cut out after about 15ft.

Pulled off the drive and out onto the road so oil was circulating, accelerated in first gear, hit 3,000rpm like a Rev limiter then cut out.

Was a bitch to start again and was abit rough for a little bit, managed to drive about 0.3 of a mile with it spluttering then it cleared so it's driveable again but still no power and won't Rev past 4,000

[hutchysrs50]

Removed and cleaned lambda, still the same.

Slackend exhaust off from manifold, drove worse.

Fitted the old map sensor and it's improved.

A trip to the scrap yard is needed, remove every sensor and try them one at a time.

Timing is also spot on still.

Scanned for faults and got fuel level low and cylinder 2 misfire

[hutchysrs50]

Blanked the egr valve off just incase, didn't make a blind bit of difference tbh.

I then unplugged the map sensor (easiest job first...) and took it for a drive unplugged.

I got improved results and the car seems to have more power but very hard to tell if it's just me or not.

Any other way to diagnose a faulty map sensor before heading to the dealers and giving them £70 and it be something els. I have diagnostics but haven't done much reading live data.

[Breezy_Pete]

Don't spend £70 on a gamble like that, Christ.

 

I could post you a known good one, but you wouldn't get it before Friday, as it's at home, and I'm not.

[hutchysrs50]

I've orderd it now for delivery tomorrow. It can be returned as long as the bag seal isn't broken. Pm sent regarding yours!

[sepulchrave]

Cylinder 2 misfire is bound to be a coil pack, try swapping packs round and see if the misfire follows it.

[hutchysrs50]

I don't detect any misfire at all. I think the misfire will be when its stalling itself and the engines shaking itself crazy.

With the help of Wino I'm going to try a few different sensors to see if any help.

With unplugging the map sensor and the car now driving reasonably well, can get a much higher speed and picks up better in second and third gear. I'm thinking that's the fault.

However my dout comes from...

1) The original drive all stock parts, down on power.

2) Taking the original one out, cleaning it with a soft brush, part cleaner and an air line, drives the same, down on power

3) Fitting a new "oem" part from euro car parts. At the cost of £52, exactly the same when warm, seems worse when cold.

4) unplugging it, so having no sensor, slight improvement.

Nothing els I have done has been any help.

[sepulchrave]

Have you re-adapted the throttle body and the EGR valve?

[hutchysrs50]

Yes, after playing about today I cleared all fault codes, reset all learned values and did adaptations. Didn't change a thing to be honest.

It is amazingly bad on fuel as well, done about 10 miles and used over 1/4 of a tank.

[sepulchrave]

Try pulling the ECT sensor, they always play up and they're cheap as well.

 

Edit: You had a code for low fuel level, is the tank sender working properly, there's absolutely no way you could use 1/4 tank in 10 miles, the engine wouldn't run with so much fuel going through it.

Edited 25 March, 2015 by sepulchrave