DanFraser

To get the sob story out of the way, I need this car running by Monday to go to work!

Anyway, car ran ok before putting on a service kit yesterday. It had one issue of usually taking a while to fire up when turning over, typically worse when cold but always there. There were a few times it started immediately but only when warmed up and run in.

The old oil was very very low, about 1.5 litres came out. Since the new oil went in the check engine light has stayed on permanently.

The engine runs like god awful crap now. It can barely idle, but never stalls (I still have to try hard to stall it like a normal running engine). It thumps and rattles the car, but not 100% of the time. Thinking it was misfiring because of the bad coil packs these cars have I replaced the HT leads and the pack, which almost cleared it up over 2,500 revs. It still misses on acceleration though. Low revs is awful. I often hear a pop/fffff sound when increasing speed say from a roundabout where the revs get below 1000, and you can feel the lumps and thumps whenever there is something I'll call positive pressure on the pedal. Lift off runs quite smoothly, revs drop to 1100 for a moment but then when at idle it gets lumpy again (where the ecu will do its own positive pressure on the pedal). When the old spark plugs came out number 3 had oil on the thread, as did number 4 to some degree. The new ones look the same but simply new of course. After some running I can see wet deposits on top of piston three but more on piston four. Still getting oil on those plugs.

Ideas? I'm starting to think valve stem seals for the oil in the cylinder, possibly the rocker gasket. I'm hoping to god it's not some bent metal! Help!

pcbp97

when you changed the plugs did you set the gaps on them, if not try this first. but you may have a fault plug. Can you try your old plugs back in the engine. The start up issues are more than likely caused by a gummed up idle control valve, which you could try cleaning out.

DanFraser

The gaps are correct (first time I've ever had ones correct out of the box), checked them with my feeler gauge. I've swapped the spark plugs around in the cylinders since last posting, but now you've mentioned just trying the old ones, I'm going to do it out of paranoia.

Edit update: tried old plugs, was clean running for around 30 seconds. Got my hopes up then dashed them.

pcbp97

is it definitely oil on the plugs and not just unburnt fuel,check you are getting a strong spark on the ones that appear wet

DanFraser

I can't smell a petrol smell on them and it does look like oil. All plugs appear to get sparks but I have no equipment to check properly.

pcbp97

unscrew the plug from the head and put the plug into the lead, place it on something metal in the engine bay and get somebody to crank the engine whilst you check for a strong spark on the plug. do this on all four plugs, I think you may have a problem with either the coil pack or the leads which can wreck the plugs in no time.

DanFraser

Fresh leads, plugs and coil pack have been put on, no effect.

Issue may have been found. A great big split in a PCV hose. Just about to replace the hoses there and the valve itself. I had taken it to a little garage and he plugged in a diagnostic thing, no code showing. He found the hole, and the ecu check showed a ton of fuel being used on idle, a reading that should have been pretty much zero but going to 3.0 etc.

DanFraser

New update, so new post.

Replaced the PCV hoses and valve. So far I've replaced that and the spark plugs, HT leads, coil pack, filters and oil.

After resetting the ECU, things may be shaping up. I think one of the cylinders is so clogged with crap it's not running smoothly straight away. But took it for a run, ok for 30 seconds, then ran crap but it seemed to start clearing up. I had no thumps or rattles reversing into my driveway. It still sounds a bit throaty on a cylinder but could just need clearing out, suggestions for something to clear it faster?

DanFraser

Well, over the last week the car has worked well enough to drive to work. Still rubbish though. I've now replaced the fuel rail, injectors, that circle disc (fuel return regulator or something?) and it has improved it somewhat. I still get judders, but only when pushing too hard on the pedal and it can be a fine line between acceleration and judder. It idles heavy but runs in 4th at 30mph without a hint of issue. I can follow the limit on the pedal closely all the way through the Rev range and can do things like 70mph in 3rd. It seems to do worse cold, after fitting the new injector stuff I pulled out of my street onto a main road and could welly it like a newish engine without a hint, then the problem came back after a few minutes. Only difference now is I don't see the engine management light on.

I'm starting to think of something along the lines of the fuel system can't keep up with rapid changes in demand or still a stuck valve.

I have barely any tools at my disposal but I can take just about anything off and put it back on, so no true diagnostics. What can I do to diagnose this further?