Two issues with my car at the moment, any ideas :

- My s2 is a pig to start from cold. If you turn the key over and try to give it some gas it just kinda chugs and keeps turning over.
However if you turn it over it will eventually start up itself i.e you can't put your foot on the accelerator to give it some gas from cold or it cuts out like its suffocating itself or something like that.
Once its warm its fine, it will start on flick of key pretty much all day long


- when driving and getting into boost from around 3k. it starts hesitating like its hit a flat brick wall or something. You get a juddering and shuddering sensaion like it wants to go and pull but somethings restricting it. The exhaust makes all the right sounds aswell as if its building power and gets louder but it just hits a flat spot and hesitates to pull in progression.

I also noticed yesterday i was trying to put my foot down in 2nd gear and took the revs right to redline and it cut out and the dump valve went off, but my foot was still on the accelerator pedal pushed to the floor, i hadn't even let off the throttle for the dumpvalve to come in.

Any ideas?

standard engine stage 1 spec car. standard cooler etc. only running 12psi or so

 

get it set up properly.. the last issue sound like boost limit.. if youve turned up the boost with a bleed valve or on the actuator rod and not had the ecu sorted it will cut out like you say.

 

Standard ECU can't read 12psi I don't think, so as said, sounds like a boost cut, You'll need a chipped ECU to allow to run the right boost and have it set up properly.


Also, on the back of the inlet manifold there is a cold start connector, disconnect this. Should help with the starting problem. I done this on mine, and know a few that have and it works for a temp fix.

Where in West London are you??

 

Mine was having the same problem with boost.
It turnt out to the vacuum hose from the ECU has got squashed under the heater cover?!?! god knows how. so this was giving the ecu all sorts of off readings! might be something to check.

also as you say the exhaust is making the right noise and its like it wants to go but isnt? might sound stupid but your clutch might be on its way out??

i think Charlie is correct in saying the standard ecu cant read 12psi, (i think its 10? not 100%tho), this also goes for a standard actuator, especially seeing as most are around 20 years old, they struggle to hold boost. I just replaced mine as it was still in working order but wouldnt hold more than 7psi which was weak! - caused a similar sort of problem as the vacuum hose.

just some ideas

 

replace the cold start, then should crank up.

boost problem. turn your boost back down, it should boost around 2half k well mine does with a T3. you then after turning the boost down need to get someone who knows about the timming, this has to be perfect for it to boost correctly, the timming is done with a white timming gun and moving the dissy cap. if its not correct then good luck as you will end up with a cracked pistion or rings, i know this from exsperance. ask rsandy lol

check the ecu like said or get a chiped one. i would also do a comprestion test to make sure there is no damage to the internals then go get it tunned and setup correctly

oh and one more thing, stop trying to make it boost as you'll do more damage to the engine they aint built proff.

 

thanks folks, i'm gonna check to see if it has a chip fitted to it first.

one of the bolts on the turbo is missing. They are the bolts from exhaust elbow to turbo housing. Its already snapped in there so i need to get it drilled out.
I had a blowing sound coming from the front pip i thought it was the exhaust itself, now i know its the bolts thats snapped and needs drilling an retapping as half of it is still screwed into the exhaust housing.

do u think this could help cause the hesitation and flat spot as some exhaust gases are escaping from this gap and some are coming out the exhaust?

cheers again

 

dont change cold start. UNPLUG THE COLD START SWITCH. i garuntee it will start better, samething happened to mine. you dont really need cold start switch plugged in.

u checked plugs and leads, u neva know, one of them might be dodgy

 

Take the ECU out, and take the back cover of. Have a look at the chip and post a picture of you can? Or look at the solder, if it looks like its been touched, and looks nothing like the rest of the soldering, chances its been chipped, but it sounds like it hasn't.

The exhaust elbow, would cause it not to hold boost if it was a big enough gap.

Where in West London are you mate?

 

if it was plugs the car wouldnt run correct, it will idle like a bag and miss fire, there is no sign of so when he said above so it wouldnt be a sparting issue.

thats vaugly true so check that aswell.

ill do what i said above as its a easy todo and sounds like your main problem, you may not notice it via your rev counter when idle but if its out even a fraction it wont boost correctly, if that ends up tobe your problem then make sure you take it stady as the car needs to get used to it boost correctly again

 

i'm near hayes town mate. Just opened up chip and put it all back together. This is whats printed on it.

RST 88I AB

Its hand written on the cover that goes over the chip. So i'm assuming its an ahmed bayjoo chip.

It wouldn't be a problem that my ecu is hearts diamond and hash's but the chips says 88 would it?

cheers guys, much appreciated

 

Did you try un-plugging the cold start injector yet?

 

yes it could be mate, the best way is to replace that and then go from there, if its not that do check your timming the flat spot means it needs a setup and the turbo lagging is your timming thats out

 

yeah tried the cold start and it still turned fired for a sec then kept turning and chugging. now batterys gone flat so gonna jump it turn it over again until it fires up. Its like it needs to be turned over to build itd furl pressure up or something along those lines

 

I'm in Uxbridge, So only a stones throw away.

Remove the cold start connector on the back of the inlet as I said before and see if that helps with starting, it should

Not sure on chip, sorry.

 

again, starting problem is down to the timming being out which is also giving you problems with your boosting.

my old engine went to ford which was timmed out and this cuased starting problems, boosting problems.

i got the timming sorted but because it had been running with the timming out it damaged the pistion ring in number 3 and worn the turbo down, then i got the boost sorted and POP engine went.

so i got myself a 220bhp engine and a new ecu fully kittled 1.8 now running at 246bhp...

so check your timming dude.

 

i have not touched the timing but i did realise there was a fuse for heated seats missing. I have put that back in and the cold start injector is still disconnected and now it starts and idles stronger and higher.

Can't believe a fuse could be tha cause.

My final test will be from stone cold i guess in the morning. I'll report back an i think it is the blow in the exhaust being the problem. When on boost u can hear the air escaping from the gap in the turbo and the loud farty sound gets louder as the exhaus is blowing

cheers folks appreciate all the help chaps