Project Car / Motorbike thread. Let's see 'em.

[Haakon]

The Jimny has been intermittently hiccuping at idle for some time now. No error codes are thrown.

It doesn't stall but doesn't fill you with confidence either. All fine when driving with some throttle so it is something funky with the idle airflow/fuel mix. Mrs wasn't a fan and didn't want to drive it but wasn't going to get far with the manual Mazda either

Mechanics seem to have a shotgun approach and replace coils, spark plugs, MAF sensor, PCV valve etc as likely culprits but not knowing if it will fix it 100%. Possible small holes in vacuum hoses is another one. Couldn't put my finger on what it could be overall and didn't want to just throw money at it either without knowing that it will make a difference. Seems to be an issue with Suzuki engines but no clear root cause.

I cleaned the throttle body butterfly valve where it felt a bit goopy and sticky. I guessed it could be sticking while the ECU thought it was an another angle hence the cough at idle. Seemed a bit better for a few weeks then it came back. Doh, but in hindsight was a hint.

Took it out yesterday and it hiccupped more so had to look at it again this morning.

Pulled off the PCV valve and cleaned and degreased it. Got some Nulon throttle body/carburettor cleaner and cleaned the throttle body and the idle control intake. Sprayed a bunch of it in, started it and then rinse and repeated.

All good so far and it feels smoother with more power, well a bit more. I hope I'm not speaking too soon again but a $20 cleaner vs. a $900+ MAF sensor is a good start.

None of this fun will happen with electric cars, errr....... right....??

The good old parts cannon approach. I’d be a little more critical if hadn’t have gone through a big cannon of parts chasing the idle problems on the Megane…

 

[Mr Crudley]

Look like a bunch of lazy pricks to me.

Maybe, I guess an hourly rate isn't compatible with taking time to diagnose things.

I am no mechanic and my limits aren't far but love to give it a shot and my time is cheaper.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Electric cars will be fine as you will be able to troubleshoot it over the phone and your credit card is on file anyways so can be auto ordered.

Please give me one of everything. The card number is xxxx. Regards The Car

 

[Mr Crudley]

The good old parts cannon approach. I’d be a little more critical if hadn’t have gone through a big cannon of parts chasing the idle problems on the Megane…

I sympathise. It is a tough one to figure out with nothing certain to blame.

There is a lot of complexity under the bonnet and a load of things that 'could' go wrong.

 

[Flow-Rider]

Maybe, I guess an hourly rate isn't compatible with taking time to diagnose things.

I am no mechanic and my limits aren't far but love to give it a shot and my time is cheaper.

It should take an experienced mechanic the best of 20 minutes to check plugs, coils, PCV and air leaks on a basic car.

 

[Minlak]

It should take an experienced mechanic the best of 20 minutes to check plugs, coils, PCV and air leaks on a basic car.

lol

 

[Flow-Rider]

lol

What do you mean, you worked tuning cars before?

 

[Minlak]

What do you mean, you worked tuning cars before?

Actually Yes! - By the time you connect scanner to read codes - take the shit off that's in the way to even get to half the stuff and then run a check on each part and you are doing that in 20 mins?? God Tier

 

[Haakon]

It should take an experienced mechanic the best of 20 minutes to check plugs, coils, PCV and air leaks on a basic car.

It gets annoying though when all these things check out as ok and it’s still not behaving. Now I’m the first to admit I’m not a pro, but I’m not a total numpty either and this one totally stumped me!
Mind you, if I was a pro in a workshop I’d have a few more resources at my disposal (smoke machine for example) that would have expedited things….

 

[link1896]

Light goes green.

Traffic light sensor module firmware crash. “Please reset all systems”

Yeah the 77,000 lines of code are going to be bulletproof. They promise



If cleaning the MAF sensor isn’t the fix, back to basics

Check plugs.
Check fuel filter. When was it last replaced?
At idle what’s the system voltage like? Does voltage drop precede fall in revs or after?
Air filter was last replaced when?
Maybe time to make a home made fog machine to hunt for vacuum leaks. Plenty of clips on the toob detailing a $10 fogger.

Does it miss behave when engine is both hot and cold or only once engine has warmed up?

 

[Flow-Rider]

Actually Yes! - By the tie you connect scanner to read codes - take the shit off that's in the way to even get to half the stuff and then run a check on each part and you are doing that in 20 mins?? God Tier

Doesn't sound like it to me if your first choice of tools is a scanner. Spark problems on cars will always miss under heavy load, pretty much easy to tell as soon as you jump in the car, PVC you can crimp the hose or block the hose or pop it out and check the if the spring is OK, air leaks you check manifold pressure or smoke test or spray around the engine. If it's a permanent engine miss you can disconnect coil packs one at a time or the leads and then do a spark output test. If you know how to a read a tune scope/gas analyser, even easier again. Lol done it for a living...

 

[Minlak]

Doesn't sound like it to me if your first choice of tools is a scanner. Spark problems on cars will always miss under heavy load, pretty much easy to tell as soon as you jump in the car, PVC you can crimp the hose or block the hose or pop it out and check the if the spring is OK, air leaks you check manifold pressure or smoke test or spray around the engine. If it's a permanent engine miss you can disconnect coil packs one at a time or the leads and then do a spark output test. If you know how to a read a tune scope/gas analyser even easier again. Lol done it for living...

Stand by original statement - done in 20 mins or less - lol - You haven't even pulled the plugs in that list

 

[link1896]

It gets annoying though when all these things check out as ok and it’s still not behaving. Now I’m the first to admit I’m not a pro, but I’m not a total numpty either and this one totally stumped me!
Mind you, if I was a pro in a workshop I’d have a few more resources at my disposal (smoke machine for example) that would have expedited things….

If specialising in one brand, you’d have wiring harness plug in test points in series between sensor and ecu so you can take measurement in real time directly from the sensors.

I lost a lot of time fucking about with Subaru cam and crank sensors before I did this. Looking at both with a silly scope is handy.

 

[Flow-Rider]

It gets annoying though when all these things check out as ok and it’s still not behaving. Now I’m the first to admit I’m not a pro, but I’m not a total numpty either and this one totally stumped me!
Mind you, if I was a pro in a workshop I’d have a few more resources at my disposal (smoke machine for example) that would have expedited things….

When you change engines like you did and then not know 100% how compatible everything is, well things gets hard but a lot of times it's easy to overlook things from my experience.

If all the basic stuff checks out you have to look into further. Certain cars have common faults, sometime if a mechanic has a lot of experience with that car they can pretty much go straight to fault, but if someone has been in there first, tampering with everything you usually have to reverse all uncommon stuff, then find the original problem.

 

[Haakon]

If specialising in one brand, you’d have wiring harness plug in test points in series between sensor and ecu so you can take measurement in real time directly from the sensors.

I lost a lot of time fucking about with Subaru cam and crank sensors before I did this. Looking at both with a silly scope is handy.

In actually have the Renault specific diagnostic interface and software - even then it still stumped me. Ended up being an ECU which is why everything checked out but still not behaving. Currently in the process of updating the software on my interface and getting the reprogramming files so I can reflash the ECU….

 

[Haakon]

When you change engines like you did and then not know 100% how compatible everything is, well things gets hard but a lot of times it's easy to overlook things from my experience.

If all the basic stuff checks out you have to look into further. Certain cars have common faults, sometime if a mechanic has a lot of experience with that car they can pretty much go straight to fault, but if someone has been in there first, tampering with everything you usually have to reverse all uncommon stuff, then find the original problem.

I was thinking about that today as I swapped the timing belt again on the scenic. Could just about do it in my sleep now, but I remember how long it took me the first time I did one years ago. Specialists in certain manufactures is certainly an advantage!

 

[Flow-Rider]

Stand by original statement - done in 20 mins or less - lol - You haven't even pulled the plugs in that list

You don't pull plugs unless they show up faulty, an oscilloscope or spark tester will tell you if there is a problem there, if you know how to read one, you can pretty much test the coil if it's easy to get to or just do a spark output test on it if you know what that is. Some tune scopes do an output spark test automatically. On the more exotic type cars things can be a lot harder, yes, but on an average run of the mill car it shouldn't take for ever to check a few basic things.

 

[Dales Cannon]

 

[Asininedrivel]

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS: new insights revealed | Evo

We reveal new insights into the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS after a conversation with Porsche GT boss Andreas Preuninger

www.evo.co.uk

4 litre 9,000rpm Cayman capable of a circa 7 minute Nurburgring lap time? F***

(I like how Porsche has obviously fired whoever was responsible for the "no Cayman will threaten a 911 in performance" edict)

 

[Dales Cannon]

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS: new insights revealed | Evo

We reveal new insights into the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS after a conversation with Porsche GT boss Andreas Preuninger

www.evo.co.uk

4 litre 9,000rpm Cayman capable of a circa 7 minute Nurburgring lap time? F***

(I like how Porsche has obviously fired whoever was responsible for the "no Cayman will threaten a 911 in performance" edict)

That 4L motor is an absolute delight and sound is amazing.