Idle Probs

[Wodjno]

My Missus 1.8 GDi started smoking from under the drivers footwell. She cacked here pants and stopped the car immediately and vacated the car as it filled with smoke.. She left the car where it was and rang me to explain what had happened. Said she had tried to restart the car but there was nothing. When i got home i drove down to take a look.. Tried starting it and as she said nothing.. Then i looked down at the gear shift and it was still in drive Obvously it won't start unless it is in "P" or "N". So put it in "P" turned it over and it sparked up immediately, i gave it a few revs and waited for smoke to emerge from under the dash but nothing. I then let it idle, but it didn't tit just stalled. Started it again and it just stalled without no revs on the throttle. Well as there were no smoke it was time for Right foot acceleraing and Left foot braking to get it home without stalling..
The next day i took it to work and gave the Missus the use of mine.
I started it up and it was idling fine, so off i went to work. 2mins down the road slowing for a set of lights and it stalled again, and again, and again, so back to left and right foot driving again. 2 mins further down the road approaching some traffic at a roundy i started to slow down, keeping the revs up a little withe my right foot when the car started to surge forward. I had to press down pretty qiuicky on the brake to stop me rear ending the car in front. I knocked it into Neutral and watched the rev s rise to 3000rpm and then drop back down to around 2000rpm. It then kept doing this all the way to work.
Since then depending on the mood of the car it either Races, Dies or idles fine.. I'm thinking it's got to have something to do with the smokey stuff coming out from the drivers footwell and have had a look under there to see if there is anything burn't out but all seemed intact.
Any ideas anyone ..

[Nick Mann]

The ECU's are behind a panel found at the bottom/left/front of the drivers footwell. Was that where the smoke was coming from?

[Kieran]

Idle stepper motor? Split vaccum/breather hose?

[Wodjno]

The ECU's are behind a panel found at the bottom/left/front of the drivers footwell. Was that where the smoke was coming from?

Yes Nick . The smoke was coming from the Driver footwell she said . What ever was smoking has stopped now but obviously it's cooked.. Thanx for pointing me in right direction as i didn't want to start pulling all the dash out to find the prob.. I'll take a look see first thing in the morning..

Idle stepper motor? Split vaccum/breather hose?

These were what i would have checked out Kieren if it weren't for the Smokey business in the footwell

[Wodjno]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Mann
The ECU's are behind a panel found at the bottom/left/front of the drivers footwell. Was that where the smoke was coming from?

Yes Nick . The smoke was coming from the Driver footwell she said . What ever was smoking has stopped now but obviously it's cooked.. Thanx for pointing me in right direction as i didn't want to start pulling all the dash out to find the prob.. I'll take a look see first thing in the morning..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kieren
Idle stepper motor? Split vaccum/breather hose?

These were what i would have checked out Kieren if it weren't for the Smokey business in the footwell

Ressurection of an old thread but still a current problem !! and more !!

Well all Vaccum and breather hoses have been checked, but no ECU's have been changed.. I have changed the throttle bottle body and stepper motor but it still has the same fault.. Now it has started over heating after around 10mins of driving.. I didn't notice this overheating before, but what has been happening is after 10 mins of driving the engine has been pinking (pre-ignition). Could this be a result of having lack of water in the cooling system ?? The reason i noticed the car had lack of coolant was that the car was not putting any heat through into the interior. I then noticed the temp needle sky high and the engine star to pink again..
I thought there may be an air blockage somewhere in the system so went about trying to bleed the air out but could not find any bleed screws (as there were on my 620ti) So i took the flow pipe off that go's to the heater rad, which was slightly warm and then revved the engine. There was only a trickle of water out of this pipe. I then replaced this pipe and took off the return pipe of which nothing was coming out of it at idle.. I revved the car to around 4000rpm for 30secs or so and gradually water trickled thru. ! I'm sure the flow of water through here should be constant whether its idling or revving. Then i replaced this pipe and topped up the water bottle. Inside the car had become slightly warm, but the heat from the vents soon went cold again..
If anyone has any more ideas, than there more than gratefully received ..

[psbarham]

thermo stat ? or if the water pump is driven from the alernator belt have you checked that ? was the smoke you saw was steam not smoke caused by the thermostat sticking and then over heating . difficult to say without being there

[Wodjno]

thermo stat ? or if the water pump is driven from the alernator belt have you checked that ? was the smoke you saw was steam not smoke caused by the thermostat sticking and then over heating . difficult to say without being there

Checked belt all in order as far as i can see Not checked thermostat yet Is there more than 1.. ??
And i'm in the same boat as you when it comes to whether it's Steam or Smoke as i wasn't there either.

PS.. Just asked Missus if it could have been steam and she said NO..As the smell nearly choked her and the kids..

[psbarham]

PS.. Just asked Missus if it could have been steam and she said NO..As the smell nearly choked her and the kids..

steam from the engine wil stink somewhat so its still a possiblity

[Physician]

Don't know the layout of that model but could it be a dashboard fuse burning out/melting plastic ......... or ones behind coin holder if there is one on this car?

[Wodjno]

Don't know the layout of that model but could it be a dashboard fuse burning out/melting plastic ......... or ones behind coin holder if there is one on this car?

Pretty much same layout as the VR4 from what i have found so far with electrics, although i am having a problem finding the heater thermostat which should be behind the centre console near the foot ducting.. There is definitely no flow through the return pipe from the heater rad as it's freezing cold, inlet is mildly hot(can keep hand on it). So looks like thermostat not opening. Whether this is all related to stalling probs i don't know, but you never can be to sure with modern day cars..
All fuses behind coin box ok. And as far as can see at moment i havent found any burn't wiring..

[psbarham]

, although i am having a problem finding the heater thermostat which should be behind the centre console near the foot ducting..

DOH !! try looking under the bonnet mate , follow the top hose (big one) from the radiator back to the engine , you should find it there

[Wodjno]

DOH !! try looking under the bonnet mate , follow the top hose (big one) from the radiator back to the engine , you should find it there

Thats the radiator thermostat isn't it.. ?? I'm trying to locate the heater matrix thermostat which i thought would be the thermostat that controls the flow of water through the matrix.. Or is i wrong ..

[psbarham]

Thats the radiator thermostat isn't it.. ?? I'm trying to locate the heater matrix thermostat which i thought would be the thermostat that controls the flow of water through the matrix.. Or is i wrong ..

oh you mean the heater valve , has it got the electronic heater control like the proper cars or has it got the manual controls

[Wodjno]

oh you mean the heater valve , has it got the electronic heater control like the proper cars or has it got the manual controls

Err.. Just going back a couple of posts.. Re ... Radiator Thermostat.. I traced top hose from rad which go's to engine but not thermostat, this hose was warm and i took it off at the engine while car was running and all was coming out was steam and not under to much force either, just sifting thru.. The thermostat is connected to the bottom offside hose on the rad.. This hose was cold, but as i felt along it to the thermostat housing on the engine it got warmer until i touched the thermostat housing and it was scorching.. Which sounds as mentioned earlier the thermostat is not operating correctly.. I'll wait til it cools down and take it out and test it.. I have a spare to swap over with it in my spare GDi engine in the garage.. I pop it in and see it makes a difference...

Cheers Peeps

[Wodjno]

Right .. I've changed over the thermostat in the hose that runs to the bottom of the Rad.. Revved car until temp is up, thermostat housing scorching again but still no flow through the pipe Top hose is now getting red hot to thou.. Could be another faulty thermostat but i'm not to stuck on that idea.. There is an electrical plug also going to the thermostat housing.. Is this a sender unit that tells the fans when to kick in .. ???

[The Vee]

Yes thats extreme heat causing that pinking from what you say. Sounds like a huge air lock/lack of coolant/blockage or no circulation. I fancy lack of coolant for whichever reason as this will cause serious hot spots and all your sensors are getting false readings. that may also have been causing your poor idle/running when not quite so severe. I'm just wondering if the carpets are wet in the footwell or near the bulkhead. if your matrix is knacked it could put steam in car as it leaked out and may have shorted something. Need to see the beast, keep me in the picture tomorrow, i'll be late shift at work.

[Wodjno]

Just afore i left for work i noticed a small leak from a coolant pipe running to the throttle body. I know this isn't the cause of the problem but it needs to be addressed before i go any further. It's a bugger of a pipe to get a clip onto and when i changed the throttle body i must not of got it on properly. It's not a major leak, just dripping.. What brought my attention to it was a could here steam being forced out throught he gap. Shall get that sorted first thing tomorrow.
Andy .. I have been topping the bottle up alot today while working on the car, although i have not lost that much water on the ground.. Which seems to show as you mentioned that theres a bloody big airlock in the system somewhere.. I was squidging pipes all over the shop earlier to try and get water to flow but to no avail.. It's knowing on what part of the system to start at to follow through the complete circuit to free the trapped air.
Still reckon the Thermostat should have opened though ?? What ya think .. ?

I'll also check the carpets in the footwell tomorrow and see if they soaking up any water..

PS.. You lates or nights ?? Thought you were on Nights !

[The Vee]

Your dripping would be enough to lose your coolant when under pressure. If topping coolant bottle, if there is an air gap it may look full but none in engine. Is there a separate rad cap on top of radiator. If so, then remove this (WHEN COLD) and fill from here. Then do header. may need to repeat after fast tick over. (let cool) - do not let it boil.

[Wodjno]

Your dripping would be enough to lose your coolant when under pressure. If topping coolant bottle, if there is an air gap it may look full but none in engine. Is there a separate rad cap on top of radiator. If so, then remove this (WHEN COLD) and fill from here. Then do header. may need to repeat after fast tick over. (let cool) - do not let it boil.

Yes Andy .. There is a seperate Rad cap.. This maybe why there is no bleed screw in top hose ?? I thought about filling it from there but thought if the bottle is full and i fill the rad up tp, then i might create to much pressure inside and summat might blow.. But i f i do as you have advised and not let it boil, just get warm then should be OK..
Cheers Andy ..

[The Vee]

Yes Andy .. There is a seperate Rad cap.. This maybe why there is no bleed screw in top hose ?? I thought about filling it from there but thought if the bottle is full and i fill the rad up tp, then i might create to much pressure inside and summat might blow.. But i f i do as you have advised and not let it boil, just get warm then should be OK..
Cheers Andy ..