Recovery Truck Time

[Greg.g]

Had the car mot'd on friday. They replaced the cat for the mot and a couple of new tyres.

Brought car home, fine. Took the car out for a spirited drive on saturday morning and she behaved perfectly, didnt miss a beat. Thought i would give her a wash before putting her back in the garage.

Got her out sunday morning to take her the 20 or so miles to the kit car show at stoneleigh. She was fine for about 15 miles then she started to have a very minor stutter. After a minute or so a warning light on the dash flashed a couple of times. (Having just checked the manual, it was the catalyst overheat warning light). I have never ever seen this light up before. She had a decat and has always been fine. Sometimes had her swapped back for mot's, but never a problem. Anyway, the stuttering stopped and the light went off for a couple of miles. Then it came back on, flashed a couple of times, then went to permanent on. As soon as this happened the car went into a sort of limp home mode, very lumpy running and wanting to stall. This just happened to coincide with the build up of traffic on the approach to the show. Nowhere to pull over and plenty of traffic We were so close to the entrance that i managed to keep her running and get into the show. Found the stand and parked her up.

We started her up a few minutes later. She started ok but as soon as i revved her slightly the light started to flash, then go solid and lumpy running again. I was hoping that water had got in somewhere when i washed her but thought it strange that she was ok when cold and damp but lumpy when warm.

Thought it would be wise to call out the breakdown people. He was confused. He tried his reader but it didnt want to talk to our car (obd2 and ours is obd1). Removed the spark plugs and they were fine. He didnt have a compresson tester in the van. Checked the oil and water (they looked fine to me). A couple of people there mentioned hgf, but having had this previously fixed i didnt think this was the likely cause. Breakdown man said he could recover me back home but as we were already there and had planned on camping we choose to be brought home today.

So she is back in my garage now. Most people seemed to think it was a faulty or failing sensor. She did have an occasional hesitation under acceleration before i sorn'd her, but i had put it down to not being used a lot and requireing a good service. I think it was connected now.

Could anyone point me in the right direction. Lamda springs to mind, but my mechanical ability is on par with a playskool host

 

Greg

[un1eash]

The car should run even with a faulty sensor. Disconnect the sensor, if will resort to the default fuel mapping and see if it runs any better.

[@ndy]

Good to see you again yesterday Greg, Shame about you car thou.

 

Anyway, As mentioned yesterday I would be very surprised if it's HGF, I'm still putting my money on a sensor, Lambda is favourite as you have had some work done in that area, However it could be throttle position sensor.

 

I have most of sensors from my old engine that were OK, TPS, Lambda, Air intake, Blue water temp, Brown water and IACV if you get stuck.

 

Some info on SELOC techwicki HERE

 

Good Luck,

Andy.

[russelld]

It was good to catch up with you & Ali yesterday Greg. Glad to here you got back home ok.

 

I agree with Andy & my money is on a faulty sensor ( or even a connector that has come adrift ). Start by trying to borrow an OBD1 code reader.

 

Good luck.

 

Russ.

[dobbo]

Thought the cat warning light was only for the Japanese cars?

 

Anyway, good to hear you're driving it again!

[Martin R]

Greg, disconnect the pre cat Lambda and see what then happens. The post cat only puts the light on IIRC.

[dobbo]

Surely no post-cat lambda on an S1...? There certainly isn't on either of the ones I've had.

[Dennis]

Thought the cat warning light was only for the Japanese cars?

Anyway, good to hear you're driving it again!

Me too

 

Surely no post-cat lambda on an S1...? There certainly isn't on either of the ones I've had.

And again, only 1 lambda on mine (not 111s) but the exhausts are interchangeable etc.

[Martin R]

Disconnect the one you have then? Its been a while since i had an S1

[Martin R]

It might also be the Brown temp sensor Greg? The Blue does the stack and the Brown the ECU IIRC I will give you one at the weekend. If the ECU is getting dodgy temp readings it may well overfuel.

[Greg.g]

Done a long day today, so will have a look tomorrow.

I replaced the brown temp sensor 3 years ago.

The handbook does say the cat warning light is only on Japanese cars though.

[Fiona]

Sorry to hear this Greg!