Why is it problems always appear in multiples?

A month or so ago, I found an oil leak and a coolant leak. Found the root of the oil prob, but its still there, as the problem needs the sump to come off to fix it...

The coolant prob appeared to be fixed after applying some radweld, but apparently not...

On wednesday, I got it to the end of the road and it conked out and wont start. Battery (Charging System) light is on and there is/was a engine speed variable whirr from the RHS of the engine, so my moneys on the alternator. Cos it cranks fine (battery's fine) and all connections are firm, dry and connected...

Better still is the newly acquired rough to no idle. Theres now an ECU fault and thats causing problems.

Seen as when I jacked it up before, there was a good few mL of coolant dripping from around the alternator area, Id hazard a guess that theres a water leak and thats causing the problems.

I would sort it, but I have no tools, no working area and the car's 55miles from all that!

Bugger!! :bang:

have cinqs got cocks, that might be where coolent leak is

nope, no cocks - mine leaks from a similar area - tend to get a slow drip from behind the crankshaft pulley tho

Well i have my free samples of Tenna Lady that someone so kindly signed me up for. They may help with the car's incontinence.

GeX said:

Well i have my free samples of Tenna Lady that someone so kindly signed me up for. They may help with the car's incontinence.

Click to expand...

hahaha, quality

surfin_fella said:

hahaha, quality

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i'm still laughing at that!

did someone say cocks

GeX said:

Well i have my free samples of Tenna Lady that someone so kindly signed me up for. They may help with the car's incontinence.

Click to expand...

ROFL...I hope so...cos your helping me on monday (you might not know it yet), and theres gonna be many things that need sorting...

Hmm, this is odd. New Alternator's on. Battery Warning light has gone out,yay!

But, the coolant leak and the RHS whirring still remains, so Im presuming water pump.

More importantly, It wont start reliably. It can take 5-10 cranks (it will crank fine then cough but not self-sustain) to actually hold idle successfully.

Although the ECU passes all self diagnostics, my money's on something like the Idle Control Stepper Motor (TDC Sensor replaced, I would presume as it revs and returns to idle, TP Sensor is OK, coolant comers to temp OK, Havent checked MAP yet)

Anyone else got any ideas?

Did the battery plates not get warped when the alt was failing?

Liam

Dunno, It still holds charge fine. Float Voltage is at 12.5v, falls to 12v something under crank, 13.8v on idle rising to 14.3v ish under throttle and any load. So the electronics is fine as far as i can see...

Hi,
If the water pump is naff, it may be starting to seize up and causing your car to stall at idle.......

ps. careful you don't snap the cam belt.....

Thanks
Paul T

Possibly, but the odd thing is that it will start every now and again, and when it does start and idle, it will stay there for as long a time as needed.

Its increasingly looking to be the Idle Control Stepper Motor. When that fails, it might pass the ECU self-test, but its failure wond cause the ECU Warning light to light up, and errors on that part will do 3 things:

1. Control of that part will stop - hence car wont idle
2. Charcoal Can Calibration / Use stopped
3. Engine Speed limited to 1200rpm.

[Info taken from MW16F ECU Tech Doc]

That can be the only logical thing IMO, as that would allow it to START (which it does), but then wouldn't necessarily idle due to the ICSM being dead, and the ECU calls an error.

wonder if cleaning the ICV would sort it - blast it with carb cleaner