1.6 16V Rev Counter/Idle Problem

[Gordon]

Hi,

I've already had some help by doing a search on the forum after my 1999 Marea Weekend 1.6 16V decided to shred its alternator belt causing the cambelt to jump and in the process wreck the top end of the engine, a piece of belt was still inside the cambelt cover when I removed it!

After a stripdown, the inlet valves were found to be bent and jammed open, rebuilt the head with new valves and reground the old exhaust valves while I was at it, replaced valve oil seals with the rest of the gaskets and rebuilt with new cambelt and tensioner.

On starting up it runs OK as long as you keep your foot on the accelerator but it won't idle (just dies) and the rev counter is dead. I suspect the two may be connected as everything worked before the failure.

Am I right in saying the rev counter is driven from the signal from the TDC sensor on the crankshaft pulley? If this were faulty would you expect to see this situation or would it not run at all?

There seems to be two very slightly different versions of this engine, mine is the one with no sensor on the inlet camshaft pulley.

I'll do a few more tests tomorrow but if anyone can shed any light on what is wrong it would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Gordon.

 

[Tom]

The rev counter is driven from the ECU.

As far as I know all the 1.6 engines have a cam sensor, the injection doesn't work without it.

An airleak is the most common cause of the problem you describe. Also duff wiring, a faulty ICV or even a fried ECU could cause it.

My guess would be you have not wired it back together properly.

 

[Gordon]

Cheers for the help mate,

My first thought is to agree with the possibility I've forgot to connect something or possibly broken a wire while rumaging about in there.

I'm just going out to have a fiddle now and check out all the sensors I can with the meter. I'll check for air leaks too, certainally possible and the rev counter may be something different.

Looking at the Marea tech manual there are two 1581 16v engines listed, one has the sensor on the inlet cam listed as 'timing sensor' the other has this missing but has a 'knock sensor??' which looks like it is mounted on the block, there may be other differences, In fact I've just took a quick look and would you credit it, the timing is different! Hmm, that won't help.

I have to say that some of the data in this manual is fairly ambiguous but obviously I've had the cam pulleys off and there is no sign of any sensor underneath.

I'll see what I can discover today.

Thanks.