ninjabran
New member
Hi i have a 1998 sei sx, and the red spray light comes on every now and then, and car runs lumpy. without any diagnostic info, do you reckon it could be lambda sensor on way out?
thanks
thanks
Technical lamda sensor??
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Technical lamda sensor??
Couldbe a lot of things, many of which are cheaper than a lambda.
More details!
More details!
ninjabran
New member
occaisionally the rted spray light comes on, sometimes only for a short time then goes off, somrtimes stays on for a while and the car runs rough and idles rough, almost cuts out, if turn ignition off and restart its then fine, have changed plugs n leads recently.
A dodgy lambda usually makes the car's idle lumpy and there is a hesitation throught 1200-1500 rpm as the lambo' switches through heated and unheated modes. You'll get poor economy and a lot of soot in the exhaust.
You also don't get the injector light flashing.
I think your problem is most likely to be a coil. You can test if a coil is working by plugging in the HT plug leads coming off it (one at a time) to a spare spark plug, laid on top of the rocker cover to earth it.
Don't touch the spark plug while the engine is running.. but start the car and see if there is a spark on the plug.
Switch off.. then repeat the same test with the other HT lead from that same coil.
If neither HT lead from the coil makes a spark at the plug, it's the coil.
If one HT lead sparks but the other doesn't, then it's the HT lead.
If the 2 leads from the coil both create a spark, repeat the test for the two leads on the other coil.
If they all work, then the problem is not the coils or the HT leads.. so we'll have to look elsewhere. While you have the HT leads off each plug have a peek in the plug wells and see if they have oil or water in them (#1 is favourite, since it's under the filler cap).
Remove the plugs one at a time and have a peep. They should all look clean and lightbrown or grey with a few crusty bits.. not oily or sooty at all..
My money is on one of the coils though. £25 or thereaboots for a pattern part, so not toooo severe. You have 2 coils (two HT leads for each one) but only one will have failed.
Ralf S.
You also don't get the injector light flashing.
I think your problem is most likely to be a coil. You can test if a coil is working by plugging in the HT plug leads coming off it (one at a time) to a spare spark plug, laid on top of the rocker cover to earth it.
Don't touch the spark plug while the engine is running.. but start the car and see if there is a spark on the plug.
Switch off.. then repeat the same test with the other HT lead from that same coil.
If neither HT lead from the coil makes a spark at the plug, it's the coil.
If one HT lead sparks but the other doesn't, then it's the HT lead.
If the 2 leads from the coil both create a spark, repeat the test for the two leads on the other coil.
If they all work, then the problem is not the coils or the HT leads.. so we'll have to look elsewhere. While you have the HT leads off each plug have a peek in the plug wells and see if they have oil or water in them (#1 is favourite, since it's under the filler cap).
Remove the plugs one at a time and have a peep. They should all look clean and lightbrown or grey with a few crusty bits.. not oily or sooty at all..
My money is on one of the coils though. £25 or thereaboots for a pattern part, so not toooo severe. You have 2 coils (two HT leads for each one) but only one will have failed.
Ralf S.
Would be difficult to tell if its a coil if the problem is intermittent but it is a good possibility.
I would put my money on a sensor personally, possibly map sensor etc
Other one that gets overlooked is grounds! I would advise to check/clean these just incase
I would put my money on a sensor personally, possibly map sensor etc
Other one that gets overlooked is grounds! I would advise to check/clean these just incase
ninjabran
New member
Re: lamda sensor?? update
hi, thanks for previous replys......the update is as follows, the red spray only comes on when my daughter (just passed test) is driving around like its sunday all day every day, u no what i mean. anyway she drives at 25 to 30 mph in 3rd gear all the time! anyway ive just been out in it and drove it like theres no tomorrow for about 10 miles, no warning light whatso ever, even sat in it on the drive for 10 minutes to see if it came on when fan came on, it didnt, car has only done 57k genuine miles from new.
hi, thanks for previous replys......the update is as follows, the red spray only comes on when my daughter (just passed test) is driving around like its sunday all day every day, u no what i mean. anyway she drives at 25 to 30 mph in 3rd gear all the time! anyway ive just been out in it and drove it like theres no tomorrow for about 10 miles, no warning light whatso ever, even sat in it on the drive for 10 minutes to see if it came on when fan came on, it didnt, car has only done 57k genuine miles from new.
Re: lamda sensor?? update
Could well be lambda going a bit sleepy.
Hopefully, she'll soon start driving it like she stole it (or rented it).
Could well be lambda going a bit sleepy.
Hopefully, she'll soon start driving it like she stole it (or rented it).
Lambdas usually (but not always) fail by doing nothing. If you get a lumpy idle and not light, its quite often the lambda.
I think your problem is something else breaking down and the lambda is seeing it and putting the light on.
When was the car last serviced?
What oil are you using?
Cheers
D
I think your problem is something else breaking down and the lambda is seeing it and putting the light on.
When was the car last serviced?
What oil are you using?
Cheers
D
leaking map line? sounds like what was happening to fraz's car when his MAP was leaking...
dude if u can get the car to southport ill have a look for ya on monday
dude if u can get the car to southport ill have a look for ya on monday
ninjabran
New member
Re: lamda sensor?? 2nd update
thanks fro offer of lookin at my sei, couldnt get to southpoer today.
anyway i was lookin a pics of 1998 sei engines on tinterweb and noticed that where the map sensor tube connects to carb there is another tube above it that seems to connect to bottom of air filter box? but on mine that tube has been cut and a bolt bunged in the end to block it,been like that since i bought it??
thanks to all replies, very much appreciated
thanks fro offer of lookin at my sei, couldnt get to southpoer today.
anyway i was lookin a pics of 1998 sei engines on tinterweb and noticed that where the map sensor tube connects to carb there is another tube above it that seems to connect to bottom of air filter box? but on mine that tube has been cut and a bolt bunged in the end to block it,been like that since i bought it??
thanks to all replies, very much appreciated
I think I'm righ in saying that does the hot cold flap on the airbox... I maybe wrong.
Q. Is the lambda plugged in?
Q. Is the lambda plugged in?
ninjabran
New member
Hi yes, the lambda is plugged in.
Is the engine hot or cold?
If coolant temp sensor has gone would make thecar think its always cold causing enrichment causing an issue? Only £5 to replace
If coolant temp sensor has gone would make thecar think its always cold causing enrichment causing an issue? Only £5 to replace
ninjabran
New member
EML light only seems to come on when engine warmed up, im thinkin maybe if the breather pipe is detached from air box its not opening the flap to let cooler air in when it needs too?
ninjabran
New member
ps but it dont come on all the time, just randomly.
Is the engine hot or cold?
If coolant temp sensor has gone would make thecar think its always cold causing enrichment causing an issue? Only £5 to replace
If coolant temp sensor has gone would make thecar think its always cold causing enrichment causing an issue? Only £5 to replace
No. Just about every modied Cinq and Sei runs with the itsy bitsy pipe disconnected and blocked off. It's really just hot air for economy until the engine warms up.
Lambda, temp sender and map sensor can all be tested with a multimeter.
If it happens only once warm it could be the lambda as the car runs open loop until it's warmed up.
Temp sender: boiling/cold water check resistances.
Lambda: Off the car this is the easiest way.
On the car you'll need a meter with frequency or duty cycle to test it.
Map sensor I used to test on the car by measuring the signal on an analogue meter but now I use the woj footpump test.
If the Lambda is sleepy you'd be lucky to catch it without a datalogger, same goes for a dodgy crank sensor. I've had a few that will still work enough to keep the car running but very badly once they get warm causing hesitation and misfire.
Coil packs as already suggested could have an intermittent breakdown but it's unlikely to get better with enthusiastic driving.
If it happens only once warm it could be the lambda as the car runs open loop until it's warmed up.
Temp sender: boiling/cold water check resistances.
Lambda: Off the car this is the easiest way.
On the car you'll need a meter with frequency or duty cycle to test it.
Map sensor I used to test on the car by measuring the signal on an analogue meter but now I use the woj footpump test.
If the Lambda is sleepy you'd be lucky to catch it without a datalogger, same goes for a dodgy crank sensor. I've had a few that will still work enough to keep the car running but very badly once they get warm causing hesitation and misfire.
Coil packs as already suggested could have an intermittent breakdown but it's unlikely to get better with enthusiastic driving.
Worth pointing out that i have had throttle bodies that have that MAP line blocked off internally and some that don't, all the cento ones i've looked at though are blocked and don't even have a pipe there for you to connect to. The on my car at the moment though needed blocking off. Easiest way to check is to just stick your finger on the hole with car running, if there is suction it needs blocking off somehow, your best heath robinson with do though. I don't this is the issue tbh but worth noting nonetheless.
