Driving to see my Grandpa tonight and i got half way there and stopped at some traffic lights, when my car started idleing funny and running bad, then i start to accelerate and its a mixture of fine and running bad, like hesitating and coughing and spluttering - running like a bag of spanners.

 

So i get where i was heading and stop the car, thought maybe if i left it for a while it might go right, no such luck! Start it after about an hour and its still bad, so i know a mechanic very well and he agreed to let me leave it with him and he drove me home.

 

Anyway what the hell is causing this problem???? My mechanic is not a zed specialist, so any help resolving the problem will be VERY VERY Welcome!

 

Oh and last thing my water temp was fine the whole time however the cat converter light came on a couple of times, i think thats what it was, it looks like a double ended bottle on its side with some wavey lines on top of it.

 

:cry: :cry: :cry: PLEASE HELP :cry: :cry: :cry:

Cat-light comes on because of unburnt fuel and they are getting hot,so obviously the miss-fire will cause this.

If it just ''came on'' I would start with coilpack connections,PTU etc-could be something simple!

Not sure but from what I have seen on this site it sounds like unburnt fuel is going down into the cats and that is why the cat temp sensor is going on. Maybe a piston is not fireing so could be down to an ignition problem. I would check coil-pack connectors and mybe all other conections then think about the PTU. But like I said am not sure.

Cat-light comes on because of unburnt fuel and they are getting hot,so obviously the miss-fire will cause this.

If it just ''came on'' I would start with coilpack connections,PTU etc-could be something simple!

 

Right so i will tell him about the coil packs, but what does PTU stand for? Also anything else that could be checked???

Can't remember what PTU stands for but its sits on the left cam-cover. It's a little box thing with fins.

looks like either of these (series 1 or 2)

 

fitten on the left can belt cover as you look at the engine

What would i have to do about the PTU - replace it??? Is there any test to see if it is faulty. What does it do???

its easy to change... just 4 bolts and a quick release connector

its easy to change... just 4 bolts and a quick release connector

 

Ok.

 

But what does it do?, do i just have to buy one and try it? If so how much is it going to cost me?

PTU= power transister unit, a new series II one will cost about £120.

PTU= power transister unit, a new series II one will cost about £120.

 

Will a series 2 fit a series 1, as i have a series 1.

 

What does the unit do and is there any way of checking it before i spend £120 on a new one?

Will a series 2 fit a series 1, as i have a series 1.

 

What does the unit do and is there any way of checking it before i spend £120 on a new one?

find someone with a working unit and ask iff you can do a 15min swap in your area mate

Will a series 2 fit a series 1, as i have a series 1.

 

What does the unit do and is there any way of checking it before i spend £120 on a new one?

Easier to try a known good one!-anyways,might not be the PTU!! ;)

Easier to try a known good one!-anyways,might not be the PTU!! ;)

;) ;) ime sure we were separated at birth daz :D

I would help mate but im some distance!

Ok thanks guys, will try the coilpack connectors etc... tomorrow and then if that does'nt do it, i'll look into the PTU situation.

 

So if anyone in my area is reading this and can help, PM me.

 

Also if anyone thinks of anything else it could be, please post it up and let me know.

I would help mate but im some distance!

 

Thanks for the offer though. :)

also worth pulling all your spark plugs for a look... you never know

Ok thanks guys, will try the coilpack connectors etc... tomorrow and then if that does'nt do it, i'll look into the PTU situation.

 

So if anyone in my area is reading this and can help, PM me.

 

Also if anyone thinks of anything else it could be, please post it up and let me know.

iff you can get to the wirral on sat then ime home working on my car,could take a look also hook up conzult to see if theres any evidence

iff you can get to the wirral on sat then ime home working on my car,could take a look also hook up conzult to see if theres any evidence

 

You might be on there, if its not fixed, can you PM me yout details and i'll get in touch.

also worth pulling all your spark plugs for a look... you never know

 

It crossed my mind, but it was serviced about 1000 miles ago - with brand new plugs.

Driving to see my Grandpa tonight and i got half way there and stopped at some traffic lights, when my car started idleing funny and running bad, then i start to accelerate and its a mixture of fine and running bad, like hesitating and coughing and spluttering - running like a bag of spanners.

 

So i get where i was heading and stop the car, thought maybe if i left it for a while it might go right, no such luck! Start it after about an hour and its still bad, so i know a mechanic very well and he agreed to let me leave it with him and he drove me home.

 

Anyway what the hell is causing this problem???? My mechanic is not a zed specialist, so any help resolving the problem will be VERY VERY Welcome!

 

Oh and last thing my water temp was fine the whole time however the cat converter light came on a couple of times, i think thats what it was, it looks like a double ended bottle on its side with some wavey lines on top of it.

 

:cry: :cry: :cry: PLEASE HELP :cry: :cry: :cry:

just another train of thought as well , depending on how much fuel was in your tank , but mine did the same not long ago when i was getting a bit low coughing and splurting like no body it turned out to be a piece of crap in the fuel tank that kept getting picked up in the pick up pipe filled the tank up to get me home ok then flushed the tank , just worth thinking about

just another train of thought as well , depending on how much fuel was in your tank , but mine did the same not long ago when i was getting a bit low coughing and splurting like no body it turned out to be a piece of crap in the fuel tank that kept getting picked up in the pick up pipe filled the tank up to get me home ok then flushed the tank , just worth thinking about

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but my tank was half full, so i am presuming it could'nt be that.

I would still check the fuel pump, dont take long to check then thats something else to rule out ;)

It crossed my mind, but it was serviced about 1000 miles ago - with brand new plugs.

 

just a thought - did they use the correct plugs?

just a thought - did they use the correct plugs?

 

Yeah, i sourced them myself, and it has been fine for the last 1500 miles.

 

Anyway my mechanic says it is firing on all six when cold then it starts misfiring on certain cylinders - he has told me to buy some new plugs and he'll change them and see if that does anything, as if it is not them, i can use the ones i have taken out at my next service and i won't of lost money.

 

If that does'nt work, he says i am going to have to start checking coil packs - no idea how! How do i check them - anyone know???

 

And then after that i need to check the PTU, which a couple of people have offered to help me with that, but i'm leaving it till last because i will have to drive the car running like crap to either Birkenhead or Lancaster.

 

Its all a big fat pain in the arse!!!!!