HELP!!! - Car isn't firing right...???

[Rishi]

Started my car today and it didn't go into its usual cold start routine... Severe lack of power and it sounds like an Impreza Turbo... Sounds like its not firing... Pulled out the leads, took a rag to them and sprayed some WD40 on/in the lead ends as suggested by Hiteq... Problem is still there...

Could have been caused by the severe snow up here in Scotland...

Any help please!!!...


Thanks,



Rishi

 

[J-GTi-R]

You might want to take the distrubutor cap off and give that a wipe out as well. Just anything electrical, clean it and spray it with WD-40.

 

[Fast Guy]

If it sounds like an Imprezza, I'd say you might be running on 3 cylinders. If you can't sort it doing the usual ignition things, (check the injectors are all working too), then I'd do a compression check to make sure.

 

[Rishi]

If it sounds like an Imprezza, I'd say you might be running on 3 cylinders. If you can't sort it doing the usual ignition things, (check the injectors are all working too), then I'd do a compression check to make sure.

How can I check that all the injectors are working and how do I do a compression test...???



Rishi

 

[Rishi]

When driving home today the car did step into stints of proper running then went back into 'impreza mode'...

Don't know if that helps any...



Rishi

 

[AJ4]

Check the two left hand plugs holes for water ?

 

[Keira]

Very similar sounding problem to my mates, you use the term 'impreza' sounding i would've said bag-o-s h i t e

His was sparking on all 4, never checked the injectors, nor did a compression test. Will be first things when we start on it again, got it running a couple of times by using fairy magic (i.e didn't do alot ) but under load would return to bag-o-s h i t e ( impreza ) mode.

Going to start on it again very soon, shame the weatehrs so cr@p/ start with the obvious first and work from there, can see it being a cnut

Its currently looking abit dishevelled and slowly filling up with water in the passenger footwell

 

[Fast Guy]

How can I check that all the injectors are working and how do I do a compression test...???



Rishi

I'm not sure of the proper way to check them on the car, but you could disconnect then one at a time and feed it into a glass bottle so you can see what's coming out and collect it so it doesn't everywhere. I'd suggest letting a garage check them out tho.

To do a compression test, you need to warm the engine up, disconnect the ignition so it won't fire, take a plug out and fit the compression gauge and crank the engine on full throttle (I think) for a few seconds. Might be best to have someone crank it for you so you can watch the gauge to see how quickly the pressure builds compared between cylinders.

Pressure should be 135psi minimum, 164psi standard, 14psi between cylinders max.

If it did start running ok intermittently, I'd guess it could be an ignition fault (shorting out maybe) or a broken wire to an injector possibly. Although I have had a headgasket go (not my gtir) and on boost it would run ok, but off boost it wasn't happy.

 

[AJ4]

If your doing a compression test, take the fuel pump fuse out as well, it can upset the guage if you get petrol in it. Also, turn over each cylinder the same amount of times to get even readings.

 

[Rishi]

Check the two left hand plugs holes for water ?

I stuffed a rag down all the plug holes and they seemed fine... Any other ideas...??

If there has been water sitting in the plug holes is it possible that the water has seeped over the plug and caused it to fail... Therefore new plugs needed...?


Rishi

 

[Nissanmansco]

i have the same problem so am changing plugs,leads and dizzy cap and rotar arm just to be sure

 

[AJ4]

If it was water, the plugs will be fine, you can wipe them off with a dry cloth and then a little bit of WD40 should do it. Some people put them in the oven for a while to dry them, but I find the engine dries them out pretty quick anyway

Have you checked for any fault codes on the ecu ? If it is an intermittent fault, the last fault should still be logged. Could be going into one of the limp home modes ( there are 5 different ones, not all of them limit the revs to 2400 rpm )

 

[Rishi]

I've had a limp home mode problem before and this isn't it...

Checked everything... All the plugs spark, all the leads work, compression test was perfect all across...

I haven't got a clue so Marc at The Garage is going to be having fun with my car tomorrow...


Rishi

 

[AJ4]

Good luck, let us know how you get on 8)

 

[Olly]

Ignition module/amplifier?

 

[zia]

what colour are the plugs might be choked up with carbon or black and sooty?

zia

 

[Rishi]

Found the problem and need to know what these are called...?

Do any of you know the part number and wether it is shared with any other Nissan...?

More importantly do any of you have one spare as mine is goosed...???


Thanks,


Rishi