idle wander, splutter, yellow em light... mmm

[istoo]

Gavgev the car a wash in prep for LEGS tomorrow at Fennel. Took it for a drive, pick wee one up from a party. Idle was a wandering when i stopped to pick him up dropping sub 500 rpm then ramping up to stabilise... i dont know K series at all, do they have an idle stabilisation valve? Used to get sticky in my old audi,s part suspect that... However, started 10 mins later was fine so let her warm up to 85 then go for a drive, 10 miles from home coming into a 30 the car started pogoing in 4th, dropped to 3rd, no better, then bing yellow engine management light flashing and car into limp mode, 1/4 power, idled home. Car starts OK again now after leaving for 30 mins, but solid yellow EM light. spent all my life on german engines, any thoughts / sugestions?

Was going to take it to garage to get fault codes read first, which is my next question, anyone near insch with a reader, or are the fault code readers easy/cheap to find for these?

[tut]

They have an IACV valve which can be taken out and cleaned.

Removal, cleaning and refitting is a 20 minute job. Unplug the loom attachment first. The valve assembly is held in place by four torx screws. The lower two are not visible and have to be located by feel. When the assembly comes free be careful not to drop the rubber seal. Detach the hose. Cleaned with copious amounts of carburettor cleaner spray (until the fluid runs clear). Fitting is reverse of removal, use silicon grease on the seal before reseating. Screw torque 1.5nm.(SELOCopedia)

tut

[Mikie711]

Istoo, where you based? have a fault code reader that may work. Possibility that you have filled the spark plug holes with water and that has thrown an EM light though i've not heard of them doing that but similar symptoms. Remove the plastic spark plug cover and check it's not damp in the spark plug chamber.

[tut]

He lives in Insch Mike.

tut

[robin]

What car is it (S1/S2, VVC/K16)?

S1 non-VVC doesn't have a EM indicator (actually called a MIL), so cannot be that option!

If it's an S1 VVC then the EM light is in fact a misfire detection light and you will probably have managed to put water into the plug holes whilst washing it.

If it's an S2 that is much less likely to be the problem, but a normal OBDII code reader will tell you what the problem actually is ...

Cheers,
Robin

[jimbo]

Had the same with mine after getting water into the plugs while washing it (which in itself is a rarity!) and indeed was the misfire detection kit having a hairy. Ended up just unplugging and removing it tbh, though prepared to be told that that was a stupid move...

[istoo]

as my sig, its a Kseries VVC S2 111s.

I use a snow foaming thing first, rinse on hose with normal water pressure then wash sponge then rinse on hose again (not pressure washer) conscious that the engine bay is open i did wonder about in inhales of water. Which is another question, is there a prescribed way to wash without risk of this, or just carefully and slowly!!!

Anyone got an OBDII reader near me? Don't want to drive it unless i know its safe to.

Cheers, will go for a look under tonight.

[robin]

I have sigs and avatars turned off - so best to post model inline.

S2 has proper engine cover and coil packs under the engine cover so unlikely to have gotten water into that. More likely you've got water into one of the other sensors or similar.

Cannot help on OBDII near you, sorry, but that is what you need next.

Cheers,
Robin

[Mikie711]

as my sig, its a Kseries VVC S2 111s.

I use a snow foaming thing first, rinse on hose with normal water pressure then wash sponge then rinse on hose again (not pressure washer) conscious that the engine bay is open i did wonder about in inhales of water. Which is another question, is there a prescribed way to wash without risk of this, or just carefully and slowly!!!

Anyone got an OBDII reader near me? Don't want to drive it unless i know its safe to.

Cheers, will go for a look under tonight.

I have and am not to far away from you. Will PM you my number give me a call.

[istoo]

cheers

[istoo]

Mike, thank you for taking the time to come out, really appreciate it.
Misfire detected on all four cylinders, conclusion the sensor just of the cam cover got damp/wet, cant recall but crank position sensor...

However, car runs again sweetly again, yeehaw.

[robin]

The one in the cam cover is cam position sensor and detects engine phase only.

The crank position sensor is fitted at the flywheel end, down underneath the intake manifold.

The cam position sensor is hermetically sealed hall effect sensor; of course you might have managed to force water into the connector (that is fitted at the end of the cylinder head).

Cheers,
Robin

[istoo]

Robin, aye thats the one, just found the deroure site, wonderful!

silcone spray pretty much all across the engine bay now... as a just incase precaution... will be more careful when washing next time, suspect the snow foam may have been the cause.