Rover 214 Idle Problems
Glenn Patrick
with the idle speed ever since the alternator&battery were both replaced
after coming back from holiday to find the alternator had failed and
discharged the battery on my unused car.
The idle speed fluctuates a lot, but is usually only around 600 rpm and
the engine often cuts out when braking and approaching junctions and
roundabouts. Occasionally when warm, the engine will "surge" upto about
2000rpm and this is cured by switching the ignition off and back on.
I took it to the garage and their diagnostics found a fault with the
coolant sensor which was replaced and the fault code reset on the ECU.
However, this did not cure my problem and I went back and they plugged
their crypton diagnoser into the ECU whilst the problems were very
evident. This said that everything was ok (including the new coolant
sensor) with no fault codes. However, when it came to do the stepper
motor tune it could not do anything because it reported an "engine
fault", but did not say what it was.
I asked if they had checked the vacuum tubes and throttle body and they
said they had, but encouraged me to put some injector cleaner in my
petrol (which I have) before they have another go at it.
I now find that from cold that I have virtually no revs at idle and have
to manually "blip"
the accelerator to have enough engine speed to drive away. Even when
warm, the revs
only reach about 500-600 rpm with the rev counter hunting around a bit.
Any ideas on what is wrong or how best to diagnose?
From a similar experience a few years ago, I know it is unlikely to be
the ecu or stepper
motor (had them temporarily replaced to no avail).
Glenn
Andrew Ratcliffe
news:3BA85C2E...@rl.ac.uk...
> I have a Rover 214 Si (K reg) which has developed very erratic behaviour
> with the idle speed ever since the alternator&battery were both replaced
> after coming back from holiday to find the alternator had failed and
> discharged the battery on my unused car.
Not sure if the K series engine has an idle-air bypass valve, but many F.I.
car's do and sometimes if they fail (or get "sticky" these problems can
occur.
--
Andrew
Darren Jarvis
> I have a Rover 214 Si (K reg) which has developed very erratic behaviour
> with the idle speed ever since the alternator&battery were both replaced
> after coming back from holiday to find the alternator had failed and
> discharged the battery on my unused car.
I remember reading in the Haynes manual that the ECU has a voltage sensor -
if the voltage drops due to electrical loading or slow-running engine, then
the ECU will signal the stepper motor to open the throttle a bit, causing
the engine speed (and therefore alternator output) to rise.
Being as you recently replaced the alternator, I would suspect that first -
can you borrow one from a scrap 214/414 and see if that makes any
difference?
Darren
GP
Andrew Ratcliffe wrote in message
<9oalfd$c5o2d$1...@ID-101167.news.dfncis.de>...
>Not sure if the K series engine has an idle-air bypass valve, but many F.I.
>car's do and sometimes if they fail (or get "sticky" these problems can
>occur.
According to the Haynes manual, only the carburettor version of the engine
(not the FI version) has an idle bypass system.
Glenn
GP
Darren Jarvis wrote in message ...
>I remember reading in the Haynes manual that the ECU has a voltage sensor -
>if the voltage drops due to electrical loading or slow-running engine, then
>the ECU will signal the stepper motor to open the throttle a bit, causing
>the engine speed (and therefore alternator output) to rise.
Maybe - but the main problem is that the engine speed is too low and drops
on me. When I now start the car from cold, the idle speed is very low
(100rpm)
and it is only when it is warmed up that it reaches around 600 rpm (still
too low -
should be 950rpm). Only occasionally, does the engine speed suddenly surge.
Putting a meter across the battery showed it was outting out around13V.
Glenn
Dave Hughes
Potentiometer, and since that has been replaced it's only ever cut out on me
at roundabouts / junctions etc once and I had it replaced 5 months ago -
this was also causing a major flat spot in the accelerator.
Dave Hughes
Remove no_spam from email address to reply.
"Glenn Patrick" <g.n.p...@rl.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:3BA85C2E...@rl.ac.uk...
Andy MacFadyen
(1) Remove and clean out the plastic pipe from the MEMS ECU to inlet
manifold -- be careful the connector on the ECU is fragile.
(2) Clean the throttle body and idle by pass stepper valve with carb
cleaner.
(3) Check connections to stepper motor and ECU --- clean with switch
cleaner make sure ECU connection is properly pushed home.
If that dosent work and the thermostat appears OK - Rovers need the correct
88 degree thermostat to idle properly it looks like the stepper motor might
be knackered.
However before replacing it check the charging voltage (it should be 13.4 to
14.8 volts on load at 2500 rpm) check the plug gaps and condition and remove
the dizzie cap and check for burning of the contacts.
Also check that the brake servo connection isn't drawing air and the correct
oil was used at the last oil change, should be 10w/40 or thinner -- thicker
oil knocks lowers the base idle speed by quite a bit..
"Glenn Patrick" <g.n.p...@rl.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:3BA85C2E...@rl.ac.uk...
Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and lost alot of stuff :(
correct wiring has been refitted; there is sometimes an additional earth
lead at the battery (esp Fords) which earths items like the idle speed
control valve, the carbon canister purge valve etc... obviously without the
earth they wont work.
Secondly, check the battery voltage with the engine running- the MEMS ecu is
quite sensitive to voltage, and if the 'new' alternator is outing too high a
voltage or is spiking the supply (check with scope) the ECU will be upset.
Obviously checks on the TPS, plenum chamber, vacuum lines, anything around
the alternator area and battery that might have been tugged, not reconnected
or broken wiring wise needs to be double checked.
Tim..
Glenn Patrick
It turned out to be a break in the wiring loom - though nowhere near the
replaced alternator.
Glenn