Siitting at trafic lights in n, my car started vibrating and running very rough, i think its missfireing badly but seems to be both banks from listening to exhaust. As i was driving it home the orange engine light came on and flashed a few times then went off.

I've orded an elm and am just waiting for it to arrive to pull codes.

Any ideas in the meantime as it could take up to 21 days to arrive.

It seems to be running rougher than if just 1 plug or coil had failed.

Could a failing bat cause it ?

Thanks

 

You may want to have a local repair shop pull the codes for you; there are a number of things that can cause rough idle or misfiring. I assume you're referring to the battery, which can be an issue depending on age, condition and quality of terminal connections.

Fuel pressure can also cause the condition you describe. Having codes is your best way to begin a proper diagnosis.

NBCat

 

it's not just at tickover, it's when driving too.

i don't want to drive it to a shop in case i damage the cats.

Do batterys have a manufacture date on them so i can tell how old it is ?

 

Batteries usually have a label listing either a date of manufacture or small punch-outs with the month/year the battery was installed in the vehicle.

Rather than begin throwing parts at the vehicle, you may want to consider having it towed to a shop so the codes can be pulled. Also, what were the conditions when the vehicle began to run rough?

NBCat

 

got a code reader on way.

just filled the tank (same petrol station i always use) and drove about 2 miles when it happened, i think it was raining/hailing and on level ground.

I thought i had heard a bit of a misfire a week or so ago but it was fine untill now

 

Without knowing the codes, making an accurate diagnosis is difficult and replacing parts can become expensive.

If your car began to misfire during a rain storm, you may want to begin by checking electrical connections and the battery terminals for corrosion/dampness. If you have access to a pressure gauge, testing the fuel pressure can also be helpful.

 

just checked the bat for date, none visible. it looks realy old though, the plugs that you unscrew to top the cells up are realy battered and chewed up like they have been unscrewed lots of times..

 

your batt wont cause it to run ruff. You need the codes, go to autozone and have them pull the codes. Dont start changeing your batt untill you get those codes!!

 

If you plan to remove the battery to clean it and to check for the date of manufacture, disconnect the negative terminal first, however, disconnecting the battery for more than one hour will erase all the stored codes making diagnosis that much more difficult.

If you have owned this vehicle more than four years and have not replaced the battery, replacing it may be a good idea if you operate the vehicle in a cold or damp climate.

 

I don't know if they have autozone in England, I also have heard that the parts places there either charge for this service or don't do it at all.
My buddy in Canada also says its not done free there .

If so, it makes it more difficult just to run down there for a quick code read as we do in the US.

Maybe the members can chime in and let us know.

Thanks.

 

Likely a moisture issue. Don't run her. Let her dry out.

 

Whatever procedure the English have available as a way to check vehicle codes has got to be less expensive than replacing parts.

NBCat

 

Agreed, but it is just another cash grab that pisses people off, it makes them try OTHER things before spending more money, also hearing its free in other places makes even harder to swallow.

 

Knowing how temperamental English cars can be, it seems anyone operating one there would want to have a means of pulling codes themselves, or know of a local place readily having that capability at minimal cost.

NBCat

 

got an cheap elm on order

 

Where would the mosture be ?

Its been sitting 2 days now, still the same.

Thanks

 

Don't disconnect the battery even briefly unless you're happy to lose the codes. They're not kept for an hour, not even for 5 mins.

Flashing MIL = catalyst-damaging misfires are occurring (right at that moment).

If the MIL isn't staying on, there may well be no codes. The PCM will try to prevent damage but it's tough reliably to detect the cause/location of misfires.

Chances are it's wet coil(s) or possibly dirty/oily one(s) but it could be the battery - because a large sudden surge of current is needed for injectors & for coils. If it's not available you can get misfires.

Check no water/damp in boot (trunk) such as under the spare.

 

i'll waiit for the code reader to arrive.

I havn't taken the coil/plug cover off yet to check for oil/water but the engine is totaly dry/oil free on the outside. do the coil/plug covers need a gasget ? Looking at the engine from the front, the right hand bank seems hard to access, any tips ? The left has no obstructions.

I did have a leak in the boot a while back but sorted it, it was leaking at left hand light. the fuses and relays and master fuse are dry (as far as i can tell by looking at the top of them)

 

That's interesting to know as that has not been my experience with these cars unless the vehicles built for sale in England are to a different specification. I have worked on several with various MIL codes that were retained in the memory even with the battery disconnected longer than half an hour.

In the event the battery was to be no longer usable, shouldn't one still find it possible to pull any codes retained in the system prior to the battery going completely dead?

NBCat

 

There is a gasket on the coil-pack covers, but it's there to keep dust and road grime out, not as an oil seal. Once you've removed the covers (7mm wrench/spanner), you can unplug the wiring connectors, which can easily break and then remove the retaining nut (8mm wrench/spanner) to pull the coil-packs free from the spark plugs.

The rubber insulator part of the coil-pack that covers the spark plug should be dry and relatively clean with no evidence of engine oil. If there is engine oil present, the coil-pack may have shorted thus causing a misfire in that cylinder.

NBCat