My '93 SPI Jap spec automatic will start and run fine until it warms up, 15/20 minutes, then it will ONLY idle and any throttle pedal makes it worse and too much stalls it, starts back up instantly but same condition, sometimes stuck on the side of the road and it starts running good again, I take off only to get 500 feet and back to the problem, when it does it the exhaust smells rich and Lambda relay on firewall TICKS and fuel pump surges on/off or up/down, can't tell which, then later when it's running ok again fuel pump sounds normal and relay stops ticking, before I could go about 30 miles before it would happen, but now it does it as soon as the temp gets to normal, I think ?, let it sit a bit and it runs good again, but only for a short time. ECU was replaced due to bad MAP sensor, didn't change symptoms at all. throttle pot new, coolant temp sensor new, air inlet temp sensor new, Lambda sensor new, fuse box new, relay module new, along with everything else we could think of, 3 fuel pumps have been tried, Sykes ACR4 scanner shows NO errors. I wedged the throttle to run at 2,000rpm, let it run like that for 2 hours, then got in to take a test drive and only made it 3 houses away before it went bad again, Ideas ?, Manuel B. I've posted a video clip on YouTube,
I've read all the topics on the SPI and none seem to describe my problem.
I've updated some new details and added a link to a video clip, April will ONE YEAR without my Mini, sad. One new video clip of it going from good to bad,
Update, I borrowed an ACR2 and scanned it before starting, no errors, and tested all components, then checked eveything while running, coolant temp went from 74C gradually to 95C, air inlet temp went from 28, 31, then stayed around 37C, ambient temp showed 200C before starting up and after warmed up, then an error showed up which I don't find in the archives search, RAM ERROR 8184, then an inlet air temp cct fault showed up, but vanished later without my doing anything, the plug going to the air inlet sensor reads 12 volts, Actual air temperature during testing was 26C
I've updated some new details and added a link to a video clip, April will ONE YEAR without my Mini, sad. One new video clip of it going from good to bad,
Thanks for the response Trick77, someone else said that sounded like the culprit, but I read this from the Sykes Rover instructions, "Engine speed displayed in RPM, giving a good indication that the crank angle sensor is operating correctly. Note: If the crank angle sensor circuit is faulty the engine will not start. To diagnose a crank angle sensor fault select this test and crank the engine, a healthy sensor will show cranking RPM of around 300 RPM, a circuit fault will show no RPM reading."
Probably the crank sensor. Give that a try.
Here's another update, I removed the power plug to the fuel pump and conected my volt meter to it, then I connected the fuel pump directly to the battery, fuel pumped hummed as when it's running good, but engine STILL ran horrible. Scanner readings on cold engine, not running, coolant temp 23C MAP 100KPa air inlet temp 23C ambient 200C this one stays the same all the time throttle POT .82 V to 3.50 V while opening throtte O2 sensor .8 V
Readings with it runing, cooant temp 97C MAP 48KPa air inlet temp 43C (air filter off) throttle POT .60 V idle to 352 V at high rpm o2 sensor .1 V, reved it a bit went to 1.7 V, unpluged o2 relay and it read .8 V and another clip of what the voltmeter was showing, ??????????
Yes, if the sensor has completely failed it will not start. However, in my experience, when they start breaking they tend to still work when cold but when the sensor is heated up it starts failing. This is my reason for the suggestion. Just thought it might be worth changing.
I haven't relaxed yet, but I drove it 85 miles yesterday running errands !, ran great, felt wonderful to be driving it again after a year of frustration and a lot of money wasted, it was 83 deg. F. out and I drove it hard, 70-75 mph, stop & go traffic, shutting it off to go places, I kept hearing items falling off, I'm hoping it's loose washers, nuts, bolts that they dropped down into the hard to reach spots, but I will check tonight when it's cooled down, I'm going to drive it to work all week and go places just to be sure, tmsmini sent me his spare crank angle sensor to try, and his ACR too !, I was ready to give up but he talked me into trying some more. I saw this sign and stopped for a photo.
