15 replies to this topic

[jackvine]

Hi I have a 1992 SPi cooper should it have a condensor fitted?
Its just the haynes manual talks about it being completely electronic and not needing one, I have one fitted and have a intermittant problem with the engine not pulling under load !

Thanks

[nev_payne]

I havent seen a condensor on an SPi Dizzy/Coil before...becuase the ignition timing no longer requires a vacuum and is control electronically via the ecu, its an obsolete piece of hardware. That said I thought their purpose was to prevent whineing sounds form the coil interfering with the radio?

I'd say you should try other places for pulling under load problems - dizzy cap or ht leads or a new air filter might help you out there.

[Bounce]

by any chance does it sound ok until you ask for some power then it splutters and loses everything. find it hard getting over 30/40 mph?

[jackvine]

It drives fine most of the time, then suddenly when u go to pull off it will kangaroo, if you drop the clutch and give it a rev then retry it will pull ok.
Also sometimes you notice a hesitantion when putting the car unload in 3rd.

Ive checked as much of the injection system I can, Im now thinking its a ignition problem!

[Bounce]

have you cheked your vaccum lines for fuel?

the most common is the line from the fuel trap on the bulkhead to the ecu, take it off and give it a blow through. if any fuel comes out that should cure most of your problems.

Also inspect all the vaccum lines for holes and splits. and make sure the rubber unions are in good nik

[jackvine]

Yeah ive renewed all the vacum hoses, changed a faulty ptc heater and also rewired the tempreture sensor and oxygen sensor.
Starting to run out of ideas now
Any help apreciated

[Bounce]

rewired??? why would you do this?

unless youve laid in new wires? but surly youd buy new sensors?

[jackvine]

THE wiring going to the sensors had been rubbing on the bulk head and manifold and was damaged so i had to cut it back and re wire the connectors to the sensors.

[Bounce]

now i get you, just sliced in some new wire.

have you tried removing the condensor?

[jackvine]

No not yet, It was only tonight that I was reading the manual that I discovered that prehaps I should no have one fitted.
I m going to chang the coil and cap plus leads just to rule them all out

[AlexM]

I have a similar problem to the one you are describing. I am 90% all of mine are caused by a vacuum leak at the inlet manifold-throttle body insulator block, it just will not seal, its very frustrating. I thought i cured it the other day but its returned again

Have a listen round in the engine bay for sucking/whistling noises, this might help you narrow down the source of the leak (if there is one).

Have you had the fuel injection system checked by a specialist? If any of the sensors are reading out of their parameters (which could cause fuelling issues) then this test will determine which ones and allow you to take action to repair the fault, although this of course will not conforim whether you have a vacuum leak.

[Bounce]

take the condesnsor off first dude. save yourself some pennies

[Sprocket]

No condenser.

Id suspect the coil at some point has been replaced? The injection one is specific. Make sure you are running the correct plugs NGK BPR6ES and a decent set of leads, check the dizy cap and rotor arm for condition while your at it.

What colour are the plugs at the business end after a long run?

You realy need to get the sensors checked properly.

Have you tried resetting the ECU, again this is a bit hit and miss but some recon it can be done by powering down the ecu over night? Im not convinced that works as mine was powered down for 13 weeks and notebly changed when i reset it with the service tool.

Are we sure its an ignition fault and not fueling, when was the fuel filter changed.

Does it misfire at idle or a constand burble with a VERY slight hint of a note change regularly?

Oh and an air leak on the manifold will cause the ecu to adapt and depending if its severe the idle will also rise. Only leaks on the vac lines affect the way the engine runs as the ECU does not see the actual pressure that is pressent, where as a leak on the manifold without any leak on the vac lines, the engine should still run fine, to a degree.

Oh and Bounce should know (mind you he had been drinking quite a bit), there is a possability that the wrong ends have been used on the vac lines, this alows them to be pushed too far onto the port resulting in it being blocked off, not good.

Id also suspect that the stepper needs tuning.

[jackvine]

Thanks for all the info, Im not sure if its ignition or fuel injection problems.
Ive order all the ignition parts just to rule those out, the coil has been replaced and does not look to be the correct one! Plus it has a condensor fitted to it!

There no misfire at idle it hunts a bit and seems to get stuck sometimes at 2k when you are driving. Also plugs are correct colour as to haynes manual

I think I have a few faults on this car, im going to check the stepper motor as when you turn the ignition off you hear it make a noise but it does not seem to move. Should it be noticable the amount it moves?

Anyone know a good place in surrey to sheck the sensors for me?

[Dan]

Part of the problem here is with the names of parts. A condensor is a capacitor fitted in the ingition system that controls the power curve to the coil, shaping the spark. It is an internal part of a contact breaker distributor and the SPi system does not have one, does not need one and there is no-where to fit one. That is what Haynes is talking about. A capacitor fitted to the outside of the coil is a supressor, not a condensor. It is used to prevent ignition interference with other electrical systems such as radio reception. You can fit one to the SPi. They are completely different things used for completely different reasons.

What wire did you use to re-wire the oxygen sensor? I believe it needs to be the correct shielded cable in order for the correct signals to reach the ECU.