So after many months I've finally got my Z roadworthy and have been driving it happily. The other day I noticed that it wasn't idling right it would only get up to ~1k RPM from cold then would drop down to the normal ~700 but when idling at 700 there's a bit of vibration and it feels like its going to stall but it never actually does. There is also a delay in power when i accelerate. I was going through the erratic idle fix in the tech section. I cleaned the terminals on the coolant temp sensor. I was about to go down to the shop and get some cleaner for the throttle bodies. Then i realized i could check error codes which i should have done in the first place. I got a code 21. Can anyone shed some light on this. I know its ignition and most probably spark plugs or the coil packs. Any Help would be appreciated Cheers Jamie.
Alright sweet thanks for the replies im not sure what has been done to the car so idk if i have a S1 or S2 ptu how do i check? also if it is a S1 i should upgrade to a S2 asap yer? Btw im new to all this so be gentle with me i want to learn and my Z is going to need A LOT of work i have big plans for it so expect alot of posts from me naggin you guys for help in the coming months
S1 on the left, S2 on the right. Normally mounted to the drivers side timing belt cover, but often relocated as it doesn't like heat and vibration.
So i have a S1 PTU i took it off cleaned all the terminals was a lot of corrosion on them put it back on started the car still idling at 1k from cold then dropping to 700 with the about to stall feel but i also noticed when i put it back on a knocking sound from the engine developed. Also after i started the car once re installing it i pushed one of the plugs just to make sure it was in properly and the engine died.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrY2gG4adgY&feature=youtu.be Thats a vid of the knock sounds like its coming from the passenger side timing belt cover. how could taking the PTU off and cleaning it cause this ?
the car runs higher revs when its cold, normal idle is around 750, so doubt its about to die on you (with a blown eng cont fuse the car can and will idle around the 650mark with out it dieing), hard to tell in the video, but first check to see if your PTU harness is hitting the fan, looks like it was dangling close to it. Other wise and i hate to say this, but to me that sounded like bottom end bearings which is either a rebuild or new engine time, though that usually kicks in over 1400rpm and quite on idle unless its in the advanced stages of going, though that might just be the video audio, bottom end knock can sound like its at the top of the engine when in fact its coming from the con rods hammering the crank. But as i said, thats going by the audio in the video.
that sounds not so good hope you have mechanical minded mates or know some other zedders over there that may shed some light on the problem. best of luck with it
Rebuild i just finished nearly a year of stuffing around with a roadworthy rego ect i did forget to mention that when i pushed the plug in and the engine died it would not start straight away after and there was a single loud hiss then it started with the knocking also atm only 2 of the 4 bolts for the PTU are in could that have any effect?
I dont know many people down here besides family moved here about a year ago bought the car around the same time and ive only just be able to drive it in the last 2 weeks.
if it is bottom end bearings like i suspect, then it would be cheaper to buy another N/A engine and drop it in, really not that hard either, looks more complicated than it is. 2 Bolts holding the PTU on isnt going to make that noise. the hiss might be an airleak in the vacuum pipes, but again that would just contribute to a rough idle rather than knocking sound. Best way of describing bottom end knock, is it sounds like a dwarf with a hammer, banging away on the engine that increases with revs
Its sounds more like tapping on the plastic timing belt cover in person the vid kinda makes it sound worse then it does.
That sounds like a big end bearing let go for sure - exact noise that my VN Wagon makes atm and that's exactly what's wrong with it as it spat the seal in the pressure sensor and dumped all the oil out while I was driving. No sensor meant no warning light or anything until it was too late. If the bearing was about to let go, it could cause all your symptoms as well and the PTU unplugging could very well be pure coincidence.
take off the passenger side timing cover just the top check your belt maybe its starting self destruct. maybe a frayed section hitting the cover. just a thought.
got half the timing belt cover off but ran out of daylight will have to do it 2moro i can only hope its nothing too serious otherwise this past year getting it RW has been a big waste of time...
Do yourself a big favour and have an experienced good-bloke Vic Zedder like Tektrader have a listen to your car. Not disputing anything already said in your thread, but there is often a tendency to imagine disaster scenarios with Zeds that an experienced guru will pick up straight away and you'll KNOW the advice is spot-on. Send a PM....
i know exactly what u mean last problem i had it was blowing smoke out the exhaust got all worked up thinking head/head gasket and it turned out to be steam from condensation. Il give Tektrader a PM thanks for the advice
having heard my own car and what it sounded like just before it did this and also fixing it by changing the engine my self as it was the easiest fix, i can honestly say that what that sounds like in the video, is bottom end knock. also being now on my 5th zed (1 repaired and sold on, 2 broken, 1 swapped, and my current one being knackered when i got it and now working from my own repairs) i think i can safely say what the video SOUNDs like, even if that isnt the problem, thats what the video SOUNDS like, so not scaremongering, but the N/A seems to like to throw conrods. In person would be much better, but i stand by my original assessment, as with zeds, they like to throw a random problem in when you have just about fixed the first unrelated problem.
