Intermittent running problem

Oct 25, 2007 6 Replies
M

Yesterday I was driving home from work and my car started bucking and jumping, like a kangaroo petrol effect. It wouldn't rev above 1500 - 2000 RPM and after I struggled home it stalled.



A dose of injection cleaner spray down the throttle body seemed to clear whatever it was, in a puff of white smoke out the throttle body.



Today the same thing happened, I conked out a little distance from home. The car stalled and now wouldn't start.



A longer session with the injection cleaner seemed again to fix it, the engine just restarted after some protracted churning and is now OK again.



What could cause this? I was thinking something in the cylinder(s) has congealed and is making a piston stick. Or a sticking valve?


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D

The condensor on your 1977 Morris Marina is shorting out when it gets hot & it's fine once it's cooled down, the injector cleaners just coincidence.

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M

Oh all right then. It's a Nissan import similar to an Almera with the GA15DE engine.

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J

Some Nissan engines can develop an internal oil leak in the distributor, so have a look for signs of engine oil there.

John

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H

Mark W explained :

I think the injection cleaner working is just coincidental - waiting 5 minutes would work just as well....

Something either cooling down and starting to work again or a blockage where wait allows the fluid to flow.

Could be as simple as a blocked vent to the tank - try releasing the filler cap, or the fuel filter partially blocked.

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M

Thanks, the problem was inside the distributor but it wasn't oil, it was the optical cam sensor wheel. Somehow it had got warped and appears to have been rubbing on the sensor head.

I flattened the thing and all is well again.

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