My Zafira won't idle

I guess that your car may be a bit lumpy not just on idle. I would remove the distributor cap and armed with a can of WD 40 or anything similar spray the cap inside and out then wipe dry. Obviously to do this properly you need to remove the HT leads but remember to note their locations prior to removing.

Firstly dont top post, and secondly this particular car runs a wasted spark igntion system so there is no distrubutor.

We havent been using dizzys for some years now anyhow.

The OP's problem is more likely a fallen off, or poor connection to the idle speed control valve- although why a water splash caused it is anyones guess.

Tim..

electronic ignition on these engines, dissy caps went with the draconians. not sure if this engine uses a coil pack or is coil on plug, but wd40 all electrical connections in sight. ideally this will drive any moisture away, if not it could be the engine has ingested some water and has caused internal damage (water doesnt compress like air/fuel does!).

if the wd40 stuff doesnt work then take it to a garage or follow any other suggestions people on here may have.

Just to add, mine did this a while back. It would just stall and not idle when at lights or whatever.

It was NOT intermittent, did it every time. It is a company car, and it was cool. Fixed itself on its own after about 2 days. Just water in somewhere I think.

It was also a Zafira, but the 1.6

Wonderful - thanks for all of your suggestions. I did have a look under the engine last night but couldn't see anything that looked remotely like a distributor cap! The fact that my car doesn't have one probably explains this :o)

Nowhere near as 'lumpy' on the way to work today and didn't stall at every set of lights/junctions I came across like yesterday - so it's a little better, but still wants to stall if I come off the gas too quick.

I'm generally limited to topping up fluids/changing light bulbs under the bonnet, but I think this weekend I'll puchase some WD40 see if I can get it sorted.

Two last question if you don't mind:

2) What about spark plugs? Could these be fouled? Is it worth replacing those at all?

Thanks once again for all your feedback!

Sam

Yes, definately, infact remove the cover and run the car for acouple of days without it- they are a nightmare with sweating- when a hot engine is suddenly chilled. The cover effectly keeps the damp and condenstation trapped under it right where the HT / coil packs are which is obviously bad news for misfires etc.

No, water splash wont harm the business end of the plugs which are in the cylinders. I am not sure whether your car will have DIS or Individual coils per plug, but either way there is a deep recess where the plugs sit, and they are likely damp or full of water which isnt good. If there are leads, you can remove them (one at a time- dont pull on the actual cable- pull the boot) and peer down- will be obvious if there is water there.

Tim..

Guys 'n' gals - I need your advice....

As mentioned previously, the problem seemed to ease a little over the weekend but the issue was still there in that if I depress the clutch while at a junction or come off the gas too quickly, the car would stall - not %100 of the time, but enough to make it very irritating as I thought the problem may have rectified itself after a few days.

So - I took it into my Vauxhall dealer, (I know... I know...), and they said after putting it on their machine that there were two problems:

2) Car seems to be misfiring on cylinder 1 which could also cause the problem and would require a new coil pack.

Hmmm.... So I asked them to replace the Mass air flow meter, (=A3120 inclusive), but didn't want a new coil pack, (=A3180), as I don't believe my car was not firing on all 4 cylinders.

Anyhow - just picked it up and the problem appears to be better - but still not %100.

It hasn't stalled on me on my 30-odd mile trip home but sometimes when approaching junctions and I depress the clutch, it will get dangerously near 0 revs before picking up again.

So..... should I get them to replace the coil pack? Would it be plainly obvious if a 1.8 Zafira was not firing on all cylinders? When idling, the car sounds as smooth as it's always been - no funny noises, pops, bangs or anything. Is this something I could easily miss?

Any help advice appreciated before I shell out another =A3180...

Sam.

sorry for binning your whole post, but OE didnt quote it right. i dont think an engine running on 3 pots would cause it to stall, although it would be pretty obvious due to rough running under normal conditions. i reckon it may be worth checking the idle stepper motor.

As mentioned previously, the problem seemed to ease a little over the weekend but the issue was still there in that if I depress the clutch while at a junction or come off the gas too quickly, the car would stall - not %100 of the time, but enough to make it very irritating as I thought the problem may have rectified itself after a few days.

So - I took it into my Vauxhall dealer, (I know... I know...), and they said after putting it on their machine that there were two problems:

2) Car seems to be misfiring on cylinder 1 which could also cause the problem and would require a new coil pack.

Hmmm.... So I asked them to replace the Mass air flow meter, (£120 inclusive), but didn't want a new coil pack, (£180), as I don't believe my car was not firing on all 4 cylinders.

Anyhow - just picked it up and the problem appears to be better - but still not %100.

It hasn't stalled on me on my 30-odd mile trip home but sometimes when approaching junctions and I depress the clutch, it will get dangerously near 0 revs before picking up again.

So..... should I get them to replace the coil pack? Would it be plainly obvious if a 1.8 Zafira was not firing on all cylinders? When idling, the car sounds as smooth as it's always been - no funny noises, pops, bangs or anything. Is this something I could easily miss?

Any help advice appreciated before I shell out another £180...

Faulty airflow meters do not usually cause stalling- usually hesitancy and lack of power.

I wouldnt suggest you have been fleaced with a new AMM, but I would have changed the coil pack first.

Tim..

approaching junctions and I depress the clutch, it will get dangerously

near 0 revs before picking up again.

approaching junctions and I depress the clutch, it will get dangerously

near 0 revs before picking up again.