Over the last couple of days, when I start the car, first thing in the morning, it stumbles, misses and chuggs. I notice that the rpm is not rising like it use to. If I add a bit of throttle all is well. Is the choke not coming on like it should? The engine would be cold (as in not run all night), but the temps lately have been in the mid 80's to low 90's. Could this be a cause? Jim
OK, that was the only thing I could relate it to. Let me put it another way. Normally, when I start in the morning the RPM goes up to around 15K (or there abouts) and remains there until I tap the throttle and it comes back down. It is not doing that now. In the olden days that was the choke, but I have no idea what causes that to happen now, unless it might be the ECU. So, I guess if it is hot out it does not think it necessary. I'm just asking. Jim
I didn't mean to be a smart aleck, I didn't know how much you knew about your car..... There are a number of circuits involved in the cold start, the first thing I'd look for is a code - find someone who has a code reader and see if there are any stored. Next I'd make sure you have good gas, you might add a can of gas treatment just to be sure there's no water in your tank.....
While that's warm for us... it's still cold for an engine. I'm not up on the ins and outs of the 2nd gen cold start stuff. If the temp sensor isn't doing what it should be doing then the ECU would be flying blind. If you have a scan gauge or a logging OBD-II scanner then you can check to see what the engine thinks it's temp is. Poor atomization could do something like this: Injectors or HPFP.... I'm just guessing and don't have a clue. When it's sorted out, let us know what you find out. Matt
I wasn't implying anyone was was being less then helpfull, but that was the only thing I could relate it to, which I should have said. I will check things as you both indicate. Doc, your comment is interesting about the injectors, as the last thing I did before this started was put Sea Foam in the PVC and the tank. Jim
Maybe try to run a couple of tanks of 91/93 octane thru the system (might take some time for the cooper, that's easily over 800 miles) and see if the car returns to normal. It might just be 'confused' b/c the additives are affecting its normal routine. I would also drive the car a little bit more aggressive than normal so you can 'clean out' the carbon build up... Note to answer seekers: Always provide as much details as possible when seeking troubleshooting advice... there is never too much information
When you get the Garmin HD, you will be able to see intake temp, coolant temp, plus read any codes thrown. Mark
Update: I know that you should never do two things at the same time, because you never know which one helped, but I cleaned my K&N air filter and finished off the tank of gas with th Sea Foam in it. Responce is up, which might have been the air filter, but I'm guessing the comment about the additive confusing the ECU is close to the truth. I'm about 50 miles into the fresh tank and this morning the rpm climbed up to around 13K and held for a second or two before it fell off. I'll keep you posted. I also have ordered a Scan Guage (Garmin HD is still a ways down the road) so I can keep track of things. Jim
Yes that's correct. Doesn't yours rev that high???? I get the message. Proof read everything three times. Cross all the T's and dot all the I's. Read it again and then post. You folks cut no slack. :lol: Jim
People get all upset when you correct them, but they are asking for help on technical matters, it seems imperative to me that you have to give the right info in order to get the right info.... And where is it written that it's OK to use incorrect grammar, poor spelling and lousy syntax just because it's an internet forum? If the purpose of writing is communication, why do things that reduce the ability to effectively communicate? If you want to be lazy in your writing, I can be just as lax in the accuracy of my answers, then what will anyone gain? How will you fix your breaks if I can't understand what's braking?
And I try not to be too anal about it, but sometimes when people get upset because I asked them to explain what they meant (breaks/brakes is a classic example) it bugs me......I'll go away quietly now......:rolleyes5: <Rant off>
In the future, you might consider not putting seafoam in the tank. One of the reasons the R56 needs seafoam is because the valves don't ever see any fuel directly sprayed on them, leading to carbon build up. Putting seafoam in the tank will not help this. It might help reduce the carbon build up on the pistons, but not the valves. When I seafoam I just let it get sucked into the vacuum line, nothing else.
Wow, you just jogged something in my brain......... Your.....Comments/Thoughts/Impressions; So you just pulled your engine apart.... Head is over at Endyne.... how was the carbon buildup on the piston tops and the back side of the valves? As compared to the number of Seafoam applications and miles on the engine?
I didn't pull apart the valves, I left that for Endyn to do, so I am not really sure how they look. There was a small amount of carbon build up on the pistons, nothing major. I have only seafoamed my car once and I have around 39K miles on it. The last 20K miles have almost all been on the track though, so in the 3000-6200 rpm range. I am generally a proponent of seafoaming DI engines. I also have an E36 lemons car and did a seafoam on that, again just through the vacuum line, and there was a crazy amount of smoke.
Do you equate the amount of smoke...... to doing a good job of getting the carbon off the backs of the valves and piston tops? I was thinking it was just a result of the seafoam being an oil based product. Some people have reported little to no smoke, and others with lots of smoke. I know it's supposed to be done after the engine reached operating temperature. Might be cold engine little to no smoke...... Hot engine, lots of smoke. One video presented on M/A with a R56 had lots of smoke.
Good advice and I was leaning in that direction already. It was suppose to clean the injectors. I did not put an entire can in there, but this engine seems to be very concerned with the fuel misture. How much of the can do you put in the PCV line? Jim