Sounds like a tank, engine buggered?

[Gadget-Master 2]

Guys,

have just managed to get home with the VR sounding like a tank and not running on all 6.

I was cruising along heading home when I had to slow (5mph) to ride over 2 speed bumps; after riding over the 2nd one suddenly a complete loss of power to say 4 cylinders and a horrible horrible noise coming from the exhaust .

Pulled over to investigate. At first i thought manifold but a quick check leads me to think the engine is holed, does this sound like the symptoms to you guys. It hasnn't lost any fluids and still runs but like i say sounds like a tank and has no power at all. There is also a knocking noise coming from somewhere around the coil pack (replaced about 6 months ago for new one). Whilst under the hood I pulled the throttle cable so the engine really revved, the knocking stopped and all 6 came back. Soon as I stopped doing this the engine went back to knocking around coil pack on 4.

Any comments appreciated

Cheers

[craggsy 91]

As you say its fine when reved high i would look at leads and plugs myself, as you say its missing at low revs. Only takes a dodgy lead to make it run like shit. I had one dodgy lead that dtopped mine running right, and id only had em on for about 6 months

[cabrioman 6]

wot he said as it revs ok but dont idle check leads and plugs .... or could be cracked coil pack

[tjsmudger 2]

Speed humps not dislodge leads???

[Gadget-Master 2]

Craig & Tony, many thanks for the replys. It idles ok (750rpm), the engine doesen't cut out all together. My concern is the knocking around the coil pack area and a slight burning smell that is being given off and the exhaust note!!

[Rikki 2]

knocking around the coilpack.....chains?

[xyber 1]

Hall/cam sensor failed?

[Gadget-Master 2]

Hall/cam sensor failed?

My initial thought was that, but unsure of the symptoms???? I think it is cam related, plugs, leads ok on visual so is the coil, been and had another closer look without starting the engine up.

[cabrioman 6]

chains are normaly a rattle mate from around the gearbox area ....

[Gadget-Master 2]

Update;

I live accross the road from a garage so asked mechanic to have a look.

Started first time on all 6 WTF ?????????

Took it for a spin of 10 miles or so; drove like my life depended on it in parts 8-| everything fine, only thing exhaust tone sounds off a bit,I just don't get it!!!

VR is in there Friday for complete disc and pad change so I was told they will have a good look at things then.

[aminder 4]

Coilpack?? I knacked mine after a sprint against a BMW on the m4 the other week.

Was not firing 5 & 6.

I checked by unplugging the leads one by one to see any changes to engine running.

Swapped coilpack with my other VR and working a treat again.

[vr6binks 0]

i get the same problem mate, sometimes when i hit a bump or speed hump the car goes down to running on 4 cylinders and it sound crazy, almost like a a subaru ! i managed to trace it back to a dodgy wire in the loo in the engine bay. i would have to stop the car on the side of the road and wriggle the loom and then it would be fine.

[aminder 4]

Which bit of the loom is this mate?

[vr6binks 0]

my problem was the big round connection block to the back right of the engine, i cant tell you what wire it is as im working away rom home ! i just put a cable tie around the wires on the right hand side of the connection block and pulled it tight and it sorted it ! i hope this helps

[aminder 4]

ooohhh hope so too, theres a lot of wires there I wouldn't want to sit trouble shooting to find which one is shorting/broken

[Gadget-Master 2]

As mentioned earlier in the thread when on 4 there was a low knocking from somewhere near the coil, when I got 6 back pulling the throttle cable the knocking stopped only to return when the engine went back to 4. I don't think it's a loose wire, thanks for the suggestion.

[thegoth 5]

the knocking could be a symptom of the miss fire rather than the cause so I have to agree about a poor connection in the main loom connector. Certainly worth a wiggle.

[Gadget-Master 2]

I'm still sceptical Nigel about the loom. When I drove the VR earlier I went over several speed bumps, rough road surfaces, still had 6. When I left the car yesterday evening it was running on 4. Started up this morning by the mechanic had 6; nothing was altered or touched by him. I am back at work tomorrow so have a 30 mile trip each way; the big test!! When the VR goes in the garage on Friday I will ask that the coil, leads & plugs get checked.

[thegoth 5]

I do hate those intermittant problems as you never really know whether you've fixed 'em once for all.

[vr6binks 0]

not every bump or pot hole sffected mine mate, for example when i go to my dads house he lives down a hidious long,bumpy lane and for a full on lowerd car it didnt like it but it would be fine and wouldnt run on 4 cylinder but if i hit a pot hole or bump it would. it confused me and pissed me off for a while until i found out it was the loom. next time yours runs on 4 cylinders keep the car running and pop the bonnet and just gently wriggle the wires in the large round connection block and see if it makes a difference, it might not but if it does you can sort it for the price of a cable tie !

[Gadget-Master 2]

I do hate those intermittant problems as you never really know whether you've fixed 'em once for all.

Agreed. Watch this space; I'm sure it will happen again!!

[Gadget-Master 2]

not every bump or pot hole sffected mine mate' date=' for example when i go to my dads house he lives down a hidious long,bumpy lane and for a full on lowerd car it didnt like it but it would be fine and wouldnt run on 4 cylinder but if i hit a pot hole or bump it would. it confused me and pissed me off for a while until i found out it was the loom. next time yours runs on 4 cylinders keep the car running and pop the bonnet and just gently wriggle the wires in the large round connection block and see if it makes a difference, it might not but if it does you can sort it for the price of a cable tie !

[/quote']

I've grabbed a couple of cable ties which are in the boot, if and more likely when it happens again I will try the loom as suggested. Thanks for the tip.

[Gadget-Master 2]

Update:

20 miles into my ride to work this morning and lost 2 again.:-(

Got there, invited RAC to have a look, fault codes obtained; Cam Position, Engine speed, Lambda and lean mix; no surprise there. Ran vault meter over coil and plugs. Turns out 3 & 4 out, no pulse from coil pack. 95% sure it's the coil, one on order, for delivery tomorrow.

When RAC dropped VR and me off VR fired straight up on 6!! Looks like can drive so far until things get to hot then intermitant fault shows its ugly head.