SRi 20seh acceleration stutter

[Joner1983]

Hi all

I seem to have a recurring problem with my SRi 8v. When I go to drive it after it's been stood for a few days or more the acceleration stutters and hesitates and occasionally stalls. Usually goes away after about 10 minutes of driving but today it was particularly bad, almost undriveable as it was so juddery and stuttery. Got slightly better after a while but I could still feel a stutter even in 5th. Any ideas? fuel pump and filter are only about a year and a half old as is the fuel tank, leads, plugs and dizzy. Cheers

[Robsey]

I would normally say check the leads, plugs, rotor and dizzy cap are all clean, dry and securely connected.
I know they are new-ish, but worth a good clean and check.

Otherwise - consider the age of the injection loom.
30 year old wiring will not be as good as new wiring.
Also check that the connectors are all clean and dry.
They will go "dry" and look tarnished with age.

If there is no engine light, then it will probably be the coil or injector connections.
All the sensors should either put the engine light on or prevent the car from starting.

It goes without saying check all earth links are clean and securely fitted.

And daft as it sounds - check the big earth braid on the bell housing and both battery connections.

If it was fuel related (starvation), I would doubt that being hot or could would affect fuel delivery, unless it was a choke or fuel enrichment.

[Envoy CDX]

With Robsey on this one, bad earths are really common for this sort of issue.

[vexorg]

CTS was another favourite to cause cold running problems

[Joner1983]

Thanks guys, that's given me a few things to look out for. I'll take a look this weekend let you know the outcome.

What's CTS?

[vexorg]

coolant temperature sensor for the ecu

[Robsey]

It is the blue rectangular two-pin connector at the back of the engine (at the top near the timing cover).



This is my C20NE, so more or less the same as yours, although you may have an earlier style alternator Vee belt, rather than the later flat multi-vee used on post 92 cars.

[Joner1983]

Thanks both, that's great. I did think about coolant temp. sensor but assumed it would through up an EML light?

[Robsey]

The temperature sensor does not cause an engine light, but it can confuse the ECU into running too lean when cool or too rich when warm - a bit like a dodgey choke on a carb engine.