Alfa 156 problem - misfiring

Irishcrx

Guys,

Having a problem with a 2000 Alfa 156 T-Spark 2.0. Engine is misfiring , it starts stuttering a bit at low revs when cold but main problem comes in when under load about 4.5 - 5k revs it really struggles and won't go past it.

I've already replaced the MAF and that hasn't solved it, but at least thats done because no doubt it would have popped up. Anyone any ideas?

Or long shot, but would anyone be willing to do a diagnostic on the engine ECU if they were nearby and had the program and leads, maybe a fellow Alfa owners.

It's driving me insane now!=)

In saying that , I knew this car would break my heart but my god it's the best car I've ever driven..

richardsheil

Tell us where you are and your idea might work.

Irishcrx

Jesus , yeah that's a good point I'm in Dublin , Northside...

Ferris

We had a similar problem on a 1.6 t spark. It was the throttlebody sensor. Had to get a new throttlebody as the sensor is part of it. It was expensive, the dealer replaced it for us tho. Get a diagnostic done by any mechanic. Shouldn't cost too much.

richardsheil

Send me a pm irishcrx. I might be able to help. Sounds like a bad coil to me. I can read the codes at least.

Irishcrx

Pm sent.

shamwari

Are you sure it's not a variator fault?

Irishcrx

I think the variator on these would show on start up, they usually sound a bit like a diesel and that's not happening..

the merchant

Before you spend any more cash, check for an oiled up plug. If you find one do a compression test.

If these engines are allowed to run a bit low on oil the rings suffer, causing oiled up plugs and subsequent misfire.

dgt

CF2 I takes? Have a stepper motor on the throttle body?

georgefalls

+1 on a dodgy coilpack. Or dirty/fouled sparkplug. There's a tendency for oil to end up down the plug holes if the oil is filled a bit haphazardly.

richardsheil

Coil no 3 bad.

Irishcrx

Thanks to Richard Sheil for coming to help me out, absolute gentleman!!

georgefalls

Irishcrx wrote: »

Thanks to Richard Sheil for coming to help me out, absolute gentleman!!

Did you get a new coil pack.? I have a couple here somewhere, if you're stuck.

Irishcrx

georgefalls wrote: »

Did you get a new coil pack.? I have a couple here somewhere, if you're stuck.

I rang around a few breakers earlier on and they found one for me, €20 so I'm going to pick it up on the way home and install it. Hopefully that will be that..

georgefalls

Should be sorted then...:)

GL

Irishcrx

Nop! Changed coil no 3 but problem remains FML!!

georgefalls

Have you had a good look down the spark plug holes..? Any trace of oil down them, and you'll get misfires.

You sure the coli you got is OK.? Try swapping the coils round to see if the problem moves from cylinder to cylinder.

shamwari

Did you test the coil by swapping it with an adjacent one to see if the fault moves?

Is the plug itself ok?

Can you put a spark plug in the coil, earth it with a jump lead and confirm that the coil is actually firing?

Can you swap injector 3 with an adjacent one and see if the fault moves with it. This will confirm if the.misfire is injector related. A duff injector may not necessarily create an injector related code

Irishcrx

Ok, so I took the coil pack off and got a flashlight down the spark plug wells, first off the coil pack was dripping with oil when I lifted it and the plugs are covered in oil, especially the plug that is connected to coil no 3. I definatly think it's related to the spark plugs now..

richardsheil

Are the other plug holes wet with oil too?

You need to find if there is a leak that is wetting them all or if there was just a spill.

If you take all the plugs out, and then turn the engine over it will blow all the crap out and you can then start off dry and take it from there.

Irishcrx

Will the oil drain out through the cylinder when I take them out, should I try cleaning them out and putting the old plugs back in or change the plugs..

richardsheil

New plugs are around 80 quid for a set. I'd go for cleaning out and reusing until you get it running well and through nct.

Try and wipe up the mess before you take plugs out. The rest will be blown to the four winds when you turn the engine over with no plugs in. It will dry it out for you and the mess will not remain in the cylinders. Even if it did it would burn off immediately anyway.

Irishcrx

Quick update on this, after a weekend under the hood in which I literally had to take almost everything apart from the main block, tested every coil and lead , cleaned the spark plugs and cylinders, then replaced the spark plugs, changed the oil FINALLY I found the issue when I took the air intake out to clean the throttle body (Which was also filthy) 3 large tears in the rubber air intake connecting to the throttle body didn't see it initially because it was underneath. Couldn't get the new part today as it's a Sunday so wrapped in tightly with electrical tape/duct tape and cleaned the throttle out completely. Like a new car now driving perfect!

richardsheil

Well done that man.

cjt156

D'oh!
I was going to suggest this but saw you'd diagnosed a coilpack and didn't reopen the thread.
Same thing happended to me; MAF died and while swapping it I spotted the concertina section was split - probably killed the MAF to start with.

Irishcrx

I think that section is a bit prone to splits, I've seen a lot of people duct tape in add's of engine bays before and confirmed this on the Alfa owners site it's a part that tears a lot, you're probably right in that it could lead to a lot of MAF faults. I've changed the MAF in the process of this anyway.

Car is idling a little off not, it's between 900 - 1000 rpm when sitting, then dipping to 500 and back up. I've re-set the throttle and was carefull not to manually touch the butterfly valve when cleaning it out only using the lever the the side. Again seems to be a common problem after a cleaning and mine is probably still getting used to having the correct airflow and adjusting itself so I'll just leave it a week or two and see if it settles, it's not effecting the drive anyway. I've re-set the throttle manually.

I'd say the guy I bought it off had the car like that a good while , sure I called him the other day to ask a few more questions on what exactly had been done and he said regarding the engine bunny hopping and reving all over the place.

'Sure just ignore it like, keep it low revs it'll be grand??'

Emmmm...No I'd like to have it in good condition thanks??!!

cjt156

Irishcrx wrote: »

'Sure just ignore it like, keep it low revs it'll be grand??'

Keeping a Twinspark at low revs makes baby Jesus cry.