Engine hesitation problem

NN1

Hi guys, I've had a few problems with my corsa b 1.0, when pulling away or driving slow-ish around town there's no power at all, then it shoots off quickly and goes back to normal. The eml is on all the time unless I give it plenty of revs, then it goes off for about 30 seconds.
I was told it could be the egr, replaced it - still the same problem.
Checked the maf sensor, it's not that. The car was serviced very recently as well.
Could take it to a garage that has a code reader thing, anyone know a cheap place in killarney that would plug it in?
It might not be the most popular car but it's my first car and I'm 17 so it beats walking!
Cheers.

Special Circumstances

Does it drive like crap unless you have the foot to the floor? Does it idle ok or is it a bit all over the place and will stall or almost stall if you leave it idle long enough?

NN1

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Does it drive like crap unless you have the foot to the floor? Does it idle ok or is it a bit all over the place and will stall or almost stall if you leave it idle long enough?

Doesn't drive like crap, but either it will be pretty jumpy or there won't be any power at all, then loads, which gets a bit dodgy in traffic.
No problems at idle at all, but it is a bit slow at starting.

NN1

Bump, anyone else got any ideas?

biko

Don't bump threads, particularly when they are still on the front page...

NN1

biko wrote: »

Don't bump threads, particularly when they are still on the front page...

Sorry, didn't know it was against rules.

Czhornet

is it petrol or diesel?

3qsmavrod5twfe

The missus used to have a Corsa that would occasionally mis-behave similar enough to the way you describe. Turned out to be an O2 sensor that needed replacing. Having said that could be any number of things

jimgoose

Best thing to do is get the fault-codes read. What year is it? This could be caused by a few things, such as a leak somewhere in the intake, faulty sensor, coil-pack breaking down, and so on.

NN1

It's a petrol, 1999.
I'll get the codes read sometime this week.
Any idea what kind of money I'm looking at to plug it in?
Sorry I've no idea how to multiquote!

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

When was the fuel filter last changed?

NN1

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

When was the fuel filter last changed?

Hmm, not sure actually. I know the fuel pump was changed recently.
Big job to do the filter?
Edit: Just found this http://w ww.thecorsa.co.uk/mechanical-tutorials/422-how-renew-fuel-filter.html

show me the money.1

How did you check the MAF sensor?

It is 99% that this is the issue you are explaining on a corsa.

NN1

show me the money.1 wrote: »

How did you check the MAF sensor?

It is 99% that this is the issue you are explaining on a corsa.

I was told if I unplugged it and it drove the same it wouldn't be the maf?

show me the money.1

Did you disconnect the EGR valve and drive it?

NN1

show me the money.1 wrote: »

Did you disconnect the EGR valve and drive it?

I didn't, but I replaced it for an original guaranteed opel one

show me the money.1

Try and find someone with a corsa and swap the MAF to be sure its it 2 min job.

NN1

show me the money.1 wrote: »

Try and find someone with a corsa and swap the MAF to be sure its it 2 min job.

Don't know anyone with a corsa tbh, I might just get the codes read at a garage. Any idea how much it usually costs?

jimgoose

NN1 wrote: »

It's a petrol, 1999.
I'll get the codes read sometime this week.
Any idea what kind of money I'm looking at to plug it in?

Hmm. OBD-II diags didn't become standard on petrol cars in Europe until 2001. There's a chance that car will support it because of the GM influence - the Yanks have it since 1996 - but if not it'll be a bit more awkward and probably dearer to scan it.

show me the money.1

Corsa b has a DL16 connector and uses keyword 2000 protocol it will be no problem for any garage with a scanner to read it, Plug is in the fuse box on lower drivers side dash

NN1

Any idea how much it would cost to get the codes read?

show me the money.1

Be careful don't replace component's on fault codes alone you can have a fault for a MAF sensor but the issue might not be fixed by fitting a new MAF sensor because for example you have a leak in your inlet manifold which is letting air in but there will be no code for this.
(Maybe the reason you have already fitted an EGR valve?)

Ask someone to diagnose the problem not just read the fault codes.

NN1

show me the money.1 wrote: »

Be careful don't replace component's on fault codes alone you can have a fault for a MAF sensor but the issue might not be fixed by fitting a new MAF sensor because for example you have a leak in your inlet manifold which is letting air in but there will be no code for this.
(Maybe the reason you have already fitted an EGR valve?)

Ask someone to diagnose the problem not just read the fault codes.

Didn't think of that actually, thanks.
I replaced the egr simply because it was my first guess, a bit stupid really.

NN1

Got the codes read today, only costed a tenner!
Apparently it's the idle control valve, it's stuck at 4 degrees - would the icv make a difference to anything when the car's not idling?

jimgoose

NN1 wrote: »

Got the codes read today, only costed a tenner!
Apparently it's the idle control valve, it's stuck at 4 degrees - would the icv make a difference to anything when the car's not idling?

Yes, you'd be surprised at some of the quare things that happen.

jimgoose

show me the money.1 wrote: »

Corsa b has a DL16 connector and uses keyword 2000 protocol it will be no problem for any garage with a scanner to read it, Plug is in the fuse box on lower drivers side dash

Ah, KWP2000. Pins 7 and 15 on a standard OBD-II plug. So it is old-school Detroit!