Carina E Starting And Uneven Running

[crunchy_with_ketchup]

Have a Carina E 1.8GS, which I bought about 3 months ago. Generally runs well, but has a couple of problems which a recent service (inc., new platinum plugs) didn't fix.

When I turn the engine over, it sounds like it is going to fire, but if you let go of the key it doesn't. It then just turns over and turns over - I have to wait a couple of mins and try again.

If I hold the key a little longer, the car does start.

This isn't a drastic problem, but just sounds like something isn't as it should be.

More annoying, the car runs unevenly when warm with light throttle openings (I presume when it's in lean burn mode, but my economy light never comes on so I don't know for sure!). Put my foot down a little heavier and it's fine. Happens anywhere in the rev range, and up hills or on the flat.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Martin

[gazza1286]

I know you say its been serviced but has the timing been set correctly? Terminals in the diagnostic socket have to be bridged when doing this.

You could diagnose the fault by using this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOYOTA-CARINA-E-CORO...1QQcmdZViewItem

[francois]

My P reg Carina started doing this spluttering 3 months ago. This was just after a full service incl. new plugs, oil filter etc etc. The problem occurs regularly, never when the engine is cold. It can occur at low or high speeds, hills or flat ground. At higher speeds its like little losses of power. at lower speeds its sounds like its burning syrup. the acceleration is gone and it kind of splutters. at idling it chug-chugs! Then it either disappears all by itself or when you switch off the ignition and restart.

I have seen a garage about it (they are reliable chaps) but of course it just wouldnt play up for them...though it did play up for me 30 minutes after leaving the garage!!! They cleaned out the injection system and other engine parts I'd never heard off before and chucked a bottle of cleaning additive in the tank. The car now runs like a rocket but the problem still occurs. The garage guys were pretty sure it was either an intermittent electronic problem (I suspect a standard mechanic expression for 'I dont have a clue') or a fuel injection problem. However they failed to find anything obviously mechanically wrong. The cat converter can be discounted as mine has been replaced since this problem started thanks to a speed bump (and crap driving).

I read on another forum that there are plenty of people getting this problem with carina's of this age. Someone (supposedly a toyota mechanic) reckoned that one of the 4 fuel injectors may be wonky, and that the mechanic can test this by disconnecting them in turn. The faulty one is the one that causes no change to the engine when it is disconnected. This means nothing to me, but I'm thinking of suggesting it to the garage.

[BALIKBAYAN]

I had a similar problem some years ago with my old Corolla. The new sparkplugs had cracked isolation and the engine run bad wen it was wet. Now I always check the isolation on the sparkplugs before mounting them and also check the gap.

LM

[saggyass]

try your HT leads toyota are pricey but you can get cheaper i paid £35 going for a burn tomorrow

Have a Carina E 1.8GS, which I bought about 3 months ago. Generally runs well, but has a couple of problems which a recent service (inc., new platinum plugs) didn't fix.

When I turn the engine over, it sounds like it is going to fire, but if you let go of the key it doesn't. It then just turns over and turns over - I have to wait a couple of mins and try again.

If I hold the key a little longer, the car does start.

This isn't a drastic problem, but just sounds like something isn't as it should be.

More annoying, the car runs unevenly when warm with light throttle openings (I presume when it's in lean burn mode, but my economy light never comes on so I don't know for sure!). Put my foot down a little heavier and it's fine. Happens anywhere in the rev range, and up hills or on the flat.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Martin

[crunchy_with_ketchup]

You could diagnose the fault by using this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOYOTA-CARINA-E-CORO...1QQcmdZViewItem

Well, I got one, only to then find out I could have just bridged two pins on the diagnostic socket. Ho-hum....

Looks like prolly a duff oxygen sensor, which I have posted about on a new thread. Thanks for suggestions.