K12 starting problems

[ansemic]

Hi

Last Friday I purchased a 2003 K12 with 64k miles. Has almost FSH and one previous owner.

The following couple of days the car started easily although I did notice a slightly lumpy idle until the engine warmed up. On the third day I went to start it from cold but couldn't. The engine turned over easily but didn't quite seem to catch and get going. It was almost as though it need a bit more choke. On return from work I managed to get it started, warmed it up then turned the engine off. Went to restart it again and got the same problem but got it going eventually.

The following day it started from cold first time with the same slightly lumpy idle.

The garage have had it two days and said it keeps coming with camshaft error messages and tried 3 replacement sensors. They've also noticed the wire around the ecu have been disturbed and the EML bulb is missing. The garage are talking about get the ecu checked for £60. I have read about timing chain but mine makes no noise at all, in fact it's very quiet.

Any advice?

 

[MicrAde]

No offence but with the ecu wiring/eml light situation it sounds like someone has had your pants down.
It falls in the timing chain problem years and is quite likely. Was it bought from a dealer? Any chance you can go back to the seller cos to me it sounds like a blatant attempt to cover up a known issue

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[ansemic]

The car was purchased from a small independent dealer. It's galling because they knew it was going to be my daughter's first car and she was paying half.

 

[ansemic]

Just phoned the dealer who have agreed to look at it on Monday. It was an amicable conversation so fingers crossed.

 

[MicrAde]

Good luck, really hope you get sorted

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[ansemic]

Picked up the Micra from the garage today. They changed the camshaft sensor 3 times but still errors.

When I suggested the timing chain could be stretched they said it's too quiet. Does a stretched chain rattle or not to start with?

Garage suggested sending the ECU away to be checked but tbh I've had enough. The car is now back with dealer for them to "look at".

 

[frank]

Picked up the Micra from the garage today. They changed the camshaft sensor 3 times but still errors.

When I suggested the timing chain could be stretched they said it's too quiet. Does a stretched chain rattle or not to start with?

Garage suggested sending the ECU away to be checked but tbh I've had enough. The car is now back with dealer for them to "look at".

the error is flagged because the crank and cam sensors are out of sync, and this occurs long before the chain gets slack enough to rattle, 10mm of tensioner extension is bugger all on such a long chain, so its a sensor parameter issue more than a chain wear issue

 

[ansemic]

Thanks, at least I know what the issue is.

The dealer will come back and:

Say there's no problem which means I'll have to pay for an dependent inspection
Claim to have fixed it. The absence or presence of an EML bulb should make that it easy to verify
Replace the timing chain. Cant't see that happening due to cost
Offer an alternative car although that's unlikely as they're a small dealer
Provide a full refund, my preferred option

I'll give it until Thursday to see what they say, so fingers crossed.