New slightly erratic idle & run - jolt off one lead? Ideas?

Afternoon all ... will teach me to say how well car running!!!

Starts fine, idles quite well, runs ok-ish but:

1. Can start to misfire some after running a while on road .... tends to correct after maybe 10 mins and back to decent running
2. During start up/idling, if I whack the heater blower up, engine judders some ... sounds like will stop but doesn't

Checked leads (which were new approx 3 years back and got a jolt off one.

Also smells a bit heavy of petrol during starting and well, most of the time in fact .... this one is prone to flooding if drop the key at start up! We always leave until hear the fuel pump click and so long as start without dropping the key it starts fine .... drop the key and it's a guaranteed flood.

Is a K11 95, 1.0 ltr, no PAS, no AC, no nothing in fact..... base model.

What reckon guys? Time replace HT leads? Plugs? Strange that the idling gets lumpy when blower motor on higher setting?

Appreciate any help as always.
 
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When fully connected ash ... it was the rear most one nearest bulkhead. I just pushed it when running and got a brief zap.

Feels like it's running a little better late afternoon but not sure if that's mind games. Will find out tomorrow morning when it's cold and damp.

It does start but wanders some when sitting. And when blower on, it still drops down a bit engine tone wise. Battery is new, not checked alternator but no great issues starting.

Cheers
 
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Sorry to push with folks getting ready for Christmas but just wandered if anyone has any directions on this one please.

Just tried starting this morning and fires up great and idle runs higher tone (normal) and then down a tone and sort of bubbles, then returns to higher tone, then bubbling etc .... this goes on for maybe 5 mins before engine evens out and appears hit normal idling. That's just sitting on drive.

Maybe temperature or even damp? Worth to spray with some damp cure stuff? if so where to do and what is best stuff to use?

Going drive up to Wicks for some bits shortly and suspect will run ok.

Any logical work through sequence that would be sensible? E.g leads, sparks, distributor etc ..... pretty sure we did the throttle body thing a few years back but not 100%.

Know it's hard analyse with limited data but would really appreciate a logical step through of what it is most likely to be. Happy to step through each. Leads and sparks not changed for at least 3 years but car has only been modestly used. Maybe that's the problem....when it is used it's used for long runs and everyday but then can stand for weeks (sometimes months depending on who using).

Also if I'm to source new bits, any recommendation which are the best makes to invest in? Have had good experiences overall with just OEM and ebay type bits and pieces but keen get this bit knocked so don't mind decent makes of plugs/leads etc.

Appreciate the support
 
Is it misfiring or is it the idle just all over the place.
If it's a misfire then the best thing to do is pull the leads off one at a time and figure out which cylinder it is.
Once you've figure it out then pull the plug out and make sure it's ok, try turning it over with the spark plug plugged into the lead and earthed out on the chassis or engine to see if it fires.



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Might be worth popping the dizzy cap off to clean the points off as well, the damp weather might have caused the inside to start corroding.
I did a video on changing it the other day and mine wasn't far off packing up.


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Is it misfiring or is it the idle just all over the place.
If it's a misfire then the best thing to do is pull the leads off one at a time and figure out which cylinder it is.
Once you've figure it out then pull the plug out and make sure it's ok, try turning it over with the spark plug plugged into the lead and earthed out on the chassis or engine to see if it fires.



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on starting and sitting it's more that the idle wanders up and down but occasionally it can misfire when taking off ... usually only a few mins before everything levels out Ash. Yes going to have a crack at this at the weekend ... good suggestion and just watching your vid on the distributer cap change .... really good that and in fact I'm going to change that and the arm given as you say it's so cheap to do.

Once it's warmed up it runs great.

Great suggestions and will be done. Will let you know how I get on. Cheers for that
 
Either way the logical process is figuring out the cylinder that's misfiring.
You can swap the spark plug with another cylinder and see if the misfire jumps to that cylinder.
If it does then the plug is faulty, if it doesn't then it's not the plug.
So next step would be swap the leads and see if the misfire follows the lead.
If it doesn't then it's not the lead so pop the dizzy cap and make sure it's not all corroded in there.
Get to that point and see how you get on.

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Either way the logical process is figuring out the cylinder that's misfiring.
You can swap the spark plug with another cylinder and see if the misfire jumps to that cylinder.
If it does then the plug is faulty, if it doesn't then it's not the plug.
So next step would be swap the leads and see if the misfire follows the lead.
If it doesn't then it's not the lead so pop the dizzy cap and make sure it's not all corroded in there.
Get to that point and see how you get on.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Micra Sports Club mobile app

Tell you what, no matter how many times you do things like the cap swap it's sooo much better watching a video like the one you made .... must have done this 15 times over many years and cars but to watch that makes it seem so much more approachable.

Yep going to step through all those points ... like you said in the video, it's worth to do anyway given the cheapness of the bits and the fact that it may well be on the way out anyway. I sense an order to ECP coming on :) ... nice one, is really helpful.
 
Mines been idling abnormally high on cold idle
It's still smooth, tho is getting near a service , only developed as the cold turned up and some dodgy petrol , cleaning the tb and maf didn't do anything
Tho it's still sharp as on startup , just inspect the plugs ,dizzy cap, it leads ,
Is it due a service or have Bosch plugs?
 
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Argh .... ever wished you'd not spoke?!! So much for running like a sewing machine! Started it, let it run to warm, left about 4 mins, got in and it shuddered and stopped! Would say a misfire and lots of petrol smell!

And so the order to ECP goes in! :) .... leads, cap, rotor and maybe plugs .... could be time, you tend to forget how long these things been in.
 
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Mines been idling abnormally high on cold idle
It's still smooth, tho is getting near a service , only developed as the cold turned up and some dodgy petrol , cleaning the tb and maf didn't do anything
Tho it's still sharp as on startup , just inspect the plugs ,dizzy cap, it leads ,
Is it due a service or have Bosch plugs?

Hi there, did a service Summer, filters, fully synthetic engine oil change (always used synthetic the last 10 years or so), gearbox oil change which was an amazingly good upgrade and a new decent battery but nothing on primary elecs.

Not sure on what plugs they were? Are you saying better to avoid Bosch ones?

Cheers
 
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Argh .... ever wished you'd not spoke?!! So much for running like a sewing machine! Started it, let it run to warm, left about 4 mins, got in and it shuddered and stopped! Would say a misfire and lots of petrol smell!

And so the order to ECP goes in! :) .... leads, cap, rotor and maybe plugs .... could be time, you tend to forget how long these things been in.

Amazing .... Prospark lead set on ECP is £45. On the ECP ebay store is £29! , is way way cheaper on ebay ECP store. Same part number, same everything.

Same with Niparts distributor cap .... £25.49 on ECPsite and £16.99 on their ebay store ... same part number.

Maybe useful for others looking
 
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Amazing .... Prospark lead set on ECP is £45. On the ECP ebay store is £29! , is way way cheaper on ebay ECP store. Same part number, same everything.

Same with Niparts distributor cap .... £25.49 on ECPsite and £16.99 on their ebay store ... same part number.

Maybe useful for others looking

Also ECP Bosch Super 4 plugs are £5.09 each but same on ebay £11.70 a set.
 
Also ECP Bosch Super 4 plugs are £5.09 each but same on ebay £11.70 a set.
I find some micra s don t like Bosch specially on short or lots of cold starts, had a few coil packs misfire and such from them, or prematurely fail
So I always run them on ngk, even seen used ones go another 10k fine over the service ,
10/40 oil synthetic or semi,
 
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I find some micra s don t like Bosch specially on short or lots of cold starts, had a few coil packs misfire and such from them, or prematurely fail
So I always run them on ngk, even seen used ones go another 10k fine over the service ,
10/40 oil synthetic or semi,

Bugger I just ordered the Bosch Super 4's! :-( .... worth to note mind for future. And indeed will fit the other items first before doing anything with plugs then could return them. Thanks for the steer.
 
Plus atm double check what it requires as some motor factors are pushing for 5/30 and seem more expensive parts, (prices isn't always a good thing)
Quickco, is £2 a spark plug for ngk, for example
 
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Now I know :) .... no is good advice that and if I'm not needing plugs then for sure will return and try that option you mention. Budget is a factor of course, that said I want to get quality parts for this set of components given the problem and the need for a solution. Cheers
 
Tell you what, no matter how many times you do things like the cap swap it's sooo much better watching a video like the one you made .... must have done this 15 times over many years and cars but to watch that makes it seem so much more approachable.

Yep going to step through all those points ... like you said in the video, it's worth to do anyway given the cheapness of the bits and the fact that it may well be on the way out anyway. I sense an order to ECP coming on :) ... nice one, is really helpful.

Thanks, i find stuff a lot easier to follow when i watch it which is why i make them, hopefully it will help a few people out.
Forums are great but sometimes things can be misinterpreted when written or read.
Hopefully the service sorts it out, let us know how you get on :)
 
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Thanks, i find stuff a lot easier to follow when i watch it which is why i make them, hopefully it will help a few people out.
Forums are great but sometimes things can be misinterpreted when written or read.
Hopefully the service sorts it out, let us know how you get on :)

And indeed guess what, ..... was the 4th lead, the one that zapped me originally! Good news, no major problems, just housekeeping stuff. And petrol smell seems to have gone which I guess makes sense.

Keep the video's going Ash .... really cool, if we had a video of every post/fix then we'd see Micra's on the road another 30 years I reckon.

Yep is back to running like clockwork again. We just playing with the idea do a John O Grouts to Lands End run on New Year's Day but didn't want embark on that if we got a spluttery engine!!!
 
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Argh .... so! ....

The starting now beautiful, the running smooth .... idle during warm up (you remember that previously when I fired the heater blower up, the engine hunted up and down the range) .... but when warm, it gets a 'little bit stuttery' .... press the pedal and can miss a bit, then run fine.

So definitely the leads needed swapping and it is significantly better on starting and cold idle but something still remains .... something that gets a little worse when warm.

What reckon is next to swap out? Plugs or DC Cap/rotor? Ordered all three .... rotor still on back order.
 
Glad i could help, i thought it would probably be the lead. It shouldn't zap you when both ends are plugged in.
The insulation had probably split somewhere in the lead.
Is it just spluttering when warm now?
It might be worth changing the spark plug on that cylinder as if it's not been firing it might be damaged, you can try cleaning it up but personally i'd probably change it.
 
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No not spluttering Ash so much as a fraction hesitant every now and again. It just spoils the driving experience some, just that fractional lag and then return to form. Yes that's the thing to do .... I got the plugs anyway.

Going to take a look at the manual but at the risk of pushing me luck help wise, do you know the tension to tighten the plugs to and the gap size? I ordered the Bosch Super 4's which I believe come gaped up but not 100% sure. Cheers
 
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