e16se strange running charecteristics

[Curtoise]

hi all, pretty much i have had no end of problems with my e16se,
to start with i couldnt stop it pinking, i put this down to the head being skimmed to much causing a high C/R so i swapped the head for a unskimmed one and it made it pink far less... but it still does under load at 2500-3000 rpm....

anyway my main problem at the moment is a strange misfire, when i put my foot down it pulls strongly untill about 4k where it holds back and lurches and struggles to pull... i think its a misfire...

now i saw the HT leads tracking so i replaced these with new one (the type with the metal shoud) and it still tracked off the brand new leads!! so i took them back.

are there a better HT i can use? also i replaced my plug for vauxhall ones and some people have told me they need gapping correctly as the dont come pre-set?

any help greatly appeciated. :thumb:

[mowgli]

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS GAP PLUGS.

if the ht is shorting out, then you may well have a plug issue. cos electricity always follows the path of least resistance.

mine was doing the 4k misfire, and i swapped the coil(and amp thingy) & my ign ecu, and it runs fine..

[Curtoise]

cheers, im going to gap the plugs in a sec to the specs off autodata. could be because im still using my 1.4 coil..... i think ile go to the scrappy on the weekend and grap a 1.6 coil off a astra or similar. it comes off the bottom of the HT lead. someone suggested getting rubber ones off a astra or cav?

[Edd]

Just get stuff that is for a E16SE nova

your best of buying new when it comes to the electrical side of it tbh mate

[Will F]

I would still be concerned with why its still pinking!

Something not right at all there - like Edd says - get all teh correct kit in the first place, or youre pi55ing in the wind.

[Southie]

Sadly you're trying to do this on the cheap... it's going to cost more than if done properly though.

[Curtoise]

Yh I am trying to do it on the cheap because I'm hard for cash. I just gapped the plugs and there fine, apparently there ****e plugs as there acdelco ones and could be to high resistance.... Also someone mentiond an earth off the alternater

[Curtoise]

right just solved the tracking, turns out it was crap plugs even though there a month old......... ACdelco they were called apparently reccomended by vauxhall from my local car shop.....

runs better now but still jerks and holds back at high rpm.... seems to me like a fueling issue, could it be a dicky injector? as i have a spare 4 i could try?

[Edd]

what pump you using ?

have you changed the CTS ?

injectors been cleaned lately ?

you got new leads and cap on there ?

you need a earth from the alternator bracket to a inlet manifold stud yes

get the correct coil on there

[Andy]

By cleaning the injectors,edd doesnt mean clean them with a rag and some petrol,get them ultrasonically cleaned or dont even bother opening the bonnet.Unless they pulse while being cleaned its an utter waste of life even attempting it.

[Curtoise]

yeah i know what he means, i have a machine at work that you can clean them with and check the pattern.

edd,
i am using a 1.6 astra mpi in tank pump

i have not fitted a new CTS but i would have thought this would cause starting issues when warm?

injectors havnt been cleaned but i have another 4 sitting on a rail spare that i could swap around to see if this is the problem tomorrow.

i tried new leads and it still tracked. changed the plugs to my old ngk ones and now it doesnt track... so the ACdelco plugs must have been too resistive.

edit: i wil also check the alt earth tomorrow.

the cap? mines a later one with the bolt on cap rather than the clip on orange one, i shall post up a pic soon to show you

thanks for all your help :)

[Will F]

So - just to be clear, whats the actual spec of the engine?

I mean in terms of bits fitted from other engines too etc...

I would guess that the fact its holding back is because its still running lean and obviously this will be worse the more load you apply at higher revs.

Take the plugs out and take a picture of them and post them on here - I would expect them to be the wrong side of white, but at least you can see if its one, two or more cylinders that are the issue. If its all 4 - then its an engine/setup issue, if its one or two it could be injector/ignition related...

[Curtoise]

i can take apic of the plugs that have been in there since i put it in up untill today. they arnt too bad there brown,
the spec is standard with a 4-2-1 manifold.
i have a crap k&n on it at the monent which is squished down to fit, its not ideal but its the best i can do untill i find a standard airbox

[Curtoise]

Here's my bay:
http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii448/curtreid8/IMAG0214.jpg

And the plug:

http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii448/curtreid8/IMAG0217.jpg

[Will F]

good colour plug! At least the AFR should be OK....