zx flat inital acceleration

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 14 Mar 2005, 02:09

hi,
i drive a ZX 1.4i elation, recently when i drive off in the morning or when the car's been left for a while i get really serious flat spots and it makes it feel like accelerating through a big puddle!!!
it only happens for a few seconds, but i'm sure you can appreciate that when trying to nip out of a junction lack of acceleration can be serious!!
once the problem has cleared the rest of the journey is fine!
i've serviced the car, so fuel filter, air filter sparkplugs, and the ignition leads have been changed, ruleing out these being the problem. i've also checked out the injector which is spotless.
the problem has only started during the winter, meaning cold and damp. also stangely enough the problem doesn't always happen, but i cant spot any obvious differences between when it does and doesn't do it
cheers

LeFrog · Post by **LeFrog** » 14 Mar 2005, 12:17

Try experimenting with your spark plug gaps.

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 15 Mar 2005, 00:06

What plugs you fitted. Some NGK are abit s**t and give this effect.

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 15 Mar 2005, 01:09

I wonder if there could be some icing up of the intake manifold due to the cold weather ? do cars still suffer from this ? This could account for the feeling of driving through a large puddle when cold. (You would have to have been driving for a fair few years to recognise these symptoms... it would feel as if the choke had been left pulled out)

FDV · Post by **FDV** » 15 Mar 2005, 04:26

I'd suggest taking a gander at the cold start valve, or related parts.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 15 Mar 2005, 13:54

cold start valve looks a good place to start, not sure about the iced up manifold as it hasen't really been that cold all winter, but the symptoms are correct.
the plugs are bosch super 4's with their silicone leads, so that shouldn't be a problem.
does anyone know if the coil packs break down on the zx's?
cheers for the suggestions much better than the other citroen forums, Keep them coming.

Twiss · Post by **Twiss** » 16 Mar 2005, 00:13

Had a problem like this on my girlfriends Saxo (1.1i) serviced it using champion EON 1 sparks, cooper filters and primed the fuel filter with Forte injector cleaner(shoved reast of bottle in the fuel tank and itlain tuned it and sorted the prob out.
I agree with looking at the cold start valve, Have u found that it is drinking more fuel then normal?

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 16 Mar 2005, 00:20

not really, it will still do about 270 miles of a £30 tank

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 16 Mar 2005, 00:22

What kind of coil pack? Is it one of those all in one jobs with no moving parts to be seen. Just the leads coming out to the plugs. If so, yes they to can break down after about 50K or 4 to 5 years. Had one changed on first Xsara for that reason. It caused intermittent starting and very poor running. As for the super 4 plugs they should be OK.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 16 Mar 2005, 00:30

yes it the sagem all in one jobby, i've no problem with starting or idling it only happens on the acceleration

arry_b · Post by **arry_b** » 16 Mar 2005, 01:52

Have you checked for the hot air piping to the inlet being in place, as suggested by mpr1956 above?
Sounds extremely like carb/injection icing to me.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 16 Mar 2005, 13:54

ducting is fine, flap i opening and closing fine. would of thought that this would affect starting. even though the air temperature is good today it still did it.

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 17 Mar 2005, 00:58

I had this on the elation, very nearly smashed it up, nipping out of junctions & the thing dies. Changed the plugs (checked gaps) & filters, had the ECU read, found nothing, put it down to iceing until it did it after the thing had been in the sun all day, in the end the thing blew its head gaskit so never did find the cause.
Seems quite common tho, talking to people, all have elations, all with the SPI in it. Strange

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 17 Mar 2005, 01:38

Exactly, so you can see where my problem lies!

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 17 Mar 2005, 03:11

Well not long ago the head gaskit went on mine so I've just bought a 1.4 Multipoint, bit drastic I know, but we'll see if it cures all the problems