zx 16v 2.0 firing on only 3 cylinders

djarvie · Post by **djarvie** » 19 May 2004, 01:08

Hi new to the forum and first post is a cry for help
Ive got an L reg zx 16v 2.0 and uptill last thursday was going fine then it started to miss firing (poping out exhaust)and loss of power
I took it to the local citroen garage (large franchise not a back street garage) thinking that it would be one of the coils back came the results
1.leaking rocker cover
2.seals gone and
3.needed new spark plugs
All done for 283 quid. (two days work).
Job done and ran ok for test drive by mechanic and then for 10 mileson the way home then same again but no popping just sounds like its firing on 3 and has a loss of power.
I took it back to the garage and the service forman now recons that I have a blown cyclinder head gasket on top of the problems
could this be causing the loss of power and the firing on 3.
cheers in advance
Dave
ps. help

Post by **philhoward** » 19 May 2004, 01:32

I'd get a second opinion from a local Cit specialist, as most (not all, I grant) main dealers are not too accurate with their prognosis. A loss of power and firing on three could be a number of things, and the head gasket is one of them; a dicky valve is also possible. If a set of plugs cured it for 10 miles, my guess is either too much fuel (duff injector/coil) or excess oil fouling a plug (goes with the seals theory - which seals, by the way?).
Wherabouts are you in the world; there will no doubt be a Cit specialist we could recommend to you.

djarvie · Post by **djarvie** » 19 May 2004, 03:32

Hi Phil I live in the North east of Scotland.
The Garage said that it was the plug seals
how big a job is it to do a head gasket and is it possible to do it myself(ive done a lot of work on ford pinto engines)
are the coils easy to change
the reason i ask is that im a bit loathed to put it into a garage and get charged 50 quid an hour just to be told the samething again
with the coil cover off are they supposed to come out easily or are they supposed to be a tight fit
cheers dave

Post by **Jon** » 19 May 2004, 03:43

I'd definately check out those 4 coils before you start on the head, the problem that you describe is very much in keeping with coil failure. Be careful because the misfiring can destroy the Cat.

djarvie · Post by **djarvie** » 19 May 2004, 14:06

Just started the car after it had been sitting overnight and it sounds alright so i dont think that it can be the cylinder head gasket unless the leak only appears when the engine gets hot so it looks like it could well be one of the coils
any one know the part number so i can order it
cheers dave

gjb02 · Post by **gjb02** » 19 May 2004, 16:54

My ZX 16v, did a very similar thing just before I had to change the head gasket...I even bought a new coil!! Misfired for a while, then it was fine, then it started to steam a lot out of the exhaust, then a bit of mayo in the oil filler. Then Xmas getting the head sorted.
What sort of mileage has it done? What's the coolant like? Is there enough coolant?
Try this check.
When the engines cold, release the pressure from the radiator, then start the car for a few seconds (10 - 15 secs). Turn off the engine then check the radiator cap again, if it hisses loudly when you open it, chances are there's a leak in the head gasket. It probably gets worse when the engine is hot, but sometimes it won't leak![?]So it's likely it's early days. When it does leak thats when you get the misfire.
Don't take your car to the Dealer again unless your cash is seriously burning a hole...and we all know what you scottish are like with your cash.[:D]

goose · Post by **goose** » 19 May 2004, 19:17

had the same on mine not so long ago changed a suspected ht coil didnt work
changed all 4 spark plugs didnt work
changed the rocker cover gasket and cleaned all seals and was mint havent had the problem agen and i did this over 4 months ago. also i wired up a permanent fan off a switch inside the car so it run cooler that also contributed to making things run smoother

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 19 May 2004, 21:50

gjb02: lol your signature, I got the 100k up in my 16v last week and i have a highly dodgy photo taken with my mobile phone camera to prove it

Not has this kinda issue with mine although its started stuttering a bit on light throttle and once the other day i gunned it through first then when in second there was nothing at all, it started slowing down just rolling by itself then a few seconds later came back to life which was weird and accelerated again.

gjb02 · Post by **gjb02** » 19 May 2004, 22:43

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by VisaGTi16v

gjb02: lol your signature, I got the 100k up in my 16v last week and i have a highly dodgy photo taken with my mobile phone camera to prove it

Not has this kinda issue with mine although its started stuttering a bit on light throttle and once the other day i gunned it through first then when in second there was nothing at all, it started slowing down just rolling by itself then a few seconds later came back to life which was weird and accelerated again.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
[:D] It's now 99,963, still not quite there.
Did you get any warnings come up when it hesitated?? I had the engine management light come on during a drive, accompanied by a wierd shudder. Stopped the car and the light dissappeared!![?] The car drove as normal after that.
I put a FCR on the ECU and it hadn't stored any faults. Strange, eh.

Post by **philhoward** » 19 May 2004, 23:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by djarvie

The Garage said that it was the plug seals
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Plug seals...anyone run with me on this theory...?
Oil leaking down the plug tubes and allowing HT to track down the side of the plugs? If it's okay started from cold, it's moreso because that slightly richer mix is a bit easier to burn. Gets hot, mixture gets a little harder to burn, plus (possibly) oil mist in the plug tubes causing the tracking?

djarvie · Post by **djarvie** » 20 May 2004, 00:55

well the car is going off the road for a while till i get a chance to have a good look at it
doesnt help when you live at one end of the country and have to travel every weekend to the other
got a beemer for just now but miss the accelaration of the zx
cheer for all the help
dave

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 20 May 2004, 14:46

Gareth nope, had that light on a few times in the 17k ive owned it but not for quite a while, it seems ok now except the tail pipes about to fall off as its so rusted

gjb02 · Post by **gjb02** » 20 May 2004, 17:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by VisaGTi16v

Gareth nope, had that light on a few times in the 17k ive owned it but not for quite a while, it seems ok now except the tail pipes about to fall off as its so rusted

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Mine went the other week, £70 for a new one with chrome pipe. The hanger bracket at the back came away from the box, and the box dropped and dragged for about 50 metres. Luckily I was near home!!

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 20 May 2004, 17:30

I can beat that. Going down to Le Mans last year to camp etc for the 24 hour race mine developed a big whole in the centre section just behind the rear box. Sounded great however on the way back just after doing a top speed test on the french autoroute it completly broke in 2. Had to stop and hold it up with wire so it was vaguely pointing at the entrance to the rear box. Sounded like a tractor for the remaining 50 miles in france and all the way back from dover!