lumpy idle and acceleration

Hi mate, not sure how much help I can be, I have a Corsa b with a x14xe engine, but it sounds like it could be the air flow meter. Number one candidate I would have said. But if it doesnt start properly, I would start off with the easy, cheap things first like an air filter, spark plug and lead change, see if it makes any difference. If you need any more info, ask the guys on http://corsasport.co.uk/ They will know a hell of a lot more than me. Hope this helps buddy Good luck getting it sorted.

It may be the idle air control valve. It's located to the left side of the throttle body as you look at it. It is silver and cylinder shaped. Tap it while the engine is at idle and see if the revs fluctuate.. This can be removed and cleaned (with carb cleaner) if the revs faulter. It sounds as if it could be a misfire, caused by an HT lead, or coil pack (more likely a lead). These can be diagnosed by pulling each lead off in turn and seeing if the engine splutters. You need to have an insulated lead puller,to avoid getting a shock!! If any of the leads have oil on the bottom, this could be the cause. That will be down to a leaking rocker cover gasket. If it does happen to be a cam sensor, it will not rev over 4500 revs, even at a stanstill. Any other sensor should also put the em light on. Steve, RAC patrol.

cheers bruv nice one

hey, hey, hey, sounds like your the man to know! Will get on with said fault finding, cheers Steve, your a diamond geeza!

Hi Paul, just reading your feeds.The vectra's are also known for their crankshaft sensors which are located on the bottom left side of the engine behind the manifold heat shield.this causes a lumpy tickover and loss of power also. ps,if your plug leads are sitting in a pool of oil as suggested before ,dont buy a cheap rocker cover gasket ,its false economy. Go for the proper vauxhall one it will save you a lot of bother.

Cheers Paul thanx for the info, vauxhall gasket it is then!.

Ive got a Vectra like yours mate, and i have also had problems with it. Ive had the problem of non existant acceleration but i currently cannot afford to put it in garage to find out the problem. I have also had the idle control valve change and coil pack as had a misfire due to this. If you find out what causes it to have low power then let us know if you could. Cheers

kk will do. funny you should say tho jus brought a idle control valve and am about to fit!, if its not that and something else will let you know, us veccy drivers av to keep together!.

we sure do. im taking mine in on friday i think

Well, I just got mine back yesterday (1.8 16v 1998 R plate). Had a good bit of work done. New Cylinder Head Gasket, Head skim, Cambelt, Water Pump, Cam Sensor etc. It now has a lumpy idle as described in this thread, but no loss of accelleration, and I'm reckoning that it could be some crap on the plug leads. Had a similar problem with a Corsa recently and replacing the plug leads sorted it right out. Before I had the Vectra looked at, the revs were limited. According to the mechanic, it isn't limited now but I haven't had chance to find out and I'm reluctant to flog it's brains out with just having the head done. Taking mine to a friend who is a mechanic to get it looked over today. Hopefully, will have an answer after that.

Damn! Forgot to post up how I got on. It was an Inlet Manifold that was functioning like an Outlet Manifold instead because of a leaking gasket. Basically, when the head had been done, they hadn't done all the gaskets as they should have.

Steve can you help me ? I have a 1995 16v eco tec calibra.when I start up in morning the engine revs initially are erratic dropping low even stalling.I could live with this but recently I could be at a standstill and the engine will just cut out dead then I can be moving at any speed and it will momenteraly cut out and then instantly restart maybe causing a backfire.Now I dont know if it is related after it stopping and starting the ecu light comes on but if I turn ignition off and then on it will disappear until the next occasion.Im hoping that you are going to say that if I clean out the icv it may cure it and im hoping you dont think its the ecu.!!!!!!!! mileage 80,000 thanks for any help.

I have the same problem as trevm. I have a 1998 Tigra 1.6 16V ecotec, problem only started after having another engine put in, what could it be? cheers.

Hi Paul, My veccy has an idle problem reving up and down between 400 and 1200 at traffic lights after the engine is warm, it has a K+N air filter on, im hoping its the ICV but think it just doesnt like the big air filter, a friend has the same problem, might be worth trying the original if you have a sports filter on. mine hasnt got the lack of power when moving though.

hi probaly your air flow meter

i have a similar problem, when idle the cars revs drop to the point where it almost cuts out then bck up and so on, but sometimes it can b fine. i dont have a problem with acceleration though?

hi bud i have a 2.5 vec and it was doing exactly the same thing turns out it was an o2 sensor (small black sensor on the induction tubing behind the air filter) replaced that and it was fine. managed to get smoother acceleration by uprating the fuel pressure regulator as well. only cost £20 from vauxhall so worth doing.

hello folks, I have a 2001 vectra 2.2 and I have exactly the same problem. I took the car to midas for diagnostic and their computer could not find any fault. took it to another mechanic who I knew and he said its the crank angle sensor or the cam position sensor one of these as I cant remember the code he gave me but it was either of these... I have purchased OEM sensors from UK and installed them today and problem is not fixed. I did have lots of oils around the leads which I cleaned out and replaced the gasket before changing the sensors but that did not help either. I can not afford to get it fixed in a garage so basically whatever all mechs told me I have changed and still not fixed... I will be changing the cam position sensor cable as well and maybe spark plug leads and see if it fixes it or not. I did put brand new spark plugs as well which did not fix the problem. so far these are the things I have done and its not fixed yet: 1- New spark plugs 2- new rocker cover gasket 3- new cam position sensor 4- new crank angle sensor 5- reset the ecu what else could it be? still bad idle as it drops below 400 and cause the engine to shut off only at low revs. when i accelerate and its in high rev and gear it has no problems driving especially in highway but as soon as I brake and rev goes down it shuts off... any ideas? I was thinking maybe the idle switch or idle valve? or coil? this is getting on my nerve and I will never ever buy another opel in my life as soon as its fixed it will be sold and will stay away from it for good...

Hi all ive got a vectra 1.6 16v and mine idle's at 1000+ and acceleration is shite,as soon as i hit an hill its down to 3rd gear i go or overtaking some prat doing 45. plz help.

hi all.What about this one i'v got a vectra 2L DTI LS 2004 reg it missfires when the engine is cold when it gets to 90 degrees everything works fine.i took it to vauxhall dealer they told me it's the ecu at fault payed them 500 pound and still got the same problem,some other garage told me its the MAF changed that aswell no luck.Please help

Hello all just been reading your posts and ive just brought a 1800cc W-reg vectra and its idle on tickover is rubbish,Acceleration is fine but stalls when reversing and engine makes a exhaust blowing noise when accelerating but the exhaust is fine,Any ideas anybody.......

Hello all,Ive recently looked at my vectra again and ive taken the whole Air Box system off the Throttle body and used CARB CLEANER to clean the SLIDE in the top of the throttle body and that has helped the tick-over problem but the acceleration is still stiff and and a bit jerky when trying to balence the speed at about 30-40mph.

Can anyone help me? I have a 2001 Vecra 2.2 auto, its reporting a general misfire, has no power, fails to change gear properly as at just over 4000rpm the engine starts to splutter etc, releasing the throttle alleviates the problem but that does not help going up hill! It occurs out of gear also, when the spluttering occurs, i let off the throttle and the car splutters and judders for about 20seconds before seeming to clear. I have a mechanic ready to fix but am having trouble diagnosing the cause.

Guys my Opel corsa lite 2006 have a funny little problem, it start well engine runs smooth bt when it suppose to rev @ 1000rpm it slows just below and then the engine control light goes on... But as soon as the engine is heated up it doesn't do non of that... Wassup?

My own issue (see 2 messages above) was a blocked exhaust, car (seemingly) ran fine untill I put my foot down or RPM reached 4000 plus... Disconnected the exhaust (on a tip) and the engine revved freely. (albeit a bit loud). turned out to be a faulty pre CAT...? - Just like this: http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2989/blockedprecat.jpg

i have a zafira 1.8 16v on tick over its fine i can rev it up but under load i can get 3500 rpm and it will go in to limp mode had it code read it was a miss fire on number one if i clear the code it starts fine and then i can drive it up to 3500 rpm then goes back to limp mode can a coil pack be fine on tick over but break up under load

Hello, I have Opel Vectra 1.6 1999. The problem was when the car got warm or in damp weather it begin to misfire. When using much electry (If I put the blower on full it begin to misfire) It begin when the coil pack went bad. I bougt new one (aftermarket, Vimo) It wnt well for a few weeks then the problem begin. I have change all sensors and clean the EGR valve witout any luck. Then I bout original Coil Pack (GM) and everything is going great. NEVER buy aftermarket Coil Packs, it seem stah this type of cars are sensitive for electrical swings. Hope this helps.

Hello I have a vauxhall vectra club 1.6 16v 2001 and it has no power when trying to accelerate and when stand still it cuts out. What could this be please

Hi...Just a quick question....Is there another engine that can be fitted in a 2004 vectra estate.2.2 petrol???..

my vectra 2.2 cc 52 pale .start up but the idle go's up and downit's always done it have had a car for 6 months and now he's getting a lot worse

My Astra 2000 1.8 started having lumpy acceleration about half a year ago, two mechanics said they could not fault it, last week it really started having rough idling on startup until it got warm, it even stalled after racing and slowing so I took it back. Initially they could not fault it so I said let it get cold and try a test run, they said as soon as they got to 30 kph they felt the fault. I showed them this log and pointed out a few solutions, they had a look but deduced it was running too lean, worked out that it must have carbon buildup somewhere. They cleaned the air mass meter and throttle body and then retested and invited me to road-test and it is like NEW. HOORAY. Get your mechanics to check for carbon buildup.

they also cleaned all hoses.

Dear all, I have a opel vectra diesel car. It can start but it cannot accelerate properly. Can you pleasr help. Thank you