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[terry paget]

Not my best day. First Ben's 2.2 fails MOT terminally, rust everywhere. I get home and find an e-mail from son Jonathan, running my 2.5 manual estate, complaining,  'Dad, just to warn you the car is progressively stalling in neutral and low gears'. Water in no. 6, crank sensor, MAF sensor, coil pack, something else? I changed the plugs and crank sensor last October and the coil pack December 2014. He lives 30 miles away in Chippenham, and is coming here on Wednesday. I hope he makes it.

Would any of the above throw up fault codes? More info will follow.

[Broomies Mate]

I'd be asking Jonathan if there is a smell of Petrol, or if the engine sounds wrong.

When he says 'stalling in low gears' does he mean when the car returns to idle, or when it's on load?

[dave the builder]

Has he read the codes Terry ? pedal test before he drives anywhere 
sounds like missfire or idol control kind of thing

[terry paget]

Has he read the codes Terry ? pedal test before he drives anywhere 
sounds like missfire or idol control kind of thing

Jonny is a happy-go-lucky chap, not much worries him. He doesn't read codes, though he would have mentioned warning lights on. When he brought the car home for its MOT he said it was running perfectly. When I drove it had a loud noise at the back, turned out to be differential, which I changed. He gave up his easy but boring job in the civil service, and now earns peanuts as a film extra, which involves lots of driving and even more hanging about.

Car is ex OOF member ajsphead, by the way, and is amazingly rust free.

[TheBoy]

the car is progressively stalling in neutral and low gears'.

Ask if when its on overrun or idle. If so, check ICV.

[terry paget]

 Jonny made it here for lunch. I drove the car into the garage, it stalled at idle and again driving into garage. I changed the ICv fault cured. Thanks TB, that was not on my list of suspects.

[dave the builder]

A nice easy fix then 
one that throws a code on many cars

[terry paget]

Still not idling sweetly as it should, especially when cold. Code 19 incorrect rpm signal was stored. I cannot find a guide for cleaning the idle control valve on the V6 engine, but I can for the 4 cylinder. My hunch is that it is sticky. Can I usefully take it apart?

[TheBoy]

Nope, cant take apart.  Often a carb cleaner clean, then a couple of drops of light machine oil like 3in1

[TheBoy]

Keep an eye on that 19. Clear it out, and if it comes back, change crank sensor.

Clearly the old ICV was sticky, but its possible there was more than one fault.

[terry paget]

I cleaned the ICV with carb cleaner forgot to oil it, refitted and started the engine. It idled all right, at 750rpm, but occasionally stopped firing momentarily, then recovered, without stalling. That sounds more like crank sensor to me.

[dave the builder]

I cleaned the ICV with carb cleaner forgot to oil it, refitted and started the engine. It idled all right, at 750rpm, but occasionally stopped firing momentarily, then recovered, without stalling. That sounds more like crank sensor to me.

Oil the ICV with light oil , and make sure that is working before swapping other parts Terry
that is a slippery slide , you'll swap most of the car and end up back at the ICV 

[terry paget]

I cleaned the ICV with carb cleaner forgot to oil it, refitted and started the engine. It idled all right, at 750rpm, but occasionally stopped firing momentarily, then recovered, without stalling. That sounds more like crank sensor to me.

Oil the ICV with light oil , and make sure that is working before swapping other parts Terry
that is a slippery slide , you'll swap most of the car and end up back at the ICV 

Too late! I thought I would change the crank sensor. Swopped sensors, struggled to find the upper connector, found it, had difficuly plugging iit in. When I eventually did so, engine started but would not idle at all. I replaced the original crank sensor - just the same. S0 - either I found the wrong connector, or I have torn a wire out of the upper connector.  Now I suppose I must remove the plenum to look for another cable, or repair the one I have damaged. I have already removed the scuttle.

[terry paget]

Here is the socket on the end of the crank sensor lead

and here is the plug from the loom I am trying to plug into it

It doesn't want to go in. I think it's the wrong plug. But where has the right plug gone?

[Doctor Gollum]

Wrong crank sensor...

See Debs guide on the 2.5 Crank Sensor 

[terry paget]

I removed the plenum, opened the harness container, and looked in vain for another plug. Realised that the one I rejected last night must be the lead for the crank sensor. What I had done was stuff the plug in the wrong way up, jammed it, and damaged it removing it. I repaired it with a cable tie, and to avoid a recurrence cut a new hole in the harness box handier for the new route of the cable. I fitted a new crank sensor, and oiled the ICV. Took it for a 10 miles test run, seemed fine.
I could not achieve Doc G's plenum off 5 minutes, on again 2 minutes. Must be out of practice.
Pic of repaired plug and rerouted cable

[BazaJT]

Must admit I can't do plenum off in 5mins either,although it's not too long a job.Glad you got this one sussed

[dave the builder]

well done Terry, got there in the end 
even if you did stray from the path on the way