2.2 Petrol emission light intermittent then solid

[Shaman61]

Hi all, my 2.2 petrol has had the emission light staying on intermittently afetr start up but has in the last day stayed on all the time. Engine is now running ropey at low revs and sometimes feels like it is on emergency mapping mode. Any ideas?

[TheBoy]

Need to get codes read.

Where are you?

[Jimbob]

Can be related to slightly dodgy petrol

Try a tank full of vpower or similar, and maybe some injector cleaner such as forte gas gas treatment or stp injector cleaner or redex

[Shaman61]

Need to get codes read.

Where are you?

Elgin, north Scotland.

[TheBoy]

Need to get codes read.

Where are you?

Elgin, north Scotland.

Ah, not exactly 'round the corner' then  

[mark.adams]

Does it take any longer to start now than it used to before the emissions light came on??

[Shaman61]

Does it take any longer to start now than it used to before the emissions light came on??

Intermittently, yes.

[Shaman61]

I haven't had any time to try and resolve the problem over the last week but it's now running very ropey at idle, intermittently backfiring when cold, drives like the proverbial kangaroo in the tank. I maybe able to get someone to read the codes later this week (I'll be buggered if I'm going to give Vx £50 just to read them).  Has anyone had similar symptoms?

[Auto Addict]

First thing, check for oil/water in the plug wells.

[mark.adams]

 Has anyone had similar symptoms?

Yes i have and the only code in there was EGR Valve
Its something you can strip down and clean, i would also do breathers, check cam cover gasket and clean out butterfly valve in throttle body.
All easy jobs and cheap too.

[arthill]

Hi
Sounds very similar to what my car was like before changing EGR valve, I never thought about cleaning it out. even so I would say it's very important to have codes read and know what you're dealing with.

[Shaman61]

Am I right in thinking that if the problem was a duff sensor (crankshaft etc) then the EML and not the emissions light would come on?  I may get a chance tomorrow to remove and clean the EGR valve, car is running worse now with very erratic revs and a real idiot to drive.  I can't get the codes (if any ) read until the weekend.

[alexandjen]

First thing, check for oil/water in the plug wells.

Agree with AA as I suffered similar problems and it turned out to be leaky rocker cover gasket and blocked breathers  

[Shaman61]

Had a bit of time this morning, was going to try removing the EGR valve but first bolt is like cheese and VX can't get any bolts for a few days (the dealer here seems to have break all in stock except service items), that job is going to be a pig when I get to do it!. Anyway, cleared all breather pipes (some emulsion but no blockages and no oil in plug wells, probably due to it mostly doing 2 times 5 mile trips per day). Inspected air inlet pipery for leaks, all as new (car's only done 52k). Engine reluctant to idle when cold (simply stalls). When engine running I can floor the accelerator and it will rev up to approx 4000 and then drop straight away to 2000 then straight up to 4000 ish and repeat this continually.  Also, plugs showing signs of overfuelling (getting sooty). Any ideas until I can get the code read at the weekend (hopefully). Starting to squeeze my melon as it were!

[Auto Addict]

You really do need to get the codes read.