[Sheenacx]

Okay, so I'm new to this whole website, so sorry if i've posted this in the wrong place or whatever but i'm about to have a nervous break down after an afternoon of searching with what could possibly be wrong with my corsa! alm:

So for a start with what is wrong with it, the car "kangaroo's" if I accelerate, there is dead spots where it will accelerate fine then pull back asif there is no power, and the engine management light comes on and off, the 'jumping' will stop if I let off the accelerator or if i dip my clutch.

This is starting to become really dangerous especially if I pull out on roundabouts and junctions, the car almost stops and feels like its going to reverse! haha but really is bad and I panic thinking im going to get taken out! then it will kangaroo and from nowhere shoot out again and go! :shocked:

Then there is the clocks, I'll be driving along happy as larry, go over a tiny bump and all of the clock finger things will go down to nothing to which I have to look like a mad woman hitting the top of the dash to get them to come back up again so I know what speed I'm doing?!

The other problem is when I start it up, it sounds like a tractor, and also will 'shudder' for about a minute and the revs will raise to 1000/2000 and then drop back down and sound smooth again, then reversing is the worse, sounds like it drops and is about to cut out, really loud knocks etc. and shakes like I don't know what! But as i've seen on some other posts, it doesn't actually cut out?

So yeah for the first problem, i've had the air flow sensor replaced, its had a full service last week everything replaced, new fuel filter, passed its MOT last month with flying colours! Its been on countless mechanics diagnostics to which it says that its either nothing wrong with it, or that its the air flow thing again then tested again and nothing?!

So not to include the problem with the brakes sticking, the rear wiper not working and the heaters not working?!!?!? its an amazing car...

Really havent got the money to replace the next thing that people are suggesting which is the timing chain?!

Any suggestions?! ANY ONE AT ALL PLEASE HELP!

haha all will be greatly appreciated.

Apologies for any spelling / grammar mistakes i'm very stressed! :laugh:

Thanks

 

[taurus]

Welcome

Oh dear - you are having problems!

It's a bit of a long list, but just to tackle a couple of things:

The shudder on startup - since it's been serviced I'll assume the plugs are OK, so I'd begin by checking the coilpack. It sounds like damp is getting into it. Take it off and look for any signs of cracking or deposits around the tips where the coilpack connects to the plugs. Give it a good spray with WD40 and see if there is any improvement.

The 'kangerooing' and the clocks failing give a hint that the two belong together. The early C has an issue with a poor connection behind the dashboard. When it gets loose you get intermittent instrument failure and running problems. I'd take the instrument panel out and check that connector - Vauxhall did an adhesive to hold it solid as a fix. Easy enough to put something in there to make it more solid. Again, try that and see if it makes any improvement.

 

[colin1]

So for a start with what is wrong with it, the car "kangaroo's" if I accelerate, there is dead spots where it will accelerate fine then pull back asif there is no power, and the engine management light comes on and off, the 'jumping' will stop if I let off the accelerator or if i dip my clutch.

This is starting to become really dangerous especially if I pull out on roundabouts and junctions, the car almost stops and feels like its going to reverse! haha but really is bad and I panic thinking im going to get taken out! then it will kangaroo and from nowhere shoot out again and go! :shocked:

Then there is the clocks, I'll be driving along happy as larry, go over a tiny bump and all of the clock finger things will go down to nothing to which I have to look like a mad woman hitting the top of the dash to get them to come back up again so I know what speed I'm doing?!

The other problem is when I start it up, it sounds like a tractor, and also will 'shudder' for about a minute and the revs will raise to 1000/2000 and then drop back down and sound smooth again, then reversing is the worse, sounds like it drops and is about to cut out, really loud knocks etc. and shakes like I don't know what! But as I've seen on some other posts, it doesn't actually cut out?

So yeah for the first problem, I've had the air flow sensor replaced, it's had a full service last week everything replaced, new fuel filter, passed its MOT last month with flying colours! Its been on countless mechanics diagnostics to which it says that its either nothing wrong with it, or that its the air flow thing again then tested again and nothing?!

So not to include the problem with the brakes sticking, the rear wiper not working and the heaters not working?!!?!? its an amazing car...

Really haven't got the money to replace the next thing that people are suggesting which is the timing chain

It would help to know where you are located but hey-ho

I believe I have seen this before albeit on a different car

The throttle body can become so congested that idle is adversely affected. The idle control valve is upstream of the throttle body and would have difficulty leveling something in front of it that has badly compromised flow.

Though I never figured out why, this throws up a MAF code (92 or whatever the four-digit code equivalent is) but it did make sense of a sort as the MAF is the next item upstream of both the idle control valve and the throttle body. I vaguely remember guessing that impaired flow of backed-up gases put the MAF outside of normal operating temperature range but what I did was take the throttle body off, cleaned it meticulously including the plumbing in and out of it and replaced with a new gasket and the problem, with the codes, disappeared.

Take it back into your garage, or disclose your whereabouts and someone on here who's local to you can suggest somewhere better and ask specifically for what I described above to be done.

Re your clocks: if your leave the top of your dash alone, do the 'clock finger things' eventually return to operation?

How did your car get through an MoT 'with flying colours' with sticking brakes?

 

[colin1]

Sorry Taurus
didn't realise you were here - I took so long to type that in between all the other stuff I'm trying to do

 

[Sheenacx]

Thanks for the replies!

I'll get someone to try these for me before the lumbering of hundreds to try the timing chain!

I don't think the brakes were sticking at the time of the MOT, although it did have new brakes not so long after the MOT so could be now that they're wearing in? I don't have a clue where to start with cars to be honest, so I don't really deal with all of that... I just came on here for help I can just about put my water and oil in and check the basic things!

And nope if I leave the dash alone the clock 'finger things' will stay down and the engine still runs as normal, like nothings happened, untill i start banging it, then the clocks come back up so I can see what I speed i'm doing etc.

 

[Sheenacx]

Sorry, I'm based in Cheshire.

Thanks again!