Car started stuttering when accelerating earlier

Maccy · 8 Sep 2009 at 14:20

Was on my way to work this morning and half way through the journey, I started losing power in 5th. No problem, I thought - going up a slight hill, so dropped down to 4th, was still losing power. Had to stop as was in the lanes to let someone pass.

Into 1st, get some power to get up the hill and there wasn't much response when pushing pedal to the metal! Then it suddenly kicked in a bit more. It was doing this with all gears on the rest of the journey.

My fuel level is a little low, but surely this shouldn't be a reason for strange acceleration??

Can anyone provide other thoughts? The car was only serviced and MOT'd 2 weeks ago!

Berger · 8 Sep 2009 at 14:25

Turbo car blown a boost hose off the intercooler or something?

Maccy · 8 Sep 2009 at 14:25

It's a 1.0 litre Micra....!

Bennie-Mac · 8 Sep 2009 at 14:29

Theres your problem!

Misfire maybe? Angle of the hill + low fuel = none getting to the engine

iaind · 8 Sep 2009 at 14:31

Could be a split intake hose, dodgy MAF sensor maybe...

Was it running rough at all?

ajstan · 8 Sep 2009 at 15:26

maybe this hill was soooo high that there was no air for the engine

BennyC · 8 Sep 2009 at 15:38

Maybe the 3 hours you spent washing and t-cutting it has got it all hot and bothered

Doesn't sound too serious. Saying that it could be anything. Maybe a HT lead?

If it wasn't so serious that it wasn't spotted during your service & M.O.T I doubt it's anything major. Might just be some filthy in jectors from running on low fuel?

PiKe · 8 Sep 2009 at 15:40

Benny06 said:
Maybe the 3 hours you spent washing and t-cutting it has got it all hot and bothered

Doesn't sound too serious. Saying that it could be anything. Maybe a HT lead?

If it wasn't so serious that it wasn't spotted during your service & M.O.T I doubt it's anything major. Might just be some filthy in jectors from running on low fuel?

Why does this silly myth exist? There's a fuel filter to stop crap getting to the injectors.

iaind · 8 Sep 2009 at 15:43

Blocked fuel filter then?

Matt82 · 8 Sep 2009 at 15:58

you might have to phone the mad scientist to replace the piston rings you just fried

Maccy · 8 Sep 2009 at 16:45

It was for the rest of the journey, not just going up the hill. I'll wack some fuel in it on the way back and see how it goes....!

IAmATeaf · 8 Sep 2009 at 16:51

slippy clutch?

Nodiggidy123 · 8 Sep 2009 at 16:55

iaind said:
Blocked fuel filter then?

if the car was recently serviced wouldnt the fuel filter have been replaced?

Matt82 · 8 Sep 2009 at 16:56

i highly doubt it

Nodiggidy123 · 8 Sep 2009 at 17:00

really? i only say this as ive always serviced my own cars with help and ive always done it.

iaind · 8 Sep 2009 at 17:15

Nodiggidy123 said:
if the car was recently serviced wouldnt the fuel filter have been replaced?

Depends on the car, a minor service almost certainly no, a major service then maybe

fastwunz · 8 Sep 2009 at 17:45

My vote goes to the fuel filter. Replaced one on my Williams and the difference was hillarious.

Nodiggidy123 · 8 Sep 2009 at 18:15

fastwunz said:
My vote goes to the fuel filter. Replaced one on my Williams and the difference was hillarious.

slightly different but i put a new one on a digger of ours today. as you say it made a hell of a difference.

Mr Jack · 8 Sep 2009 at 18:20

Do you get a rattle from the exhaust when starting or idling? Could be that the cat has crumbled and the fragments are intermittently blocking the exhaust.

Maccy · 8 Sep 2009 at 18:23

Well, I'm back from the garage and I'm afraid none of you were correct!

One spark plug was loose! Sadly I didn't have the correct wrench to undo it and have a look