156 2.0TS Engine Help !!! (Please....)

[clarenn]

Hello All

I have a 2000 (W reg) Alfa 156 TS Sportwagon.
I have owned the car for about 3 months and it has developed a strange characteristic....

If you are sitting in traffic, the tick over, hunts a little....
The revs will drop to approx 800 then shoot to 12 - 1500 rpm and then settle back at 1000...

At the same time, it is really struggling to accelerate away from a standing start or in general, it will have small spurts of acceleration and then drop back and if you wind it right up it pulls OK, but not like it should...

If I sit at 30mph the car will start to kangaroo a little then stop

There is no pattern to the behavior, first thing in the morning, cold start, warm start... it can happen whenever.

It has full Alfa history up to 72k and it is only on 74k now.

I was told that at the 72k service it had new plugs, this is not marked in the book, just what the previous owner told me.

The Rad had a hole in and that has been replaced - thought that might have been the problem giving false readings to the ECU.

I have checked the Cam shaft sensor and it reads 870 ohms (read some earlier threads... ;-) but have not replaced it.

My next thought is Airflow meter?? or should I bit the bullet and replace all the plugs to be sure ?

Any help and advice appreciated as this is a super car, my first Alfa and now I am hooked !!!!!

Superb site too BTW - a very professional layout...

Hope to hear from anyone soon - Thanks

Glenn

[Racer_J]

Morning Glenn.

OK, a while back, I had an Alfa 155 V6. It started doing exactly what you describe in your post. I found out that my Idle Control Valve was dead, so i replaced it and didn't have any more problems. For the record, the aforementioned component was a zinc coated cylindrical item with an electronic connector in one end and a couple of small hoses in the other (I think they we vacuum hoses).

Don't know much about the TS engine but it could be a good starting point?

[symon]

I had a very similar problem on a 146Ti and it turned out to be the MAF.

[156Chris]

Thinking MAF or Lambda ... have you tried unplugging the MAF???

[clarenn]

HI Guys....

Thanks for the info so far.
Haven't tried unplugging the MAF - would the car still run OK ?
I read a thread about cutting a wire in pin 15 from rev counter???? any ideas or is this not related... ?

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...e-the-fix.html (156 wonky idle - THE FIX !!!!)

I have had the idle control cleaned and i was told it was full of 5h1t so it could be knackered all together... was it expensive new or did you go 2nd hand ?

Thanks again

[Racer_J]

Originally Posted by clarenn

HI Guys....

Thanks for the info so far.
Haven't tried unplugging the MAF - would the car still run OK ?
I read a thread about cutting a wire in pin 15 from rev counter???? any ideas or is this not related... ?

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...e-the-fix.html (156 wonky idle - THE FIX !!!!)

I have had the idle control cleaned and i was told it was full of 5h1t so it could be knackered all together... was it expensive new or did you go 2nd hand ?

Thanks again

Yeah, tried cleaning mine too but no joy, so i replaced it with a new one. £90 from a dealer back in 2002.

[clarenn]

OK Thanks Racer J

Have a good day.

[clarenn]

OK - Hello guys.....

I have tried changing the airflow metre and still no joy........
She seems to be tempremental now and has good drives and others where she just holds back.

I am thinking of trying the cutting the wire form 15 pin at the back of the spedo from a thread I read once....

I do have a camshaft sensor too but have not fitted it.
I tested my one and it was the correct ohm reading which I grabbed from another thread form here.
Does anyone think it is worth changing it anyway?? happy to do so if not go and get me £40 back...!

Any advice is greatly welcomed - thanks