VE tune?

[johnonetrillion]

Hey there!

Symptoms:

Sometimes pinging at low revs (stop/start traffic), but that goes away when I accelerate a little. (Can sometimes give off a very slight ping at higher revs, but nothing like the rattle down low.) Using mostly 91, sometimes 95 – never ethanol.

Recently noticed worsening exhaust smell (inside cabin) when starting up and then reversing out of parking space.

Check engine light comes on and off – like that's anything new. (It just resets.)

Stalled a couple of times recently after take-off. Summer climate, but not super hot. (But it's been a week since it did this.)

180K kms.

My local mechanic reckons its time for new plugs. But do I need to go to a place with higher end diagnostics, or even a dealer workshop for this one?

 

[gossie]

Do the plugs and find out.
Are they the original plugs?

 

[johnonetrillion]

Do the plugs and find out.
Are they the original plugs?

Second set (as far as I remember – unless they were also swapped out as part of earlier dealer services).

I remember the same mechanic bitched about how hard some of them were to get out – something about splitting the manifold and a special tool?

But yes ... good idea trying jut this as a first step.

 

[someguy360]

Carbon build up is a major problem in these direct injected engines which are already running quite high compression as it is, possible thats causing the issue.

Could also be the start of a timing chain issue, if the timings not right it won't be burning the fuel right.

As said above though, start small, change the plugs and see.

 

[_R_J_K_]

But do I need to go to a place with higher end diagnostics, or even a dealer workshop for this one?

If it was the plugs, any amount of diagnostics (outside of the mechanic) aren't really going to be able to identify that. Dealerships typically aren't an advantage either unless you're having some electronic module that's hard coded to the car replaced. Mechanic is bitching because you need to to take the upper intake manifold off and replace a gasket to replace the spark plugs. Makes what should be a <10 minute job take like 20.

If you wanna see if there's any decent amount of carbon buildup, when the car is warm stick it in neutral and give it the old "Italian tune" and rev it up close to redline quickly. If there's a decent amount of carbon build up it will spew out black soot. I've seen this trick done on Mazda MPS engines that are renowned for it if driven at low RPM like an automatic Commodore typically would be. If it does blow soot, do it a few times until it's blown out and see if it makes a difference.

 

[johnonetrillion]

Good info and advice here – will work to this and report back.

Btw, love the 'Italian tune' thing.