Really bad fuel mixture problem - desperate!

[akita]

Originally Posted by Louiseloves240s

Hi
I really, really would appreciate some help from you experts, as my garage bloke has given up and has started to say I should get rid of the car, and I really don’t want to – No. 6 is my favourite of the six 240 estates I’ve had over the past 26 years (I’m not weird, they work for me and I love them, OK?), it has only 160,000 on the clock and is in really good condition apart from this. And it has leather seats and a very superior sunroof, and is my very favourite mid blue, and previously went really well (all right, I know the engine is more important…).

You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t know all the correct terms for things, but I hope you can understand me.

The problem is that for the last few months, the car has been increasingly running far too rich, it uses a vast (er!) amount of petrol, and the fumes from it would kill a horse - fortunately, having finally got to the end of the School Run, I don't have to use it too much. If it idles for long, apparently it is ‘hunting’, and although it always starts first time, if I go a short distance and stop the engine, it is very difficult to start it again, as I think it floods. The bloke at the garage explained about the various things that could cause it that he had checked with the limited diagnostic tools available for these cars – the correct code is apparently showing for it not being the temperature sensor (several AA men have suggested that the car thinks the engine is cold when it’s not, but the diagnostic thing doesn’t show this), and the oxygen sensor (not sure if I have the right name) is showing the right output voltage, or whatever it shows when you test it. He did find a wire not connected to something in the system, but it actually made no difference when he reconnected it

On balance, he thought it was most likely to be the fuel regulator (if that’s the name of a little round thing right in the middle of the engine, on top) and with my agreement replaced it, at some expense.

It wasn’t.
I can’t afford to keep trying different things without a reason, and he’s now suggesting that it’s the engine management system, and I should give up and get rid of it.

Last weekend, when it had been sitting for over 24 hours, it started but then ‘chugged’ and wouldn’t go, as it sometimes does when the damp gets to it – like the fourth one I had, it hates very wet weather and occasionally does this; it stalled and wouldn’t start again, although it was turning over fine. Garage man took it away and put new plugs on it, as he not unreasonably said that a couple of months of running that rich would have made them very dirty, and it has started perfectly all week, but it is now sitting forlornly at the bottom of the lane, having done an exact repeat of last weekend and having started, ‘chugged’ and stalled, and now won’t start at all. Garage man thinks this is connected to the same problem, which seems to be getting worse

Am in despair – they’re getting very difficult to find, and I thought I’d have this one for a while. Also can’t afford this!

Can anyone suggest anything, or is he right and I should give up?

Louise, sadly.

Hi Louise this starting issue and not starting when hot is exactly the problems I have had with the 262c down to the running rich and the smell of fuel. I was advised that the injectors needed changing as they were possibly "dribbling" creating too much fuel. Until I get it done I was told to disconnect the cold start injector when the weather is warm to reduce the fuel input and should the temperature drop and get colder I have to put it back on. At the moment this works for me, but now I have all the parts (the clips for the injectors I had to get from Delorean in Texas) means I can get it booked in somewhere. Might be worth a try. Jen



sorry Louise, should have read the whole thread, sorry about your car

[SirTainlyBarkin]

Really sorry to hear about your car Louise. I don't look in here that often which is a shame as I wish I could have been of some help, I only live a few miles away from Llantrisant. I hope you manage to find another 240 soon. (I'm on my sixth, but had to travel to Leicester for this one)