Hi all, (repeat post as the first i did didn't seem to work ok - Mods can delete either).

First my apoligies with the terminology.

TS V6 94 220Kms.

When starting from cold the engine is stuttering/hunting very badly on idle. It's getting worse as to when starting off the engine dies causing passengers to dip forward and then the engine cuts in and the passengers go backwards.

Also, i only get about 290Km (to orange light), to a full tank (est 10ltrs left in tank). Is this excessive?

Thanks,
Alan.

Im not to sure about the stuttering problem, i'll leave that up to MadMagna!!

With the fuel consumption, i get 400-450k's out of my TR which has mods running Mobil Syn8000.
An alot of member here get similar figures.
Try cleaning it out with Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner($20) from SCA/Autbobarn. Then try running through a good clean petrol like Mobil or BP. Dont use that Shell E10 Rubbish.

I'd also do an oil change aswell.

Check:

Running way too rich.

MAF sensor is plugged in or defective.
No air leaks in inlet tubing.
Oxygen sensor unplugged or defective.

Thanks for the replys guys,

I did a bit driving today - just to confirm what i have posted - and i didn't give all/enough data.

The stuttering / hesiating, is all the time when driving (fully warmed up). At 60km i could feel the car going 'huh, huh, huh' (pulsing forward and then hesitating), and you could hear it.
It just feels as though it's 'looking for or missing' something.

As per other posts LIAM:
I have only EVER seen 400Kms - 450Kms when on the motorways driving.... I live on the Gold Coast and just do normal drives, 10k here, 20k there. Once (3 months ago), i drove 'super' carefully, and i got 320kms, before the orange light.

I have fitted new plugs (the Rubber spark plug thingy for the back 3 was a god send! - and they are in correctly - after i got one wrong and quickly found out).

The oil has just (2,000k ago), been changed by a local workshop. I couldn't undo the oil nut with a normal socket set (don't have a air gun rattle gun).



MadMax:
Whats a MAF sensor and where do i find and test it? As for Rich, the old plugs came out a nice light brown colour (as per photos in the back of the Haynes manual - besides a little difference from cylinder to cylinder...
All the tubes look great, but i don't know which particular tubes you are reffering to.
Oxygen Sensor, where is it and how do i test it?

I'm ok to look into my Haynes service manual to find the above - but in my past Computer support workings, i find it hard to follow these manuals and i take what they so litteraly - whereas i know that it's meant in general terms. But when i'm fixing things 'by the book', i do it by the book! Unless i get some advice that gives me the 'Real world way'.

Thanks,
Alan.

yeah that fuel economy is not good at all mate :(
i can get around 400km out of 3/4 of a tank, so about 450km in total.

with the car 'searching for something', check the computer. my sister's lancer was doing that and the computer had cooked. or maybe even the loom. thats a stretch, but yeah. sorry to hear it man!

you have a very similar issue to me OBBA

THe jerking/massive miss when the engine is cold and you try to drive off from a standing start. I have that. The problem decreased hugely when i installed a SAFC but this is obviously masking the issue and would surely be there worse if i took all the settings back to zero. I would start the car and go to drive (even after 10-15seconds of run time and i would get a lot of little burbles and ppping out the tailpipe (backfires as fuel ignites in the exhaust system) This is/was caused by bad timing and overfuelling. I fixed timing and tuned the SAFC and its not as bad. Funny thing is in the morning after being off for 14 hours the car doesnt do it, but when its been sitting in the sun at work and its been off for 7hrs in 30degree heat its rooted and missfires like no tommorrow from the minute i drive it right through to the next morning, where it all but runs liek a dream and makes heaps of power.

Ive been threw everything except a new distributor, and everything else has been replaced. The only things i can think of is a leaking injector, cracked head. All fluids changed, all settings have been reset to factory, i have an oil leak but dont see this being a issue (yet) and all consumables have been replaced. I get correct voltages from all sensors and no error codes yet the car runs like ass and its freaking embarassing to pedal around.

Just thought id let you know where you might stand with the issue OBBA, nothing ive done properly has fixed it, ive just been able to bodgey it and i get roughly 360kms to the amber light.

Download the manual and become familiar with the terminology and the location of parts on your car's engine.

OR

Search this forum!

OR

Take the car to a Mitsu dealer and get him to hook it up to his diagnostics machine.

Yeah MadMax, i agree with you...

I got the manual out and found what is called the Airflow Sensor and i found the section on the Oxygen sensor.

Both these may be the culprit. I also found the TPS section, which might do it also.

I'm ok with a Multimeter, but i only have a Digital one.

As i'm out of work at the mo, taking it to Zupps is going to be out of my budget. But i know a little Mitsubishi only repairer (back shop guys). I'll ask them if they have the gear to test the connections / probes properly.

But certainly all these are linked to the bad running and excessive fuel.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

you have a very similar issue to me OBBA

THe jerking/massive miss when the engine is cold and you try to drive off from a standing start. I have that. The problem decreased hugely when i installed a SAFC but this is obviously masking the issue and would surely be there worse if i took all the settings back to zero. I would start the car and go to drive (even after 10-15seconds of run time and i would get a lot of little burbles and ppping out the tailpipe (backfires as fuel ignites in the exhaust system) This is/was caused by bad timing and overfuelling. I fixed timing and tuned the SAFC and its not as bad. Funny thing is in the morning after being off for 14 hours the car doesnt do it, but when its been sitting in the sun at work and its been off for 7hrs in 30degree heat its rooted and missfires like no tommorrow from the minute i drive it right through to the next morning, where it all but runs liek a dream and makes heaps of power.

Ive been threw everything except a new distributor, and everything else has been replaced. The only things i can think of is a leaking injector, cracked head. All fluids changed, all settings have been reset to factory, i have an oil leak but dont see this being a issue (yet) and all consumables have been replaced. I get correct voltages from all sensors and no error codes yet the car runs like ass and its freaking embarassing to pedal around.

Just thought id let you know where you might stand with the issue OBBA, nothing ive done properly has fixed it, ive just been able to bodgey it and i get roughly 360kms to the amber light.


I assume you checked the Oxygen sensor? Have you thought of replacing it? On reading the manual, it seems to be a bit of a hit and miss affair with it.

Ok Madmax...

So i gets out the Haynes manual. I thens look up the MAF - which is actually the AirFlow Sensor.

Anyways, de maunal tells me like to check the voltages on pins 3-5 and 2-4 etc. Lo and behold i only have 7 pins!

7 wires out of the loom. The left pin on the plug is blanked off and the AFS has no male pin anyway! So how the f#$# am i suppose to know which pin is No1? Is the second pin No1 or the last pin no7?

That's what i was saying about reading manuals and doing it 'by the book'!

Anyway, using my DMM (as against an Analouge), as the manual suggests, my Fluke 289 read the pulses fine and i now have error codes 13 and 25.

13 = Air Flow Sensor
25 = Barometric Pressure Sensor

I took apart the AFS and could see the little 'resistor - diode' thing which i assume is the barometric sensor.

So maybe i have to get a new AFS. To solve the error codes?

Maybe this is why i have idleing and driving hiccups and excessive fuel consumption....


I guess i'm askign how the hell does the diagnostic system know that the AFS is faulty? Looking at it, it looked fine!

If you or other posted agree with me, i'll go and get a secondhand unit from the local wreckers.

Thanks,
Alan.

I had the air flow sensor and injector error codes

Toothbrush and some nailpolish remover cleaned up the connectors fine and it all works now.

MAF = mass air flow sensor.
I accidentally left mine disconnected one day after replacing the air cleaner and had EXACTLY the symptoms you describe! So an "educated guess" is that yours may be stuffed!

Working on cars = 50% guesswork, 50% logic and 50% inspiration!
Not to forget 50% perspiration!

Oh, and 50% having the right tools!!

lol

Am I a smart_donkeys_bottom or what??

mmm yes - clean them plugs and sockets!

Diagnostic codes are generated by the ECU. It has an internal map of the responses its expects from all the sensors it is connected to, if one is out of range it throws up an error code. Something simple like a poorly connecting plug and socket will do it.

mmm yes - clean them plugs and sockets!

Diagnostic codes are generated by the ECU. It has an internal map of the responses its expects from all the sensors it is connected to, if one is out of range it throws up an error code. Something simple like a poorly connecting plug and socket will do it.

Ok Fixed....

I had cleaned all the connections, they were nice and shiney - but i still got the error codes 13 & 25.

I took it to a Wrecker / Repairer / Workshop, and they plugged in a $6,000 wiz bang device for $60, to tell me that i had error codes 13 & 25!

I said "Ok, that's what i told you, so now we know it's the Air Flow Sensor for sure at $60, what do we do now"?

They weren't that bad. They replaced mine with a used one and it came up no error codes and running much much better (but i still have to check the fuel economy). They charged me $100 all up with 2 mths warranty. Is that the norm?

BTW, they have about 30-40 MAF's (Air Flow Sensors), that go on my car. So not sure if they fit other models. If anyone needs one (or three), PM me or post and i'll pass on the details.

So thanks to everyone who replied, and MadMax for telling me to read the book!!!! ;)

Thanks once again.
Alan.

PS: FYI, the Barometric sensor was measuring 3.14volts. The manual stated around 4.0volts - would this cause error code 25 or 13?
The actual 'Air Flow Meter' seems to be the honeycomb material. Is that what measures the Intake Temperature?

How can that go 'faulty'? There must be electronics in the head part of the MAF that do the 'detecting'. I've got the old one. I'm going to get the hacksaw, grinder and sledge hammer out and have a look inside later this week!!!

Behind the honeycomb is a wire. It has voltage applied to it. It heats up and its resistance changes. This is detected by the ECU. Air flowing over the wire cools it down, and its resistance decreases. The amount of change in resistance depends on the mass of air flowing past. The ECU uses this info. If the wire has crud on it, or breaks, the ECU will get abnormal info from it and throw the error code. Remove the honecomb and look for a fragile thin wire behind it. The honeycomb is only there to protect that little piece of wire.

Quoting myself:

"So an "educated guess" is that yours may be stuffed!"

I don't want to gloat, but . . . . . . . :D