Engine Light On And Car Really Rough

[scotty014]

hey everyone i wasn't 100% sure where to post this but everyone on hear are very good and im from vic also so hear it goes: a few days ago i had a little accident and have a huge dent in the bonnet so im looking for a new one at the moment. just today my dad took the car out and came home saying the engine light is on so i go to start it up and it was really rough the whole car was shaking, it felt like a had a huge v8 that wasnt really running well. so i pulled it in and quickly shut it off. now my problem is would anyone have any ideas what it could be because tomorrow is a public holiday and i got to get to work on wednesday so i was hoping it could be maybe a lose plug that would do it or would it be much worse .

[ylwgtr2]

check your airflow meter plug....do a on board diagnosis(i dont have time to tell you how to but do a search)the ecu will spit out a code then there will be your problem....its really quite simple

[scotty014]

thanks for replying. ok i have a r34 workshop manual it says how to do a diagnostics check but it really makes no sence to me it says to put the keys in to on but dont start the engine and then to put some wires into something to activate it. i tested my car today and checked all the plugs and stuff and they are fine i started it up and it sounded fine but then the whole car starts vibrating really badly and a very strong smell of fuel which could be normal cause it hadnt been started up for a day and a half. its killing me cause im too scared to drive it somewhere in case it is serious or if its just coilpacks.

[Let Me Drive]

where are you man if people know that they might be able to come help you and may be a phone number

[scotty014]

im from sunbury but i think most people live on the other side of melbourne. it felt like the more the revs slowly dropped the more vibration throughout the entire car. im still thinking coilpacks from what i have read but not 100% sure.

[scotty014]

ok guys hear is an update. i just started my car this morning and there was no engine light and it was fine, after a bit i revved it a little then revved it to about 5000 and it dropped normally but then the light came on again but still seemed to idle this time ok without the bad vibration but it did smell really bad of fuel i dont know if this is normal for starting it up in the morning but it was bad.

[ylwgtr2]

its the coils.....they are intermitant.....this is quite a common problem on 34's....In my first post i didnt realise thats what you had

Edited January 1, 2008 by ylwgtr2

[scotty014]

thanks for your answer i had a feeling it might be but it threw me off that it would vibrate badly and run roughly but then again i suppose they could do that too. plus my car was driving on that really hot day on monday so that could have cooked them as well.

[DogKnight]

While unlikely ive seen similar symptoms from a car which has been over-filled with oil.

[scotty014]

nah that cant be it cause i havnt changed the oil or topped it up. oh and i have checked it also.

[ylwgtr2]

the vibration is the fact that one or more coils/cylinders is not firing at all.....to find out which ones are the culprits let the car idle(when its playing up) and take the injector wires off one by one.....you will find that there will be ones that eitheir make the car stall(the good ones) and one's that dont make a diffrence (the evil ones)

[scotty014]

thanks for the help guys i think ill go down and buy some new coilpacks now luckily i put some money away awaiting for something like this to happen.

[Revhead]

Could also be something as simple as a loose intake pipe, that'll make it run rough and smell like fuel, not sure if it'll flash the engine light though

[_Ryan_]

Boost leak, Clean AFM, check coilpacks by switching them around if you can? if the fault doesnt go with the coil, you know its not it.

[maddesthatter]

Hey... I've also got a R34 and i had the same problem as you... engine light, SLIP and TCS OFF light would all come on and the car would be shaking.. sometimes the shaking would go away and the lights would stay on.. very very intermittant... and yes it was the coil packs

Now got some splitfires in there and runs perfect

[BRUNSKIGTST]

lol sounds like u dont change oil / do big service that often lolz

[scotty014]

im not stupid i know how to look after my car. i have only had it for about 3 months and it had a full service before i picked it up, so im pretty sure its fine, and i do check my oil frequently and coolant and all the rest.