I have just got my recently acquired VVC Coupe on the road after a ten week delay waiting to sell another car and already face a potentially expensive problem. I bought the car knowing full well the idle was a bit lumpy and put that down to the lack of a good set up following a Head Gasket change. This job has clearly been done but it appears to have been by 'a bloke who knows a bloke etc…'
After a run on T4 the local ex-MGR dealer have said that there appears to be a problem with the VVC unit itself and have guessed that something was messed with during the HG change when it should have been left well alone. The timing is permanently advanced and although the car runs okay once you get it going it suffers at tickover hovering around the 1150 -1200 mark. I thought I had solved the problem myself by looking through the archive posts and uncovering one where the VVC solenoids were the wrong way round. They tried this and it only made the problem worse. The fault needs to be investigated by whipping the rocker cover off and taking a look inside. Am I right in thinking that there shouldn't be a problem with the actual cams but with the control unit only. If so I can get hold of a new one quickly and cheaply but is it a DIY job? In the meantime, is it okay to use the car just for my six mile journey to work and back while I decide whether to entrust the work to the dealer who, by their own admittance, are not absolutely sure they have diagnosed the problem correctly.
Also, starting is poor so I asked them to take a look at the leads ands coil pack. Sure enough, leads poor and coil on the way out. Replacements supplied and fitted for £150! Sod that, I'll risk scraped knuckles and do that one myself for a fifth of the cost.
Any advice much appreciated.
After a run on T4 the local ex-MGR dealer have said that there appears to be a problem with the VVC unit itself and have guessed that something was messed with during the HG change when it should have been left well alone. The timing is permanently advanced and although the car runs okay once you get it going it suffers at tickover hovering around the 1150 -1200 mark. I thought I had solved the problem myself by looking through the archive posts and uncovering one where the VVC solenoids were the wrong way round. They tried this and it only made the problem worse. The fault needs to be investigated by whipping the rocker cover off and taking a look inside. Am I right in thinking that there shouldn't be a problem with the actual cams but with the control unit only. If so I can get hold of a new one quickly and cheaply but is it a DIY job? In the meantime, is it okay to use the car just for my six mile journey to work and back while I decide whether to entrust the work to the dealer who, by their own admittance, are not absolutely sure they have diagnosed the problem correctly.
Also, starting is poor so I asked them to take a look at the leads ands coil pack. Sure enough, leads poor and coil on the way out. Replacements supplied and fitted for £150! Sod that, I'll risk scraped knuckles and do that one myself for a fifth of the cost.
Any advice much appreciated.
