Meg is all lumpy!

Strange thing been happening last few days. Meg is kind of lumpy and jerky occasionally when pulling off and if I slow down then try to speed up. Once at normal road speed she is fine.... any ideas?

I'm hoping to get engine cover off this weekend if it doesn't rain and use Michael till then just in case!

AdamElphick;15516 wrote: Strange thing been happening last few days. Meg is kind of lumpy and jerky occasionally when pulling off and if I slow down then try to speed up. Once at normal road speed she is fine.... any ideas?

I'm hoping to get engine cover off this weekend if it doesn't rain and use Michael till then just in case!

Check your plugs/leads/coil/rotor arm/distributor/points as a first job. Assuming you have all of those, of course.
I had a similar problem on our Mk2, and that turned out to be corrosion on the spring connection below one of the coilpacks.

Thanks David - will pull all wires and stuff off and check connections - I haven't given her a rotor arm/cap in the 5 years I've had her so maybe it's time! LOL

David Aiketgate;15518 wrote: Check your plugs/leads/coil/rotor arm/distributor/points as a first job. Assuming you have all of those, of course.
I had a similar problem on our Mk2, and that turned out to be corrosion on the spring connection below one of the coilpacks.

Best place to start:)

If no luck with that, check out the idle air control valve (IACV) this can stick causing running problems

MGFmad;15520 wrote: Best place to start:)

If no luck with that, check out the idle air control valve (IACV) this can stick causing running problems

I have a spare if you need to buy one... thought mine was dodgy but it was caused by a failing pre-cat lambda sensor...

AdamElphick;15516 wrote: Strange thing been happening last few days. Meg is kind of lumpy and jerky occasionally when pulling off and if I slow down then try to speed up. Once at normal road speed she is fine.... any ideas?

I'm hoping to get engine cover off this weekend if it doesn't rain and use Michael till then just in case!

I know someone with a very early F (chassis no 0000085) and had exactly the same problem, Russell traced it with his computer to a bad connection on one of the coil packs ~ sorted for little money

Bryan Young;15536 wrote: I know someone with a very early F (chassis no 0000085) and had exactly the same problem, Russell traced it with his computer to a bad connection on one of the coil packs ~ sorted for little money

Well in between the rain (and decorating my mates spare room) I popped engine cover off and had a poke around. The dizzy cap was slightly crusty on the inside sparky bits - so i gently cleaned the crust off, and off the rotor arm.... didn't look too bad to be honest. Popped all plug leads off and connections look clean.

Tried to get the coil pack lead off the coil pack and it wouldn't budge, plus almost no room from above to grab it! What a bloody stupid place to put it! So I gave up temporarily. Anyway fired her up and its the same. I have a spare coil pack on Fleur (although hopefully she will be MOT'd in a month or two and sold on!) - so I could try that on Meg I guess to check the pack out. I'll try and get that pesky coil lead off first though in case it's all manky on the connection. Just need really skinny arms!

AdamElphick;15564 wrote: Well in between the rain (and decorating my mates spare room) I popped engine cover off and had a poke around. The dizzy cap was slightly crusty on the inside sparky bits - so i gently cleaned the crust off, and off the rotor arm.... didn't look too bad to be honest. Popped all plug leads off and connections look clean.

Tried to get the coil pack lead off the coil pack and it wouldn't budge, plus almost no room from above to grab it! What a bloody stupid place to put it! So I gave up temporarily. Anyway fired her up and its the same. I have a spare coil pack on Fleur (although hopefully she will be MOT'd in a month or two and sold on!) - so I could try that on Meg I guess to check the pack out. I'll try and get that pesky coil lead off first though in case it's all manky on the connection. Just need really skinny arms!

Time for a chimney sweep's assistant, methinks.:lol:

OK - got annoyed seeing Meg sat on drive so finally decided to have another fiddle!

After much arm scraping, and having to remove my rear brace bars, I managed to get the darned coil off.... what a palaver! Anyway the coil lead connection was RUSTED on... lovely sight. So I cleaned that all off and smeared with petroleum jelly and wiped it off to clean it nicely. Then found a new coil lead in my shed (talk about luck!) and popped that on. Took off the crappy plastic throttle body (must replace that some day) and cleaned it. Was in need as thick gloop was stuck to the inside walls and flappy bit! Also decided to invest in a new rotor arm and distributor cap.

Also used a new lead that I bought for my old Rover 214 wedge years ago to check each lead.. popped them off replaced and started. Made no difference for each so decided the leads were OK!

She is much happier now and I will take her for her first test run to pick the other half up later tonight from the station - wish me luck!

Good luck and well done

MG (Making Gynaecologists) out of mechanics.

Thanks......... I can confirm she has her power back! Woohoo

Excellent news!:yesnod: