Car wants to die - help

[alextoffie]

the title of this is test because i've tried posting this topic under a normal title about 10 times now and i just get a forum error each time! typical the one time i put "test" it works!!! ok heres my problem anyway...

got in the car today after work, there was a bit of ice around so i started the engine and left it about 5mins to warm up before setting off

just before i set off the revs started dropping and the car was shuddering

i didn't know whether it was just because it had been cold or not so i set off

i don't actually know how i managed to get home because the problem got a lot worse once i'd set off

the engine warning light came on, both flashing and constatnly at different times

i had to literally put my foot nearly flat to the floor in any gear to get it to go anywhere, it just made a deep induction roar and plodded its way up in speed

whenever i was stopped it was shuddering badly and it was cutting out a few times too, it was as if it was trying to stall whenever i was accelerating

i looked in the manual and it says "it indicates a fault within the fuel injection, ignition or anti-pollution systems"

anyone got any ideas what the hell this could be? i'm going to get it into a garage ASAP

thanks

[Sean]

coilpack has some damp on it, used to happen to mine when I had the old blacktop vtr engine in (although it was the HT leads on the blacktop that were the issue). Does the problem go away when the engine warms up?

[alextoffie]

i've had the odd bit of shuddering in the past mate and it goes away once its warmed up

this time it was the whole journey home... about 4 miles, took a good 15mins

the shuddering was harsh at times too, really not a nice experience!

[alextoffie]

finally managed to rename the topic - anyone have any other ideas?

[dannydrury]

when your driving does it feel like your runnimg out of petrol.

[m20pub]

best just gettin to a garage get a quote on whats wrong m8

[alextoffie]

when your driving does it feel like your runnimg out of petrol.
i've never ran out of petrol lol so i wouldn't know bud . but i did think that to myself as the petrol meter was low although the warning light hadn't come on... i took it to a garage on the way back and put a fiver in just incase, didn't seem to help

[seanybaby1788]

I had the exact same problem mate.

Called RAC they said it would have been damp on the HT leads where the rubbering has worn down a bit. He advised to spray with WD40

Since then i havent had the problem 'touches wood'.

About once a month I top up the HT leads with some WD40.

[craigy_87]

what year is your car mate as i might not have HT leads

EDIT: actually re-phrase that which vtr engine to ya have?

[alextoffie]

Silver top - 51 plate

[craigy_87]

probably will have the coil pack with no HTleads then

[alextoffie]

getting it down to the garage now to have it checked out - thanks for the help people, appreciated

[alextoffie]

Had it fixed today - the guy at the garage lifted the bonnet and knew what it would be - said it was a very common fault.

Think its had the coil pack replaced, cost me £74 inc fitting (which he said would take literally 2mins).

Drives fine now and the problems sorted - the only thing is i've noticed my engine warning light is still on - do i need to get this reset or could this indicate another problem?

The cars driving fine now btw, so if it was another problem i'd not have a clue what it was...

[Sean]

you can get the engine light reset by citroen mate