VZ SV6 Running rough... Plz help!

[ShellyMacca]

Hi there.. I'm new so I hope I'm posting in the right spot.. And hope I don't come across demanding... But being a 34yr old female I don't know what the problem is or the price tag attached to it...

I'm thinking dirty fuel? Plugs or coils? Cylinder? ...dare I say gearbox?

It all started when I was low on fuel and reversed onto a steep driveway...then I took a nearly half hour drive.. And she was running rough as a 4cyl... No power.. Rough idle.. (missing) And at over 2g revs it seemed to stutter and shake.. Thinking it was dirty fuel, I used injector cleaner which I thought was helping it.. I'm wrong... It doesnt have the "miss" as much now... But today she was back to being like a 4cyl... Not happy! Back to near no power... Won't push pass 80ks... And leaving it in drive, I watched the revs and listened as it changed gears... Something ain't right because the revs didn't act like they normally would and she wouldn't kick back like normal... And if I tried to hold it, it sounded like I had it in 3rd or 4th.. Next set of lights I give her half acceleration... And noticed a POP or knock sound when it did change from 1st to 2nd...again into 3rd.. But had to back off and brake coz of the traffic!! ...after that I just took it easy, but would put my foot down to push the revs up a bit but she wouldn't respond like normal...

Could this all be from the dirty fuel?
Could it be a spark plug or 6? Coils maybe?.... I know knowing about the cylinders really? Only it is starting to sound more and more costly.... And damn it if it's the gearbox.. I could just buy myself a clown car with a big key on top... With the price it's going to cost.. Because apparently a 2nd one will only have to same problems at some point...

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated... I'm lost.. I really only know a little bit about nothing when it comes to cars.. Thanx in advance!!

 

[ShellyMacca]

I'm worried it is the gear box because... When I drive it manually... It seemed better.. But yesterday when I moved into drive she started to splatter and miss fire with now power... I was bearly hitting the 70k speed limit... If it's going to cost to much... I will take the highest bid and send her to a new home ...

 

[Silverbird]

Hi Shelly,
What is the mileage on your car, and the build date? How does it idle? Does it miss when you give it a bit of a rev in park? Okay if you are worried about your transmission, how does the transmission oil look? Is it a reddish colour or dark brown? The transmissions are pretty tough but not unbreakable. I doubt it's your transmission.

 

[ShellyMacca]

Ohh good that's news I wanted to hear... But then again I haven't checked the colour of the trans oil lol...

And think it's at about 227,000ish..
The idle is OK now.. But was very splattery... Missing heaps... Even when driving.. Rolling... At any speed... Worse when I went over 2g revs... Lots of shaking... I could feel it thru the pedal and floor... But the injector cleaner seemed to work... 2 days later, She had some get up and go, for half a day.. But when I drove it that afternoon she was rough again. Now a week later and 3/4 tank of fuel, she seems even worse...
I can rev it all I like in park and she is good.. Sounds normal.. But idle in park and I hear a miss every so often... It was worse when she was low on fuel and first started to act up... The miss noise of the revs dropping was almost constant...
Not so much now... Unless I put my foot down even a little bit...

She is sluggish and then will drive normal... Then sluggish and randomly kick back if I give it abit... But today she didn't like doing much more then 65ks

 

[ShellyMacca]

Sorry blake... I'm so rude... Thank you for your help hey... I appreciate it!!

 

[Bonus]

To me this sounds fuel system related. If you were low on fuel and were on a steep driveway, youve possibly sucked all the crap that may have been sitting on the bottom of the tank into the fuel pump which has then blocked your injectors or other part of the fuel system. I would run a few more bottles of injector cleaner through the system combined with 98 fuel and see if that fixes your problem.
This doesnt sound like a gearbox issue, if you have an sv6, you cant check your tranmission oil without draining it from the gearbox as they are a "sealed" unit and dont have a dipstick

 

[ShellyMacca]

lol true about no dip stick... I did know this about them... Yet I'm saying I haven't checked it haha...

Well today when I started it, I let it run until the revs dropped and I heard it "miss" maybe 8 times... Then listened until the temp showed it was warm... "missed" lots more times.. But in reverse it was worse... And then I give it abit and the revs and speed didn't seem right.. It's like the revs won't budge over 2.5g... And sluggish to change gear... I did another lap up the same road, but changed gears myself... Let revs up too 3g and she seemed to change fine.. Another Ueee and I had a cop behind me.. And yep he pulled me over to ask if I have been drinking at 10am and if I could count to 5... and to let me know my rego is out today... "Dahhhh yep.. Me no all this mate" felt like asking for him to go the other way so I can dive it like I stole it!! And not like an old lady!!
So rolling down the road at 48ks with cop behind me didn't do much for my efforts of testing the waters...

I'm just not sure what the POP noise I heard yesterday was... I'm waiting for my mechanic to come drive it... But in the mean time I might risk a speeding ticket and see how she goes

 

[ShellyMacca]

Ok... So...

The mechanic finally just come to take a look at my car... We are sticking with the dirty fuel theory.. And going to replace the fuel filter and plugs too... Hopefully that changes things...

But it's typical.. My car didn't miss a beat when he drove it... Not until we got back then it had the miss again.. The mechanic jumped in, heard it too. Turned the AC on and the miss was worse... He explained if it was a constant miss it is easier to diagnose and its not throwing an engine light either so that makes it even more confusing...

But in all that time.. My car made its other random noise.. Of a whistle squeak kinda chirp.... Which I suspected to be the gearbox.. And from what he could hear.. It is coming from the gearbox.. He said Possibly low on oil. He quoted me $80ish for a service on it.. And said he will get back to me with a price for fuel filter and plugs +labour...
Just unlucky for me that I have to wait until Saturday before he can do it

I will continue to keep my out updated

 

[Silverbird]

Sorry blake... I'm so rude... Thank you for your help hey... I appreciate it!!

No worries Shelly, you are welcome.

To me this sounds fuel system related. If you were low on fuel and were on a steep driveway, youve possibly sucked all the crap that may have been sitting on the bottom of the tank into the fuel pump which has then blocked your injectors or other part of the fuel system. I would run a few more bottles of injector cleaner through the system combined with 98 fuel and see if that fixes your problem.
This doesnt sound like a gearbox issue, if you have an sv6, you cant check your tranmission oil without draining it from the gearbox as they are a "sealed" unit and dont have a dipstick

Good advice.

Yes Shelly, change the auto oil. Good call. Noise coming from gearbox not a great thing, but change of oil will do no damage. Go easy on it until it's fixed. My bad idle issue never threw up a trouble code, not even with a faulty coil. Coils could be worth considering at your mileage.

Keep us posted.

 

[ShellyMacca]

Hey.. Yeah I did ask him about the coils.. But he said normally if there are an issue with any of the coils they will pretty much make a song and dance about it... So he doubts it any of those...

But quick question.... How long should spark plugs last?

I have had the car for little over a year.. Done I think about 40,000ish Ks... In that time.. And have replaced the plugs at some point.. Could have been 6ms ago.. Maybe longer... My memory tells me they last around the 100,000ks.... But the mech said 20,000-40,000
.... He is only young and im hoping he doesn't want to just do the job to claim the labour since its a lengthy process... He seems straight up about everything else.. And knows I'm on a tight budget with rego and Chrissy... I also just had him to the brakes too..

I'm not overly worried about replacing them because $15x6 is cheaper then other issues... And hopefully it will fix my problem

Normally my ex would do all the labour... But since he is a @#$% I don't want to have to go to him for the help... Trust my car to play up like this as soon as I leave him! ...i know how to do some of the work from watching him and learning.. Just my girly arms ain't right for the job lol... These plugs are hiding out real good... The little buggers...