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**andy_enuff** · 19 September 2011, 12:34

Is the engine warning light on at all?

On a modern EFI engine it is difficult to see much without seeing the engine and running diagnostics on it with a computer - You could check a whole bunch of usual stuff like the idle control valve and see if it is stuck at all but that wouldn't give you the symptoms you are seeing...

Could be MAF or Oxygen sensor but not easy to tell without having a computer attached. The symptoms could be electrical or mechanical, without putting a computer on it you won't necessarily know if it is either... EG, the bulb for the engine warning light might have blown so you wouldn't know if it is electrical and a mechanical fault would be more obvious to detect if you knew it was DEFINITELY not electrical by using a computer to read errors.

Hope someone else might have a better idea for you tho and teach me something too!

**BUSHWHACKER** · 19 September 2011, 12:45

Is it a high milage car?

Could be something simple as coked up intake components.
First thing to check/clean would be the IACV (idle air control valve) then the AFM/MAF whichever the Charisma has. Both of these items can be found on or near the air filter housing/inlet manifold..

**Big_ben** · 19 September 2011, 12:53

Thanks lads....

No Andy, the engine lights not on...but as you said...the bulb could be in question??

Vince, the mileage is approx 76k. How genuine that is....I have my doubts. Engine bay is dirty and has old bits of hay in it.....it was an old farmer's car - so it's possible he was only going from farm to village and back, and just never cleaned it.

I'll have a little look around, but most liekly will get it plugged in and checked.

THANKS AGAIN!

**andy_enuff** · 19 September 2011, 13:33

Sounds like you are doing some air intake cleaning then this week sometime :P Could be full of hay in the air filter and clogged up with oil and gunge in the IACV or the maf might be oily. All worth checking and cleaning.

The IACV will likely be around the engine side of the air intake, the MAF/AFM will be in the middle of the air intake hose after the air filter (this is VERY delicate and VERY expensive to replace so probably best just to check it and only clean it if you really know how (google is your friend here - http://www.louv.tv/cars/m5/MAF/)- it's probably made fo very fine wire).

The air filter should be obvious - I always change the air filter, oil filter and fuel filter and add some redex to about quarter of a tank of petrol when I get a new car, as unless it has a FSH it's often the case that they haven't been changed for years (and even then it's sometimes debatable) - but that's just me...

The last car I bought was an off road modified Vitara - the fual filter was on backwards and clogged up becase it was filtering fuel with no space for the detritis to go, the air filter was missing, the carb (it's not and EFI engine) was jammed with gunge, the manual choke had been removed - all unnecessary for off road modification - just bad engine maintenance - it's all to common! The car before that had a jammed IACV, faulty Engine Management light and was actually showing an error for the cam position sensor being faulty... People are strange when it comes to second hand cars!

**JUDWAK** · 19 September 2011, 13:38

lamber sensor
well it was on my old vauxhall

**andy_enuff** · 19 September 2011, 13:40

lambda/oxygen sensor - same thing...

**JUDWAK** · 19 September 2011, 13:45

i would not know i am car clueless
just had lots of cars with lots of proplems

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-A...item562b567025

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Not a Surf question...but someone might know?

Not a Surf question...but someone might know?

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