Does your Jim rev?

Hi guys

I've got a query about the 2002 Jimny which we've got. I don't drive it that often (Mrs Zeek does) but when I've used it recently, it feels like it doesn't want to go as much as it used to. It seems to rev freely in all gears up to about 3500, then that's it. You can get it up to 4500 in 5th with a good run, but you need momentum for that! It doesn't sound like it's going to blow up or anything, it just runs out of steam. On an A-road, the slightest incline will really make it work, the speed drops quickly, and if you didn't down change, you'd get left behind causing a jam.

It might be my imagination, and the little 1.3 engine is giving everything it always did, but I haven't driven any others to compare - anyone got any ideas? Do yours rev freely right through the range?

Thanks in advance!

This is a characteristic of the catalytic converter on the way out.
If so it will get worse and worse until it will not rev at all

Martin

Hi,

Sounds like a filter needs changing somewhere to me.
Perhaps air or fuel or both?

Somebody will tell you soon, I'm sure.

Mine has done 175,000 miles and will easily run up to 75 mph and revs freely although the lift and tyres make it quite interesting at those speeds on the motorway.

Just seen the reply re: the cat. I hadn't thought of that.

K

Thanks guys...I'll go and check these bits out. The air filter is new though, so unlikely to be that.

Is there any way I can check the condition of the cat without taking it out...Even that should be fairly simple (assuming the nuts haven't rusted to nothing!)?

It had a new pre-cat o2 sensor last year too.

That's the other thing - apparently, it is eager to stall at low (parking) revs... Presumably this could also point to a cat issue?

I had the same symptoms when I baught mine.
Turned out it was huge amount of slack in the accelerator peddle!
May be worth checking throttle cable tension, it's very easy to adjust.

gazert wrote: I had the same symptoms when I baught mine.
Turned out it was huge amount of slack in the accelerator peddle!
May be worth checking throttle cable tension, it's very easy to adjust.

Hi Gazert. Thanks - I did check the throttle cable last week, and it seemed responsive at the body, but I'll get the mrs to press the pedal and see is there's any play in it while i'm looking.

Cheers guys!

I was thinking the same as Martin about a blocked CAT and then read he'd said it, so I think that's your likely culprit.

I just managed to get a new one fitted for £150 but that is very cheap. Eurocarparts wanted over £200.00 just for the CAT. I don't know where my MOT place got the cheap CAT though.

I don;t know how long my cheapy will last but they don;t like being really hot and being dunked in cold water - which I do, so I'm kind of thinking an expensive one might be a false economy anyway if I'm gonna wreck it.

Kirkynut

would you have any running problems if the cat was removed? apart from MOT time.

Possibly as there are 2 Lambda sensors, one before the cat and another in the pipe which is after the CAT and that pipe is part of the whole CAT pipe etc. So you'd have a lambda sensor with nowhere to be and reading nothing.

It might go into closed loop and run ok like that or it might not want to run at all.

I think the only real solution is to get a new CAT fitted. I would not suggest doing it yourself because the Lambda sensor might be well and truly rusted in and you could snap it off trying to remove it without heat - another £50 for a new one and the fitting cost seems not worth getting your hands dirty for when you try to buy one yourself in comparison to a fast fit place all inclusive price.

That was my experience anyway.

Kirkynut

When i looked at my jimny i had the garage put a new one on so mines ok for a while lol!

Sure there on ebay for 90-odd quid though. Easy access to the bolts etc so shouldnt be toobad to fit but rusty nuts etc can make a job a million times worse!

Thanks guys - loads of useful info here. I'll get it into one of the exhaust places to see if they can check it out. Will report back once I have a new cat!